ESQUEDA'S A REAL KICK.Byline: Lee Barnathan Daily News Staff Writer Two houses down from Lydia Esqueda's home on a quiet Pacoima street, a neighbor would look out her window and see soccer balls flying into the yard. The neighbor knew full well 5-year-old Ramiro Esqueda was kicking again. ``She'd know right away who it was,'' Lydia said. This fall, area high school football fans will get a chance to see what Lydia long has known: Ramiro Esqueda, now an 18-year-old Kennedy High School senior, can kick. Far. Esqueda has yet to miss a field goal in his high school career, making four attempts on the junior varsity junior varsity n. Abbr. JV A high-school or college team that competes in interschool sports on the level below varsity. Noun 1. and seven on the varsity. The 6-foot, 190-pounder has made long ones, 47 yards against Carson last year that stood as the area's best for several weeks, and another from 40. He has kicked under pressure, beating Palisades Palisades, cliffs along the west bank of the Hudson River, NE N.J. and SE N.Y., extending from N of Jersey City, N.J., to the vicinity of Piermont, N.Y., with a general altitude of from 350 ft to 550 ft (107–168 m). from 30 yards away in a first-round playoff game Noun 1. playoff game - one game in the series of games constituting a playoff game - a single play of a sport or other contest; "the game lasted two hours" playoff - any final competition to determine a championship last year. When a practice water break hinges Hinges may refer to:
``If the going gets tough, we have a magic leg,'' holder Juan Saucillo said. Esqueda finished last season with seven field goals and 46 PATs and sent 33 kickoffs into the end zone to earn All-Area and All-City honors. ``Once I started, I liked it,'' he said. When Esqueda was a toddler, all he wanted to do was kick the ball - any ball - his parents put in front of him. He wouldn't pick it up and put it in his mouth. He wouldn't bounce 1. bounce - (Perhaps by analogy to a bouncing check) An electronic mail message that is undeliverable and returns an error notification (a "bounce message") to the sender is said to "bounce". 2. bounce - To play volleyball. The now-demolished D. C. it. Lydia thought it was strange, but she enjoyed the compliments people gave her because her son could kick so far. ``It was noticeable,'' she said. ``If a regular child could kick (a ball) a house and a half, he could do two and a half.'' By age 9, Esqueda was kicking a soccer ball 40 yards. He played defender and goalie in AYSO AYSO American Youth Soccer Organization AYSO All Your Saturdays Occupied AYSO Alabama Youth Soccer Organization AYSO Albuquerque Youth Soccer Organization (Albuquerque, New Mexico) ball, giving his teams a lift by clearing the ball far enough to reach the forwards. At 14, he kicked a ball so hard at the same time as an opponent that the force broke the opponent's leg. His uncles insisted he had a special leg. This was a source of pride and disappointment for Esqueda's father, Ramiro Sr. On the one hand, he wanted his son to play soccer with him (he grew up in Mexico playing soccer and still practices at Branford Park in Arleta). At the same time, he realized it was in his son's best interest to give up soccer. ``He goes with me sometimes,'' the senior Esqueda said. ``But he likes to play this football. He's old enough to choose the sport.'' ``He tells me to take care of that leg,'' the younger Esqueda said. ``He tells me, `Play whatever sport you like best, but be careful with the leg. Sometimes (in soccer), they miss the ball and kick your ankle.' '' Esqueda discovered football at age 13 while watching NFL NFL abbr. National Football League NFL (US) n abbr (= National Football League) → Fußball-Nationalliga games on TV. It wasn't the kicking he noticed, but the hitting. ``The sound of the hit,'' he said. ``It sounds like a big crash, with the pads and everything.'' He immediately wanted to play, but it was too late to sign up at Kennedy. So he kept playing soccer, sometimes joining his father's local team to stay in shape. His mother signed him up as a sophomore, and Esqueda began as a lineman, hitting to his content on the junior varsity. When the JV kicker Kicker A right, warrant, or some other feature added to a debt instrument to make it more desirable to potential investors. Notes: The ability to trade a bond or other debt instrument in for stock may entice investors, if they feel the stock will appreciate. was promoted to varsity before the first game, Esqueda's teammates suggested he try out because he had played soccer. After making a 35-yard field goal in practice without a tee, he had the job. He also had the attention of the varsity coaches, who promoted him after five games. This season, Esqueda has his sights set on the school record of 52 yards. ``I'm gonna gon·na Informal Contraction of going to: We're gonna win today. try 55,'' he said. Kennedy coach Bob Francola promises more opportunities to kick than in past seasons, when Kennedy's offense was good enough to gain the necessary yardage yard·age 1 n. 1. An amount or length measured in yards. 2. Cloth sold by the yard. Noun 1. for the first down. ``We were pretty potent inside the goal area,'' Francola said. ``But we graduated a 2,300-yard quarterback (Calvin Zinck) and we're traditionally one of the most balanced offenses in the City Section. ``If the position presents itself, I'll take a shot at it,'' Francola said. ``I'm sure we'll be in a position along the way.'' TOP KICKERS kickers See bells and whistles. Name School Ht. Wt. Yr. 1. Ramiro Esqueda Kennedy 6-0 180 Sr. He's 11 for 11 on field goals 2. Matt Ryburn Village Christian 5-10 170 Jr. Can make pressure kicks 3. David Rosenberg Calabasas 6-1 140 Sr. Had four field goals last season 4. Russell Griffith Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley 6-1 190 Sr. Averaged 36.2 yards per punt 5. Pat Thomsen Notre Dame Notre Dame IPA: [nɔtʁ dam] is French for Our Lady, referring to the Virgin Mary. In the United States of America, Notre Dame 6-1 160 Sr. Showed lots of promise as a punter Punter 1. An trader who hopes to make quick profits. Basically, another term for speculator. 2. In the U.K., it is generally used to describe someone who gambles. It is also used to mean a client or customer of any business. 6. Eddie Cicoria Alemany 6-2 210 Sr. Possesses strong leg 7. Jesse Nicassio Oak Park 5-10 165 Jr. Can boom punts 8. John Wall Birmingham 5-9 168 So. Soccer player with excellent kicking potential ?13Eric Sondheimer RAMIRO ESQUEDA: THROUGH THE YEARS 1981: Little 2-year-old Ramiro shows his desire to kick the ball. Whenever his parents give him a ball, he kicks it instead of putting it in his mouth. 1993: Playing youth soccer, breaks opponent's leg by kicking ball. 1995: Begins playing football. Gets promoted to varsity midway through the season. Makes four field goals without a miss. 1996: Makes seven field goals without a miss, kicks 46 PATS, sends 33 kickoffs into the end zone and earns All-Area honors. CAPTION(S): 3 Photos, 2 Charts Photo: (1--color) Converted soccer player Ramiro Esqueda of Kennedy has yet to miss a field goal in his high school career. Tom Mendoza Tom Mendoza joined Network Appliance, Inc. in 1994 and has served as its President since 2000. Mr. Mendoza has more than 31 years as a high technology executive and has served in an advisory capacity on the board of directors of Netscreen (acquired by Juniper), Rhapsody (acquired by / Daily News (2) Little 2-year-old Ramiro shows his desire to kick the ball. Whenever his parents give him a ball, he kicks it instead of putting it in his mouth. (3) Makes seven field goals without a miss, kicks 46 PATS, sends 33 kickoffs into the end zone and earns All-Area honors. Chart: (1) TOP KICKERS (see text) (2) RAMIRO ESQUEDA: THROUGH THE YEARS (see text) |
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