Laue’s field goal recalls Wharton

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: September 17, 2024

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

By Nick Pellegrino
ECS Senior writer

Andy Wharton, circa 1997 / SDU-T file photo

EL CAJON – Congratulations to Helix High senior Aubrey Laue for her pioneering game-winning field goal — the first by a female in Highlanders history — giving the Scotties a dramatic 23-20 verdict over Madison.

Laue’s boot is historical, but it wasn’t an East County first after the staff of East County Sports recalled the first such occurrence more a quarter-century ago.

In 1997, West Hills High head coach Steve Sutton needed to decide what then was a difficult choice.

Tied with visiting Serra (now Canyon Hills) in the final seconds, Sutton needed to choose between a sophomore male or a senior female placekicker in order to make the potenial game-winner for the Wolf Pack.

Below are a pair of recollections, one from the San Diego Union-Tribune and the other from The Daily Californian, the predicessor to this website sfter the paper folded in January 2000.

SDU-T

As posted on “San Diego Prep History” website, the West Hills-Serra ballgame was covered by East County based sportswriter Jason Bott, the husband of Paula Bott (nee’ Mascari), who was perhaps the best girls basketball player in the Grossmont Conference during the 1980s.

Bott, utilzing a variation of a line datig back to the women’s sufferage movement, wrote, “Sometimes the best man for a job may be a woman.”

The woman was West Hills senior Andy Wharton, better known as a member of the Wolf Pack girls soccer team.

Wharton asked to join Sutton’s troops, where she worked hard to not only make the team, but hoped to gain an opportunity to particiapte in a varsity contest.

Sure, girls previosuly participated in the CIF San Diego Section football, almost always as a player on the line (offense or defense) but Wharton would be the first to score points — and they were extremely important points.

Wrote Bott. Whartin “hammered a 29-yard field goal with nine seconds left… to give West Hills a 31-28 victory over Serra.”

Said Whartin in the story, “I thought the play was stopped. But when I saw it wasn’t, I just hoped it went through.”

Added Bott: “Whartin split the uprights.”

The field goal was set up on a pass completion by quarterbacj Jon Sheriff, who passed for 311 yards and two touchdowns.

Read Bott’s account HERE.

The Daily Cal

The game assignment went to me, who rarely received the feature game — that honor went to sports editor Bill Dickens — so I often received the closest expected contest among the region’s better schools.

Sure enough, Serra at West Hills proved to be both.

The path for Wharton’s pioneering, hidtoical moment came, perhaps, because the Wolf Pack still held their final timeout.

Knowing they could safely stop the clock, the entire field was avaiable to Sheriff, who completed a pass down the middle to the Serra 12-yard line, with the ball placerd exactly between the hashmarks.

Timeout, West Hills. And Sutton needed to make a decision: who should kick?

I was standing around the 15-yard line when Sutton called to me: “What do you think?”

I knew exactly what Sutton meant: who should attempt the game-winning kick.

“Me: “That’s Easy.”

Sutton: “Easy?”

Me: “Who’s the better kicker?

Sutton: “She is.”

Me: “Who’s older?”

Sutton: “She is.”

Me: “Who wants to make the kick?”

Sutton: “She does. He’s way too nervous.”

Me: “Well?”

There were other factors, such as what would happen if either kicker missed.

If the male sophomore missed, Sutton would get second-guesses on why he didn’t select Wharton.

But if Wharton missed, at least Sutton took the hhigh road in makling the better selection and could be praised for his forward-looking, visionary decision.

Believe me, I’m not give anyself any credit for Sutton’s decision. However, it was a choice never made before, so Sutton stood unsure in unmarked territory.

Did I convinced him; maybe not. All I know is, Sutton turned to Wharton and, after a brief pep talk, sent her onto the field — inside her helmet, she was beaming with confidance.

With early elevation, the ball sailed high and true — there was no chance for the Conquistadors to block it.”

The next day, the story stated Wharton became “the first female to make a significant difference” in a CIFSDS football game.

West Hills went on to post a 9-1 regular season record, includng an undefeated mark to capture the old Grossmont North League.

Since it is now 2024, I should more properly state in a varsity “tackle football game” with the recent rise of girls flag football.

Now in her mid-40s, here’s a slute to Wharton for her trailblazing mark in local football annuals.