Falcons find kicker with multi-sport athlete Yarosh | Sports

For football programs the size of Jefferson, a reliable field kicker is more of a luxury than just a spot on the roster.

The Falcons seem to have such a luxury in Jensen Yarosh.

Yarosh, a standout player on the Jefferson football and tennis teams and part of a Cleveland-area club volleyball team, said kicking for football was something he only stumbled upon by accident.

“It was kind of just being with the coach [Brandon] Hanna all summer,” said the junior. “Working in the weight room, working on off-season stuff for tennis. One of the soccer players came in and asked if I was going to play soccer this year.”

First up is Yarosh, who was voted co-Ashtabula County Boys Tennis Player of the Year in the spring. was undecided, but after some thought and talking to a former kicker, he warmed to the idea.

“I spoke to my uncle and he was a kicker for his high school team,” Yarosh said. “He said it was a great experience, so I said, ‘Sure, why don’t you try something new?’

In last Friday’s 66-27 win in Grand Valley to kick off the Esason, Yarosh scored a perfect 9-of-9 on extra point attempts and also had a 29-yard field goal.

In practice, he has consistently thrown kicks in the 40-yard range and made as many as 10 from 50-yards.

Hanna, who coaches Jefferson’s tennis team in the spring, is always looking for players to help his soccer team. Despite knowing how important Yarosh’s other sports are to him, he wasn’t sure if he would win it.

“I jokingly asked him about the tennis season,” Hanna said. “But to be honest, I didn’t have any expectations.”

Because volleyball is Jarosh’s #1 sport. However, volleyball season doesn’t start until after football is over, and with his football background, kicking seemed a perfect fit – as long as his coach was okay with football being the higher priority.

“I got a text from his mother asking what the expectations were if he played football,” Hanna said. “I told her I know he’s an important part of the football team but if we could have him for 30-45 minutes two days a week then lock him up on Friday night.”

The schedule and the role in the team were perfect.

“I didn’t want to take the risk of injuring myself right after soccer in volleyball season,” Yarosh said. “But I was very excited to try something new and see what it would be like.”

Jefferson also brought in kicking coach Brandon Belascio to work with Yarosh.

Hanna is thrilled with Yarosh’s decision to join the team.

“It’s such a bonus,” he said. “At the start of the season, I studied several 2-point games throughout the summer. When Jenson decided to play, it took a lot of the stress out of us.”

Of course, stress is also part of what kickers have to deal with. Forty-eight minutes of pounding can often result in a guy who barely steps onto the field being able to throw a kick.

It’s an opportunity Yarosh says he hopes to get.

“Sure,” he said. “I do a lot of pressure exercises in practice. I would love to have a chance to win a game for my team.”

The Falcons are traveling to Grand Valley tonight.