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Whiting: Getting his kicks
Updated: May 9, 2012 9:42AM
The thought had previously crossed Alvaro Castelan’s mind.
All he needed was a little push.
And he received it last year, when Whiting coach Jeff Cain approached him about kicking for the football team.
It didn’t take long for Castelan — a soccer player by trade, attending a school that does not field a soccer team — to agree to give it a go. He joined the Oilers for workouts last summer, including kicking ball after ball after ball, continuing to do so into preseason practice to gain as much experience as possible.
“I’ve played soccer my whole life,” Castelan said. “They needed a player to be a kicker, and it was something I always wanted to do. He gave me extra motivation.
“It came to me pretty naturally. I’ve been playing soccer ever since I could walk. It’s just a different format of kicking.”
The decision proved mutually beneficial.
Castelan, now a senior, made 3-of-6 field goals last season, including a long of 42 yards against South Central, and connected on 40 extra points, missing only four.
“Any time you have one less thing to worry about, it makes things easier,” Cain said.
“His love and his passion is soccer, but he’s found an outlet to bring those skills over onto the football field. We’re really happy to have him.”
Castelan continues to play in soccer leagues over the summer. He played travel ball growing up, with Toronto being one of his more memorable destinations.
But football has filled the void as far as school competition.
“I always wanted to be part of a team, and football more than made up for it,” Castelan said.
Castelan has become so ingrained with the Oilers that he’s also challenging for playing time at wide receiver and defensive back this season.
“He’s a great kid,” Cain said. “He’s done everything we’ve asked of him.”
Castelan has embraced the potential of added roles, including the physical contact.
“It’s been a fun experience playing new positions, doing something besides kicking all the time,” he said.
But kicking has remained his focus.
“I was pretty confident last year, but I’m more confident this year because now I’m used to what I’m doing,” said Castelan, who has aspirations of continuing to kick in college. “I’m not as nervous as I was last year. It was something I had never done on a varsity level. It’s easier this year, everything’s smoother.
“I’m just honored that they think I’m doing that well.”
Coach
Jeff Cain
record
At school: 116-67 (17th year)
Overall: 116-67 (17th year)
Last season
Lost 42-35 to Culver in sectional semifinal
Key returnees
RB/DE Noe Torres
WR/DB Justin Jendreas
TE/MLB Andy Franko
OL Jorge Ponce
LB Austin Perez
DB Patrick Petruf
Key losses
QB/CB Matt Aponte
RB/LB Emerik Quiroz
WR/CB Juwan Simmons
WR/RB/S Steve Kieltyka
College prospects
RB Noe Torres
K Alvaro Castelan
Season outlook
Whiting is a relatively young team, having graduated 11 seniors — an atypically large class for a school of its size, and an accomplished one to boot — from an 8-3 team, including a number of familiar skill position players. Coach Jeff Cain noted they have had similarly composed teams, relying heavily on sophomores and juniors, that have done well, improving as the season has progressed, and he views this group in that light. Noe Torres (39 carries, 293 yards, 4 TDs; 14 catches, 162 yards) should now be the primary runner; Torres and Justin Jendreas (also a receiver), both juniors, already are multi-year starters on defense. Starting TE/MLB Andy Franko also is back. A.J. Veloz, last season’s JV QB, is slated to take over, and Cain has confidence in the heady sophomore who grasps the system. In all, Whiting should have in excess of 40 players, about a dozen more than it usually has on its roster.
Postseason
Class 1A Sectional 33 (Bishop Noll, Culver Community, South Central, South Newton, Tri-County, West Central. Whiting, Winamac)
Schedule
Aug. 20 Clark
Aug. 26 at Gavit
Sept. 2 at Wheeler
Sept. 9 South Central
Sept. 16 at Bishop Noll
Sept. 23 North Newton
Sept. 30 Calumet
Oct. 7 at River Forest
Oct. 14 at Lake Station
HISTORY LESSON
Season Record
2001 6-6, 4-2
2002 9-3, 5-1
2003 4-7, 3-4
2004 11-1, 7-0
2005 11-1, 7-0
2006 8-3, 6-1
2007 5-6, 3-4
2008 6-4, 5-2
2009 7-5, 4-3
2010 8-3, 5-2
Sectional titles: 1993, 1996-97
Regional titles: 1996
State titles: 1954 (UPI)
Roster
No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Pos.
2 Patrick Petruf 6-3 172 11 WR/S
3 Manuel McKibbin 5-9 150 9 RB/S
4 Oscar Iniguez 5-6 145 10 WR/CB
5 Zachary Scmoc 5-8 130 9 WR/DB
6 Jacob McNinch 5-8 140 12 WR/CB
7 Justin Jendreas 5-9 140 11 WR/CB
10 A.J. Veloz 5-10 158 10 QB
13 Keegan Rooke 5-7 135 10 WR/CB
14 Randy Yzaguirre 5-6 141 10 WR/CB
15 Andrew Javier 5-7 135 10 WR/CB
17 Jonathan Gutierrez 5-9 125 11 WR/CB
21 Alvaro Castelan 5-11 160 12 WR/S/K
22 Rudy Wanek 6-1 170 11 QB/DB
24 DiAngelo Diaz 5-6 130 9 WR/DB
31 J.B. Lupo 5-7 151 9 RB/LB
32 Ethan Young 5-11 145 9 RB/DB
33 Noe Torres 5-7 190 11 RB/DE
34 Denis Haluska 5-10 228 10 RB/DT
42 Jacob Brooks 5-7 140 9 RB/DB
44 Brandon Harweger 5-11 155 10 RB/DE
45 Hector Medina 5-8 175 12 OG/DT
51 Justin Cevallos 5-5 160 10 C/DT
51 Kristopher Krzyston 6-0 200 9 OT/DT
52 Andy Gutierrez 5-7 165 10 OG/DE
53 Sergio Zarate 5-4 140 10 OG/DE
55 Russell Eldridge 5-6 213 11 OT/DT
57 Omar Romero 5-7 160 11 OG/LB
60 Alan Leon 5-8 190 10 OT/DT
61 Carlos Garcia 5-10 200 9 OT/DT
63 Jake Jacobsen 5-8 205 9 OG/DT
66 Austin Perez 5-6 180 11 OG/LB
67 Jackson Ciecierski 6-2 230 10 OT/DE
68 Jorge Ponce 6-0 216 12 OT/DT
70 Marcelo Lopez 5-7 165 10 OG/LB
72 Nick Verta 5-8 190 11 C/DT
73 Eduardo Gomez 5-8 170 11 OG/DT
76 Tom Dabertin 6-0 175 10 OT/DE
77 Jose Orozco 5-11 249 12 OT/DT
78 Gustavo Martinez 6-3 210 10 OG/DE
79 Gabe Slivka 5-7 246 10 OT/DT
80 Joey Lytle 5-9 170 11 RB/S
81 Evan Rodriguez 6-0 165 10 TE/DB
82 Andy Franko 5-10 165 11 TE/LB
83 Jesse Maynard 5-10 150 10 TE/LB
84 Ray Jansky 6-2 180 11 TE/DE
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