FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                            CONTACT:
1/11/03                                                                                           Lori Hamamoto, NFL
                                                                                                      212-450-2435

EIGHT YOUTH EARN NATIONAL HONORS
AT NFL GATORADE PUNT, PASS & KICK NATIONAL FINALS

Four boys and four girls crowned in Nashville as National Champions

Starting from a field of 3.5 million enthusiastic participants, eight national champions were crowned Saturday in the NFL GATORADE PUNT, PASS & KICK NATIONAL FINALS at the Pittsburgh Steelers-Tennessee Titans AFC Divisional playoff game in Nashville.

Thirty-two youngsters from 20 states competed before the game in eight divisions with each participant performing one punt, one pass and one placekick. Scores were based on distance minus accuracy (in feet).

The eight first-place finishers were introduced live on CBS-TV between the third and fourth quarters of today’s game.

A pair of ATLANTA FALCONS team representatives earned National Championships titles.  WHITNEY FLETCHER won 10-11 Year-Old Girls and KEVIN MILLWARD won 12-13 Year-Boys division honors.  A pair of GREEN BAY PACKERS team representatives also earned National Championship honors, JOSHUA DAVIDSON won 10-11 Year-Old Boys and NATALIE BAUMGARDT won 12-13 Year-Old Girls divisions.


2003 NFL Gatorade Punt, Pass & Kick National Champions:

8-9 Year-Old Girls Champion:                Savannah Stone, Safety Harbor, FL (Buccaneers)
8-9 Year-Old Boys Champion:                Alfredo Rodriguez, Chula Vista, CA (Chargers)
10-11 Year-Old Girls Champion:             Whitney Fletcher, Decatur, AL (Falcons)
10-11 Year-Old Boys Champion:            Joshua Davidson, Barron, WI (Packers)
12-13 Year-Old Girls Champion:             Natalie Baumgardt, Mosinee, WI (Packers)
12-13 Year-Old Boys Champion:            Kevin Millward, Martinez, GA  (Falcons)
14-15 Year-Old Girls Champion:             Holly Stein, Ft. Recovery, OH (Colts)
14-15 Year-Old Boys Champion:            Patrick McAfee, Pittsburgh, PA (Steelers)

NFL Gatorade Punt, Pass & Kick is part of the NFL’s “Play Football” initiative that provides exciting ways for even more children to play, watch and experience the game of football.  According to a recent ESPN Sports Poll, football is the favorite sport of kids.

Additional “Play Football” programs include NFL Flag, Junior Player Development, High School Player Development and Player Development Camps.

Current NFL stars who took part in the league’s Gatorade Punt, Pass & Kick program as youngsters include Green Bay Packers QB Brett Favre, Buffalo Bills QB Drew Bledsoe, Baltimore Ravens  K Matt Stover, New York Jets’ QB Vinny Testaverde and Tampa Bay Bucaneers K Tom Tupa.

Final Results

N                Name, Hometown, (Team): Punt, Pass, Kick: Total Distance
Name, Hometown, (Team): Punt, Pass, Kick: Total Dist.

                   Girls 8-9

Boys 8-9

*S              Savannah Stona, Safety Harbor, FL (Bucs): 71-10, 48-7,
 187-11     67-6, 187-11

*Alfredo Rodriguez, Chula Vista, CA, (Chargers): 70-11, 55-6, 94-4,
220-9

H       an    Hannah Carson, Mesa, AZ (Cardinals): 49-6, 51-8, 63-5, 164-7

Reed Svobodo, Lincoln, NE (Chiefs): 83-4, 66-7-67-7, 217-6

Katlyn CleKatlyn Cleaver, Iola, KS (Chiefs): 60-9, 46-0, 34-1, 140-10 

Daniel Morse, Miami Lakes, FL (Dolphins): 51-4, 82-0, 82-1, 215-5

Alex KotteAlex Kotter, Vincennes, IN (Colts), 32-5, 50-2, 21-0, 103-7

Andrew LaValle, Cape Elizabeth, ME (Patriots) : 47-4, 91-3, 62-10,
201-5

 

 

Gir              Girls 10-11

Boys 10-11

*Whitney  Whitney Fletcher, Decatur, AL (Falcons), 85-2, 70-0, 114-3,
269-5        269-5

*Joshua Davidson, Barron, Wi (Packers): 85-10, 116-0, 99-0, 300-10

Janessa  Janessa Smith, Daly City, CA (49ers): 51-3, 92-8, 71-4,
-3               215-3

Kyle Tedder, Coos Bay, OR (Seahawks): 71-2, 112-10, 79-2, 263-2 

Theresa   Theressa Plaisance, Harvey, LA (Saints): 71-2, 68-3, 63-4, 202-9

Alex Kershaw, S. Easton, MA (Patriots): 70-9, 115-0, 64-3, 250-0

Mer            Merisa Rudy, Philadelphia, PA (Eagles): 31-4, 66-3, 57-4, 154-11

Christian Walker, Limerick PA (Eagles): 100-0, 80-5, 60-2, 240-7

 

 

Gir              Girls 12-13

Boys 12-13

*N              Natalie Baumgardt, Mosinee, WI (Packers): 110-2, 102-7, 65-2, 277-11

*Kevin Millward, Martinez, GA (Falcons): 97-4, 116-11, 126-9, 341-0

Ca             Caroline Vatelle, Sandwich, MA (Patriots), 71-3, 61-7, 94-8, 227-6

Damiano Whittington, Eliizabethtown, NC (Panthers): 104-0, 113-10,
119-8, 337-6

Lin             Lindsay Thompson, Bradenton, FL (Bucs) 54-11, 68-7, 88-10, 212-4

Aaron Lee, Churubusco, IN (Colts): 95-3, 120-6, 69-6, 285-3 

Kri              Krista Donnenwirth, Mission Viejo, CA (Chargers):  88-0, 69-10, 51-0,

Corey Savage, Humboldt, TN (Titans): 73-10, 92-5, 16-10, 183-1

 

 

Gir              Girls 14-15

Boys 14-15

*H              Holly Stein, Ft. Recovery, OH (Colts): 89-3, 114-4, 91-6, 295-1

*Patrick McAfee, Pittsbugh, PA (Steelers): 135-6, 137-0-170-8

As              Ashley Malone, Hamlin, TX (Cowboys): 96-6, 95-8, 81-7, 273-9

Robert Anderson, Westerly, RI (Patriots): 110-10, 118-5, 102-11,
332-2

Lei              Leigh Elko, N. Brunswick, NJ (Giants), 68-10, 85-8, 68-10, 223-4

Matthew Edelman, New Port Richey, FL (Bucs): 103-7, 102-1, 124-
329-10

                   Alia Soulek, Freeman, SD (Vikings): 74-6, 85-4, 54-7, 214-5   

PJ Fitzgerald, Coral Springs, FL (Dolphins): 12-0, 88-10, 149-11,
250-9