It takes most talented high school football players years of training, hundreds of practices, and dozens of games to even think about breaking a long-held school record.
For Tyrone sophomore Tytus Novak, it only took three days and one game.
In the first football game of his three-day-old football career, Tytus Novak broke the school record for most extra points made in a single game against Penns Valley, a record held since 1999 by former player and current Tyrone assistant coach Scott Gummo.
The story of how Tytus had the opportunity to break the record on the field that night is one of a kind.
Novak had just joined the football team just three days prior to his record-breaking performance.
He took over the kicking job from his older brother, Dante, who suffered a broken collarbone in a game the previous week.
His brother has been a very consistent kicker this season for the Golden Eagles, only missing two extra points and one field goal in his first season kicking for the team.
But when Dante went down with the injury, the team was in a bind because there was no one else with kicking experience on the roster.
“Having a consistent kicker that you know you can rely on is just as important as everyone else on the team. People underestimate the importance of their role. Having the Novak brothers is awesome,” said senior quarterback Ashton Walk.
Both Dante and Tytus Novak are above-average soccer players. Tytus helped lead the Golden Eagles soccer team to the district semi-final game, where they lost 3-1 to Bellefonte. The Novaks both play for an MLS Next travel club team in the spring.
Considering the injury to his brother, and how much the team needed a kicker, Tytus was willing to give placekicking a try on short notice, not having any idea he would be a school record holder within a few days.
“I felt honored to step up and fill in my brother’s role as kicker on the football team. I was excited to play my first varsity football game. Once we scored the first touchdown, and I made my first PAT, and I felt comfortable with the role,” Tytus Novak said.
Tytus made 8 more PATs in the 82-26 rout of Penns Valley. After the eighth PAT, he was told that he had tied Coach Gummo’s record and one more would break it.
“As soon as I made the 9th PAT, my teammates rushed me and congratulated me. I look forward to continue kicking for the rest of the season and next season as well,” Tytus said.
Novak did miss one extra-point try, his third of the night, but by making the rest, the school record now stands at nine.
“Kicking was a pretty easy transition from soccer, but the hardest part is how consistent you are expected to be when kicking. I’m very proud of how fast Tytus picked up and how he could perform on such short notice,” his brother Dante Novak said.
Older brother Dante is also in his first season of kicking for the football team. Dante occasionally kicks touchbacks on kickoffs, which is a game-changer.
Senior linebacker Austin Lucas appreciates what the ability to force a touchback means to the defense and special teams.
“It’s huge, it forces the other team offense to go on a long drive which most high school teams can’t handle,” Lucas said.
Tyrone will look to continue their kicking game consistency and improve their season resume.
Tyrone will take on undefeated Penn Cambria for the District Championship tonight at 7 pm at Mansion Park.
Older brother Dante is back in the first-string lineup for the Golden Eagles, but little brother Tytus will be there too, ready to go if his number is called again.
