City High's Cornwell on verge of state kicking record

IOWA CITY – He might not be the strongest, might not have the longest. He might not be the most accurate.But Drew Cornwell is a field goal, or a couple extra points, from being the most prolific kicker Iowa high school football ever has had.The Iowa City High senior needs to find three points somehow, someway to break the state record for most kicking points in a career. He's got Friday night against Cedar Rapids Kennedy at Kingston Stadium and a first-round playoff game Wednesday night, at least, to get the mark.“I try not to think about it,” Cornwell said. “Try to put it in the back of my mind and focus on making that particular kick.”“He has been a model of consistency,” said City High Coach Dan Sabers. “He does not have the biggest leg, but he has been incredibly consistent.”For now, former Ankeny prep Cole Netten has the record of 222 points, kicked during his career from 2008-2011. Only seven guys have eclipsed the magic 200.Cornwell did that earlier this season. He has made 159 of 174 extra points in his four years on the Little Hawks varsity and 21 of 31 field goals.His career-long field goal is “just” 40 yards, set this season, but he said he has successfully made them from 55 to 57 yards in practice. He hasn't had the advantage of kicking on field turf during his career, instead kicking on what sometimes gets to be a pretty chewed up Bates Field grass surface.“In junior high, I started to get really good into kicking,” Cornwell said. “In eighth grade, I'd come over during varsity practices and kick and meet with the coaches and players, so I got comfortable with everyone. My freshman year, there was a spot open and I was fortunate enough to get that spot.”He made the biggest kick of his career his freshman year, a 26-yard field goal on the last play of the game that beat Cedar Rapids Xavier. The sheer volume of attempts he has had and an ability to convert the vast majority of them has him on the verge of history.“When somebody goes four years on teams that have had a lot of success, you are going to get lots of opportunities,” Sabers said. “He has certainly had a bunch of them. To me, his freshman year was the most phenomenal just because he was so young. He made a lot of big kicks that season, and that has just continued.”Cornwell made a whopping 57 of 65 extra points and four of six field goals as a freshman on a City High team that lost to West Des Moines Dowling in overtime in the Class 4A state championship game. He was 46 of 48 and 10 of 14, respectively, as a sophomore.City High literally limped through an injury plagued 2012 season that cut down on Cornwell's numbers (25 of 26 extra points and three of three field goals), but they are back up this season (31 of 35 extra points and four of eight field goals). The Little Hawks lost their season opener by a point to Cedar Falls but have reeled off seven consecutive victories.Cornwell has worked on his trade with Iowa City's Nate Kaeding, who retired this season after a long and successful career as an NFL kicker. Former fellow Iowa Hawkeye kicker Brion Hurley also has tutored him. The goal is to kick in college for someone. Perhaps being a state record holder will increase his visibility to schools.“It'll be pretty awesome, considering all the names that are up there on that list,” Cornwell said. “It always has been great to know I've got the confidence of all the guys, my coaches and teammates.”