Injured Vanderpool kicks Truckers to win

Like any kid with athletic ambition, Tommy Vanderpool grew up a dreamer. The Norwalk High School senior practiced at home the countdown of a game-winning shot in basketball like Steph Curry or LeBron James. An avid soccer player, Vanderpool grew up a goalie. He often daydreamed and practiced stopping a potential winning penalty kick shot, trying to emulate someone like U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard. "I didn't always win or make the shot," Vanderpool said. Last weekend, Vanderpool finally got to live out his moment. But it wasn't anywhere near a basketball court or a soccer field — and it wasn't done anywhere close to full health. After transitioning to football in high school, Vanderpool was prepping for the start of his senior year for the Truckers when he felt some discomfort on Aug. 14. He powered through kicking in the final scrimmage of the preseason against Shelby the next night, but the pain got to a point of no return. "It was described as my oblique and groin area were inflamed," Vanderpool said. "We decided it was best to take it easy and not play in the first game because it's a long season." Last Tuesday, Norwalk head coach Keith Mora started practicing with quarterback Brady Singer as the kicker and punter. However, he did ask Vanderpool to dress in uniform for one specific reason. "Because if we needed a game-winning extra point or field goal, we need you to roll out there and be tough for one play," Mora said. "That was said with us not expecting it to ever actually happen." Sure enough, it happened. After Singer handled the kicking and punting, including making two critical extra points, the Truckers and host Toledo Start were tied at 14 after regulation in the season opener on Aug. 22. Suddenly, Vanderpool started to think his number might get called. Between the end of the fourth quarter and overtime, he practiced three kicks. Then Gavin Lepley intercepted a Start pass to begin the OT, and the reality of the situation hit the returning SBC Lake first team specialist. "On a scale of 1 to 10, the pain level was about a seven," Vanderpool said. "I was trying to not focus on the pain when I was getting ready to kick." The Truckers were held to six yards over three plays, and Mora decided to give it a shot with Vanderpool. With the pain on his right side — same as his kicking leg — the senior didn't square up the ball cleanly. Like any kid with athletic ambition, Tommy Vanderpool grew up a dreamer. The Norwalk High School senior practiced at home the countdown of a game-winning shot in basketball like Steph Curry or LeBron James. An avid soccer player, Vanderpool grew up a goalie. He often daydreamed and practiced stopping a potential winning penalty kick shot, trying to emulate someone like U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard. "I didn't always win or make the shot," Vanderpool said. Last weekend, Vanderpool finally got to live out his moment. But it wasn't anywhere near a basketball court or a soccer field — and it wasn't done anywhere close to full health. After transitioning to football in high school, Vanderpool was prepping for the start of his senior year for the Truckers when he felt some discomfort on Aug. 14. He powered through kicking in the final scrimmage of the preseason against Shelby the next night, but the pain got to a point of no return. "It was described as my oblique and groin area was inflamed," Vanderpool said. "We decided it was best to take it easy and not play in the first game because it's a long season." However, the football wobbled on a line drive and cleared the crossbar by about two yards for the game-winning 36-yard field goal in a 17-14 win. After being mobbed by his teammates, Vanderpool gingerly jogged to the post-game handshake line, trying to grasp what had just happened. "After the kick, my pain level was more like an eight," he said. "I was just trying not to think about it. In that moment, it was go-time. I had to get in the right mindset and be ready to give it a try for my team. Vanderpool did not think the kick was going to be good off his leg. "As a kicker, you're not supposed to watch the snap, but I kind of did there for comfort," he said. "I saw it coming back, and I was like, 'Well, this isn't going to be good.' But William (Biller) got the ball down. "It wasn't a pretty kick, but we got it through. There was a lot of relief when it cleared." A sophomore, Biller took the hold from junior long snapper Caiden Wilson. "Caiden was nervous, and he said the ball was wet because his hands were so sweaty," Biller said. "It was a touch high, but it was definitely good enough that I could get it down in time still. When I first stood up, I thought the ball looked too low. "But I'm excited for Tommy as a senior to do that," he added. "It felt nice for him and the team. I wasn't nervous because I knew he wasn't. We know he is capable of that, even if he wasn't 100 percent." Mora said it was rewarding to see Vanderpool tough out the moment, as well as the role special teams played in the victory. "William did a great job to get the ball down with the laces out to allow Tommy to kick it," he said. "If any part of that doesn't go right between Caiden and William, then we are in a second overtime." Mora said he could sense Vanderpool's calmness, even after Start called a timeout in an attempt to ice him. "It wasn't a beautiful kick, but it was where it needed to be," Mora said. "That's the first thing Tommy said to me, that he didn't get it just right. But that says a lot about him and all our guys who stepped up. If we miss one of those extra points, we're already talking about being 0-1." The third-year head coach of the Truckers had also never been involved in a game that ended on a field goal. "That was awesome watching our kids fly off the field and be excited," he said. "With where our numbers are, we need every one of these guys to feel like they are a part of what we're doing — even if they're not playing every Friday night or Saturday morning at this point. "They are part of this. So it was a cool feeling to see every one of them celebrating that moment together." Vanderpool played soccer for almost 10 years before switching to golf and then quickly to football. The wins have been tough to come by during his playing days for the Truckers. That made last Friday's moment extra special. "We have a small team, but everyone stepped up," he said. "It felt good because I know it meant a lot to everybody. It felt really meaningful because it's been a tough couple of years, so to win a game like that meant a lot."