Matthew Hunkele isn’t on the football field for many snaps, but the Ewing High School team recognizes the value of their senior kicker and punter.
Hunkele kicked two field goals and sent three of his punts inside the 10-yard line to back up Hamilton in a 20-6 win for the Blue Devils on Oct. 20.
“He has been such a weapon for us,” said Ewing head coach Drew Besler. “It’s been unbelievable. Hamilton had to go the length of the field the whole night against our defense, and they’re really good. You knew if we could control the football we could win.”
It was a huge win for Ewing, which came into the showdown tied with Hamilton for the eighth and final playoff spot in Central Jersey Group III. Hamilton had defeated Ewing last year, one of only four losses in a 7-4 season that advanced to the second round of the state playoffs. The Blue Devils were in danger of falling out of playoff contention after four straight losses had left them 2-4.
“Going into Hamilton West, we knew we had to get this win and if we won this one, we’d have to get the next one,” Hunkele said. “The mindset throughout the entire week of practices was we had our ups and downs, we got frustrated because we knew we were on a four-game losing streak, but our captains brought us back up.”
Hunkele had the only points of the first half for Ewing on a 40-yard field goal, but the Blue Devils trailed Hamilton, 6-3. The second-half scoring began with Ewing’s Caleb Stokes intercepting a pass and returning it 10 yards for the go-ahead touchdown early in the third quarter. Tywayne Reed added a 10-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter for a 17-6 lead and Hunkele’s 22-yard field goal in the fourth quarter finished off a second-half turnaround.
“We had some real mental breakdowns in the first half,” Besler said. “I thought the coaching staff did a great job of getting these kids mentally prepared at halftime and said, ‘your season is in the balance.’ We were fortunate Caleb Stokes makes a play there and that swings the momentum.”
The Ewing defense was dominant all game. They held Hamilton to 105 yards of total offense, and Hunkele played a big part in setting them up. His punt pinned Hamilton deep before Stokes’ interception return, and he kept Hamilton backed up each time he punted.
“My entire high school career, I always thought punting wasn’t my thing,” Hunkele said. “I’ve definitely improved. They’re entrusted me to get us better position. I have to work on getting a nice spiral and getting the nose up and then have it point down. It’s all a mental game. When you get a good snap and it goes right to you, you know you’ll have enough time to get it and spin it for you and there’s like a sound so you know you hit it well.”
Hunkele has seen his punt average improve each year, and he is more capable of doing anything that Ewing asks of him.
“When I got to my junior season,” Hunkele said, “my coach Coach (Matt) Dalessio, told me if you want to get to the next level you’re going to have to learn to do directional kicking, on kickoffs going left and right and punts left and right. Over the years, I’ve definitely tried to get better and perfect the craft.”
‘We wanted to prove last season wasn’t a fluke and it wasn’t all one player.’
Punting doesn’t always show up on the scoreboard, but the positioning aids the Blue Devils. Against Hamilton, the Ewing offense had a short field to cover that led to Hunkele’s first field goal. The kick was his second one from 40 yards or beyond this season.
“He’s kicked multiple 40-yarders,” Besler said. “When we had Mike Ficci, he was a really good kicker for us. Hunkele has followed him and he’s been really good. I’ll put him out there for a 50-yarder. The kid has a leg. He’s a legit difference in every game. In high school, you just don’t have that. He’s consistently punting the ball with a 35-yard average and it would be more but we’re asking him to place the ball.”
Hunkele was a freshman when Ficci was kicking in his final season at Ewing before heading to Rowan University. Both had been soccer players before they came out for football.
“I was a scrawny little twig,” Hunkele said. “I knew football would change me physically and mentally.”
Soccer had given him some of the technique work that he needed to be a good kicker, and Hunkele had a good role model in Ficci to start his career.
“Having that person to look up to and help me freshman year was good,” Hunkele said. “After he graduated, I had to step up to the plate. It was a big change, especially playing on Friday nights and looking up at all the fans. Just having that soccer instinct, I thought it would be a really good place to start with.”
This year, Hunkele is also playing on Ewing’s punt block team, and he tries to use his knowledge from being a punter to work at blocking opponent’s punts.
He has embraced getting in the weight room with the football team and now carries 185 pounds on his 6-foot frame, enough of a physique that some are surprised when they learn he’s a kicker. That strength, though, has helped his kicking and gives him confidence when he is called upon for points.
“During games, they trust me when they get to the 30,” Hunkele said. “My longest in practice was 53. There is definitely a difference when you’re in a game and you have the pressure. And you have a holder and not a stand to kick off of.”
Hunkele relies on holder and quarterback Jacob Basich as well as snapper Delvon Doggett to do their jobs so he can do his. Hunkele has been a consistent contributor on special teams, and he could play in college.
“I don’t think it’s out of the question he could walk on somewhere,” Besler said. “He’s only going to get better.”
Hunkele has a strong work ethic. He earned his Eagle Scout rank last year with a service project in which he oversaw the installation of more than 40 trail bridges for the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association. That same work ethic and drive has helped him become a better kicker and punter each year, and he is looking for an opportunity to kick at the next level.
“I feel very confident,” Hunkele said. “Senior year, you’re 18, you’re still growing as an athlete and a person. It is a big transition. When you’re in high school, you may be in a monopoly at your position. I’m the only (Ewing kicker). When you get to college, there is that competitive drive. You’ll have three or four guys competing for that position. I feel like I’m at the level of a D2 or D3.”
Hunkele has given Ewing an edge on special teams, but that’s only one facet of their team. In their three wins, the defense has allowed a combined 20 points.
“Defensively we knew what we had returning and I think we’re playing better defensively this year than we were last,” Besler said. “And a lot of our production on defense is coming from juniors. You expect guys to make the leap, but we’re getting some real production out of Chris Seifert and Javon Strong and Jaden Holmon and Tony Wynn. And we have seniors who have stepped up like Khalil Smith and Noah Castor, they’re playing well.”
Ewing has been less consistent on offense. It has had to replace Edamiyon Doggett, the standout quarterback who graduated after accounting for more than 2,700 yards of offense and 24 touchdowns. Injuries along the front line have cut into the continuity that the Blue Devils hoped to have from their returning players, but they have learned from their adversity.
“Our guys realize they need everyone to contribute,” Besler said. “You’re not always going to have Edamiyon Doggett bailing you out.”
Ewing did enough to top Hamilton and push ahead in the playoff race with two games left in the regular season against Princeton High (Oct. 27) and Hightstown (Nov. 3). The Blue Devils are hoping that they can gain some momentum late and return to the playoffs for the second straight season.
“We wanted to prove last season wasn’t a fluke and it wasn’t all one player,” Besler said. “A play here or there against Willingboro or Lawrence and those games might have been different. We have a chance to right the ship and go to 4-4. We played Somerville over the summer and we did relatively well against them, Long Branch and Westfield in a quad scrimmage, so hopefully we’ll be ready for the playoffs.”
Ewing High’s Justin Jacobs, Jacob Basich and Jaden Holman talk on the sideline during a game at Lawrence High School on Oct. 7, 2017. Lawrence won the game 26-13. (Photo by Martin Griff.),
