He can throw, he can run, and he can tackle, but for Coast Union senior Emanuel Plasencia, his specialty comes on special teams.
"We just know that we've got that kicking tee right there ready to go, Emanuel is ready to go, and he boots it through the upright right away," Coast Union head football coach Andrew Crosby said.
They're not often cheered for, but in Bronco Country fourth downs are different.
"Sometimes it's a little scary, but I think it's awesome because it also gives me a chance to do what I love, which is kicking field goals," Emanuel explained.
Emanuel started kicking for Coast Union his freshman year, trading soccer for football and learning the craft by watching YouTube. It didn't take long for the coaches to realize Emanuel was the real deal.
"You could really see it right there on the field from day one," Crosby said. "He was kicking everything through the uprights. It was pretty special to watch."
His strength is in his power, Emanuel is booting balls from all over the field and expanding the Broncos' playbook yard by yard.
"Anything inside the 30, us coaches are thinking, 'Hey, we're in field goal range.' Not many other teams can think that," Crosby said.
Emanuel even amazes his long-snapper, and longtime friend, Spencer Magnuson.
"We almost have that three points already when we cross midfield," Spencer said jokingly. "I know I have faith in my kicker behind me that he can almost kick it from anywhere he wants to. It's pretty awesome."
"I've seen some people and their reaction is, 'Oh my! Where did that guy kick that from?' It's just crazy," Emanuel added.
From afar, extra points may seem like a piece of cake, and for Emanuel they are. He's missed just five his entire high school career.
"It just makes you comfortable and confident that you've got someone out there that can do it, especially at the 8-man level where not many teams have a guy like that on their team," Crosby explained.
Emanuel has taken his talent nationwide to Kohl's Kicking Camps, earning the nod as the third best kicker in California and 81st best in the country. It's also where he connected on his career-long 65-yard field goal.
"I don't even believe it," Emanuel said. "I'm just like, 'Where did I get that power from?' I've realized it comes back to fundamentals every single time."
And he's not just a kicker, Emanuel is the Broncos' work horse. He's tallied 11 touchdowns and racked up 654 yards of total offense while leading his squad to a 3-0 record so far this season.
"He's a strong runner. And on defense, he's one of the best tacklers we have, making textbook tackles every play," Spencer said.
"He's a competitive athlete, and I think that's what someone at the next level is going to want," Crosby added. "They're not going to want some guy that just wants to kick, they want some guy that wants to win and is a true team player."
Emanuel and the Broncos will be back in action on Friday night at Kings Christian in Lemoore, kickoff is scheduled for 7 P.M.
