Female kicker scores game-winning point for Bloomfield Hills BlackHawks

Star student leads football team to victory in overtime

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. – When it came down to the wire, one Bloomfield Hills High School student scored the winning point in a once-in-a-lifetime football game Friday night.

Sara Huston is the president of the math club, a member of the National Honor Society and has a 4.0 GPA -- she also happens to be the kicker for the Bloomfield Hills BlackHawks.

“I was so nervous, there was so much pressure,” Huston said. “It came down to that moment.”

The BlackHawks had come back to face an overtime against the undefeated Berkley Bears on Friday.

Berkley scored first in overtime but Bloomfield Hills blocked the extra point. The BlackHawks then scored their own touchdown, paving the way for an extra point that could win the game -- and that is exactly what Huston did.

“I had no doubt she would make that kick,” said head football coach Dan Loria.

Coach Loria says they’ve never gone up against a female kicker. The 17-year-old is only the third female kicker for the BlackHawks in history.

“People are quick to judge me but it makes me better,” Huston said. “It just makes me want to work harder.”

The BlackHawks weren’t thinking about all the unlikely scenarios that brought them to that nail-biting moment -- they just knew Sara’s kick had won the game.

“Everyone went crazy. Everyone on the sidelines ran out picked me up,” Huston said. “It was like a mosh pit. It was so fun. I was lifted up and it felt like a movie. It was remarkable.”

Normally students would celebrate at the high school, but that’s not possible because of the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, people are turning to social media to support Huston and the incredible game-winning play.

Dean Bolton, Huston’s teammate and holder, says it’s a moment he will never forget.

“There’s no other moment that could beat,” Bolton said. “It’s the best football moment I’ve had my entire career.”


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About the Authors:

Priya joined WDIV-Local 4 in 2013 as a reporter and fill-in anchor. Education: B.A. in Communications/Post Grad in Advanced Journalism

Cassidy Johncox is a senior digital news editor covering stories across the spectrum, with a special focus on politics and community issues.