A football team is like a puzzle. If one piece is missing the puzzle is incomplete. Players, parents, school administrators, coaches, the offense, the defense and special teams complete the puzzle. Culver City place kicker Carlos Barrillo makes the Centaurs a complete football team.
In nine games this season Barrillo has scored 66 points, made 45-47 point after touchdowns and has made seven of nine field goal attempts. His longest field goal this year is 38 yards although he has made 50-yard field goals in practice. That’s pretty good for someone who has been kicking for only one year.
“My friend on the team, Jordan Armstrong said. I had a good leg so he suggested that I try out for the team as a kicker,” said Barrillo after Culver City’s 56-20 victory over Santa Monica last Friday at Culver City. “I tried it and I enjoyed it.”
One of the reasons he enjoyed kicking a football is he is learning under long time Culver City assistant coach and former Centaur quarterback star Greg Goodyear. “Coach Goodyear is a great coach, a very good mentor and a very good man,” said Barrillo. “He has been helpful all of the way. Because of him I am successful.”
Culver City has a high powered offense that scores a lot of points and that keeps Barrillo’s leg in constant motion. “When my leg gets tired I just push through and do the best I can,” said Barrillo. “Coach Goodyear and I try to work on my technique and I work with the weights if I am not kicking.”
Barrillo thinks the 2016 Centaurs are a special team. “We have a lot of potential and I think we can win the CIF championship. I believe in this team. We have great players. We get along with each other and we have great team work. This team has a great future.”
Some people think the future is now because the Centaurs have been placed in Division 11 which gives them a better opportunity to go deep into the playoffs.
Culver City is 6-3 overall and is currently in a three way tied for first place in the Ocean league with Lawndale and El Segundo. All three teams have a 3-1 league record going into the final regular season games. All three teams should win their final games but the Centaurs have the best chance of being victorious because they face an 0-9 Beverly Hills team at Beverly Hills at 7 p.m.