Bravo, Mock place 1st at Seattle PPK competition
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ST. IGNATIUS — The celebration began at the top of Ravalli Hill, led by a fire truck, with its lights flashing red and about 10 vehicles following, horns honking. The parade snaked its way through town and ended in front of St. Ignatius School, where middle school student Emilio Bravo got a hero’s welcome from a group of friends, family and teachers.
Bravo’s well-wishers couldn’t be more proud of him, because, after all, he set a goal and achieved it. He won his age division at the NFL Team Championship of the NFL Punt, Pass and Kick program in Seattle, Wash. The PPK program is a national skills competition for boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 15, and contestants compete against each other in punting, passing and placekicking.
Four years ago, Bravo qualified to compete in Seattle but lost by just a half an inch. This time, he beat the competition by a foot. His total score was 267.
“I figured it would be close,” said physical education teacher Christy Krantz. “But he stays pretty calm, and he is competitive. I had confidence in him.”
Now Bravo waits to see how his score stacks against other team championships held around the country, which will finish up in mid-December.
“We are very proud of him,” Marisa Torosian said as she snapped photos of blanket- draped Bravo after his chilly fire truck ride through town. Torosian noted how Bravo’s god brother, Sirr Aguiluz, was following him around the parking lot donning a white T-shirt with the words “Congrats Emilio” inscribed across the front and “My bro rocks” on the back.
As people hugged and congratulated the smiling eighth-grader, he seemed a bit dazed by it all. He said he was still tired from the drive back from Seattle, but stated winning felt “pretty good.”
Bravo’s mother Dawn said she was ecstatic as she watched her son win his division.
“It was really hard to get in that car and drive back, because my head was so big,” she said.
“It was fun. He did well,” she said with a grin. “He had a goal, and he met that goal.”
Marissa Mock, 11, of Ronan also earned the honor of NFL Team Champion at the regional NFL Pepsi Punt, Pass, and Kick competition in Seattle, Wash. Nov. 26-27. The young athlete made a mockery of her competitors, outdistancing her opponents by more than 40 feet, with a total score of 196 feet, 3 inches.
Despite winning the regional competition, Mock’s score needed to be one of the top four finishers in her age group nationally to advance any further. According to her father Justin Mock, Marissa is sitting in sixth place nationally, just two spots from advancing to Nationals.
“The trip was wonderful,” Justin said. “She went out and brought her A game.”
Since winning in Missoula, Marissa’s afternoon practice sessions with her father helped improve her score by more than 30 feet in Seattle.
“I’m proud of how well she did with all the pressure,” Justin said. “She went out and did it.”
The following day, Marissa and her family were honored during halftime of the Seattle Seahawks game.
“It was a really good experience to see, feel, and hear the crowd erupt,” Justin said. “It was a big experience.”
Justin said you could see Marissa’s nerves and excitement all balled up into one as she was awarded with the first-place finish.
All of the Punt, Pass and Kick contestants lined up on the 50-yard line and threw a ball.
Shortly thereafter, all of the division winners got an opportunity to kick a field goal, with Marissa’s kick going just wide, hitting the upright.
With Marissa’s newfound talent, she will be back next spring, where she will compete in the 12-13 age bracket.
According to a press release, Western Montana has had at least one Team Champion since it began to compete in the regional competition in 1995. Mock and Bravo are the 26th and 27th Team Champions from Western Montana during that period. Bravo was a repeat performer at the Seattle competition. Seven Montana youths from the central and eastern areas of the state have qualified to compete in the Denver Broncos Team Championship on Dec. 11.
Only the top four finishers in each age group from the 32 NFL team champions advance to the national Punt, Pass and Kick championship to be held at an NFL playoff game in January.
Unfortunately, both Mock and Bravo currently are ranked outside the top four.
Charlo competitor Adriana Tatukivei finished third at the event, with a total score of 63 feet, 3 inches.
