MARIETTA - The Walton football team was faced with a crucial decision in the second quarter two weeks ago in its stunning 13-10 upset over defending state co-champion Roswell.

The Raiders were stuck at the Hornet 41-yard line on fourth down, and with the score tied, 3-3, they needed to decide if they were going to punt the ball away or kick a 58-yard field goal.

Senior Adam Shreiner said he approached the coaching staff and told them he wanted to kick the field goal. He said he had a good pre-game warm up and was confident he could get the ball through the uprights.

The coaches believed in Shreiner, who was once questionable for the Roswell game because of an injured hip flexor, and took the field to attempt the field goal. The snap and hold went smoothly, and Shreiner was able to drill the kick through.

Shreiner started walking off the field once he noticed coach Ed Dudley's son Gordon jumping up and down. He didn't have to watch the ball go through the uprights. He knew the ball was heading there with yards to spare.

"Coach (Jeff) Imperial was standing there (on the sideline), so I jumped and he held me up for a second," Shreiner said. "There were a bunch of high fives on the sidelines. It took me a long time just to sit down."

Shreiner's long boot gave the Raiders a 6-3 lead. Billy Burns scored on a special teams play for a 13-3 advantage, and the Hornets' comeback attempt fell short.

Shreiner's 58-yarder is also garnering attention. He said he got a surprise visit from a Wake Forest coach at Walton the following week during school. And he has more game film to prove his mettle, nailing two 44-yard field goals and a 53-yarder in Walton's 35-14 victory over Northview.

"We've been very fortunate to have Adam doing so well," Dudley said. "He's worked a lot of hours during the offseason. He always has a bag of footballs with him. He doesn't take days off. He even kicks on Sundays."

Many kickers hail from soccer backgrounds, and Shreiner is one of them. He played in London as a youngster while his family was living there temporarily and developed a strong foot. He currently plays defender for the Walton team.

Shreiner said he looked up to former All-State Walton kicker Craig Camay, who is now kicking at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and decided to come out his sophomore year.

Shreiner didn't learn to kick footballs from scratch. He said he did some kicking on the side when he was in the seventh and has kicked as far as 50 yards in the eighth grade. The biggest challenge for Shreiner was learning the difference in kicking soccer balls and footballs.

"It's a completely different kick from soccer," Shreiner said. "The soccer ball, you can punch it and create backspin. In football, you have to hit the exact same spot every time and follow through and make sure your shoulders are square. It took me a long time to get used to the snap and the pace."

Shreiner agreed kicking field goals is similar to golf. The ball could go off course if his timing and contact is just a bit off. Schreiner said he started at short distances and eventually moved his way back, like golfers who work on their putting.

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