Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
EASTON, Pa. -- Several thousand boys have played in the 99 Easton-Phillipsburg football games. Easton senior Brittany Ryan, 17, is poised to be the first girl.
"I'm as excited as everyone else to play in this game," she says. "The 100th year is just icing on the cake."
Ryan played soccer and the sousaphone in her first three years of high school. Last spring, she kicked a field goal during gym class. Her teacher suggested she go out for football. Now, instead of marching with the band, she kicks.
"I don't think they even notice I'm a girl sometimes," Ryan says of her male teammates. "I mean, they know I'm a girl, but I'm just part of the team. I'm really happy they've accepted me."
It's no wonder: She is 2-for-3 on field goals and 43-for-49 on extra points. Steve Shiffert, her coach, says she really only missed three PAT tries because one was blocked and two had bad snaps.
Teammate Ian Heck kicks off and kicks field goals beyond her range of 30 yards, including a 36-yarder with 2.7 seconds left to beat Parkland last week.
"These boys work so hard to get it down the field, and I feel like I need to make that point for them," she says. "They score and I put another point in."
She is president of the National Honor Society and events coordinator of the Key Club. She doesn't have a boyfriend.
"No," she says, laughing. "I have to stay focused."
To see more of USAToday.com, or to subscribe, go to http://www.usatoday.com
© Copyright 2006 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.
