Seattle-bound: local youngsters qualify for regional Punt, Pass and Kick competition
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It’s no secret Adriana Tatukivei, 7, and Marissa Mock, 11, are competitors. But the pair’s recent success in a sport they have little experience in has been a welcome surprise for the girls, as well as their parents. After prevailing at local Punt, Pass and Kick competitions, the pair advanced to the Western Montana sectional event, and guess what?
They both won their age divisions.
The girls will join eighth-grader Emilio Bravo of St. Ignatius, who qualified and competed for the contest four years ago. He lost to a boy from Alaska at that competition, but now the middle school student is ready to compete again.
“I could have beat the kid from Alaska,” he said. “I feel pretty good. I’m not nervous.”
Bravo, Tatukivei and Mock join two other youths from Western Montana who also qualified to compete in the NFL Team Championship of the NFL Punt, Pass and Kick program in Seattle. 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.
The event will take place Nov. 26, one day prior to the Seattle Seahawks vs. Washington Redskins National Football League game. To advance to Seattle, the three had to win in Missoula and also be among the top four of the 14 sectional age-group winners in the Seahawks’ region. Winners of the regional Punt, Pass and Kick competition will be awarded during halftime of the Seahawks game Nov. 27.
The winners will advance to Nationals if they are also among the top four scorers out of all other regional winners representing each of the 32 NFL teams throughout the country. They will be featured at an AFC playoff game in January.
“I was really surprised,” Adriana’s father, Emosi Tatukivei, smiled. “I had never heard of it. She came home and told me she won, and then we won in Missoula. I’m just following her around.”
A very motivated athlete, the Charlo student has always taken interest in soccer, making her talents at football even more of a surprise to her family. Adriana’s current best score is 76, and she is hoping to raise her total score to at least 110 for the competition. For the past few weeks, she’s been focusing the most on her kick because she isn’t used to the tee the ball rests on. The youngster’s strong event is passing.
“We didn’t really practice until she won in Missoula,” Emosi said. “Now she’s very motivated.”
“I’m excited, kinda nervous,” Adriana said with a grin.
Adriana and her father have been practicing half an hour a day in preparation for Seattle.
To help pay for the trip, which her entire family will be embarking on, they held a chili fundraiser at the Pablo Christian Church Nov. 20.
“We just want to go and have fun,” Emosi said. “She’s excited. The support from my wife and family keeps her going.”
“I wanna win,” Adriana smiled.
Marissa Mock represents Ronan Middle School. She has always gravitated towards softball, but her newfound talent with the Punt, Pass and Kick competition has been great motivation to get out three to four afternoons a week and practice with her family behind K. William Harvey Elementary School.
“I didn’t think she would make it this far,” father Justin Mock said. “I just want to make sure it’s an enjoyable trip for us; that’s what is important for us.”
“I’m mostly practicing to improve and see what I can accomplish,” Marissa said.
The girl said she didn’t really know much about the competition before entering, but now that she’s made it to regionals, her nerves are keeping her focused on the goal.
“I’m really excited and nervous,” Marissa said. “I don’t know what the other girls are like … I’m just pretty nervous.”
“I think it’s a significant measure of (Bravo’s) athleticism,” St. Ignatius physical education teacher Christy Krantz said of her student’s success.
To further prepare for the event, Bravo will practice with the redshirt kicker for the University of Montana football team. Mission football coach Rich Ferris set up this practice.
“(Bravo) will be a nice aspect to add to the high school program,” Krantz said, “to have an accurate and consistent kicker.”
“When I was little, I was in soccer,” Bravo said. “Now all my soccer abilities have become football abilities.”
Bravo’s family is fundraising to pay for the trip to Seattle and held a Mexican dinner and silent auction at Allards Restaurant on Nov. 12 and 19.
Bravo, Tatukivei and Mock will face stiff competition against youth from Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, but Western Montana youth usually fare well at the competition.
Over the past 16 years, Western Montana youth have won at least one age group championship in Seattle and have won three age group championships in three of those years. Montana has had four national finalists and two national champions over the past 12 years of the competition.
