GREAT FALLS — On a team filled with 32 seniors, one of them took a unique path to becoming a starter for the Great Falls Bison.
Caleb Litzinger is the current kicker as well as a cornerback for Great Falls, but he just started playing football last year.
"It was a pretty tough decision, just because I'd been doing soccer for like, I think it was eight, nine years at that point," Litzinger told MTN Sports on Wednesday. "That was the only sport that I had known."
Litzinger played soccer for Great Falls throughout his first three years at the school, which meant he played both soccer and football last year.
He said "the summer was probably the hardest" while participating in both sports.
"Because we had two-a-days, and so I had to make one for each day," Litzinger said. "I'd have to just split — go to football one morning and then go to soccer the evening. Or sometimes I'd double or triple up."
This fall though, the senior decided to fully trade in the shin guards for pads and a helmet.
"I had spent so much time with (the soccer team), just the three years leading up to my senior year," Litzinger said. "We finished with a good year, and we were planning on having a really good year with all seniors. But it just didn't play out that way, and it was really tough to say bye."
It's a decision that's paid off, as Litzinger is perfect on his field goal attempts, and according to coach Coda Tchida has the state's season-long make at 33 yards.
Litzinger said, "you can kick pretty good because you played soccer."
"There's definitely a difference between football and soccer kicking, but it wasn't a huge difference for me," Litzinger said. "Confidence is a big thing ... I wanted to and I knew I could."
Litzinger and the Bison aim to start a postseason run Friday night as the team hosts Butte in the first round of the Class AA playoffs. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Great Falls Memorial Stadium.
