Lewis goes from goalkeeper to place-kicker

• By WILLIAM WEATHERS
• Special to The Advocate
• Published: Oct 2, 2008 - UPDATED: 6:15 a.m.

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DENHAM SPRINGS — The stories fork along two different paths but ultimately arrive at the same destination.

Denham Springs High School football coach Dru Nettles still draws a hearty smile at his accounts surrounding then sophomore place-kicker Josh Lewis’ first season of football and the lengths his staff went through to get him in the game.

“We actually had to assign a coach who was responsible for getting Josh on and off the field, the tees and the balls,” Nettles said. “Josh was very uncertain to the team, game situations and it took some time and getting used to on the field.”

Lewis, shaking his head in disbelief, offered his version of the story.

“That’s a little far-fetched,” he said with a smile. “I didn’t know when to get prepared on the sideline.

“Like if it was second down I didn’t know I should be warming up into the net during the game. That year I was inexperienced and didn’t know how to handle myself on the field quite as well as I do now. Basically that year was learning the sport.”

There’s no disputing between either party that Lewis’ football savvy has nearly caught up with his powerful right leg that’s been the talk of Denham Springs’ 3-0 start to the 2008 season heading into Friday’s home game with undefeated Brother Martin at 7 p.m.

Not only has Lewis become the school’s record holder with his 57-yard field goal in a season-opening 20-0 win over East Ascension but the 6-foot-1, 175-pound senior delivered in the clutch a week later with his first game-winning effort — a 47-yarder as time expired in a 17-14 win at Covington.

“So far it’s been what I’ve worked for,” Lewis said of his final season. “It’s what I expected it to be. … to get the opportunities to help my team. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

For Lewis, hitting pressure-packed field goals was the furthest thing from his mind three years ago.

His athletic background consisted of only soccer where Lewis began playing at 3 and rose through the ranks as one of the state’s top goalkeepers in his age group.

That Lewis would one day be at the heart of his school’s football success instead of soccer remains mind-boggling.

“I probably wouldn’t have believed it,” Lewis said, if presented with his current status five years ago.