By Steve Carter
TIFTON — Tift County Blue Devil place-kicker Charlie Edwards has kicked 32 field goals during his four-year career.
According to the Georgia High School Football Magazine, that is only one short of the record of 33 of Chris Gardocki of Redan from 1985-87.
There have been reports on the Internet and on local radio stations of Edwards having a chance to tie and/or break the state record Friday when the Devils face the Warner Robins Demons at home.
But it turns out the magazine is wrong.
Cairo High’s Jake Bundrick kicked 46 field goals from 1998-2001. The record is not listed in the magazine, but it is documented in the National High School Sports Record Book, put out by the National Federation of State High School Associations.
Brian Bond from Wilson High in Hacienda Heights, Calif. and Tomas Sanchez of Arlington Heights, Texas share the national record with 48. Bond kicked from 1999-00, while Sanchez kicked from 1995-98.
Bundrick’s 46 is next on the list. He is followed by Phillip Doyle of Huffman High in Birmingham, Ala, who kicked 43 from 1983-86.
Six other kickers are listed, ranging from 39 career field goals to 36.
If Edwards can kick four more field goals this season, he should be listed in the national record book.
“It doesn’t really matter,” Tift head coach Jay Walls said about the possible record. “We all know Charlie is a great kicker.”
Overall Edwards had three field goals as a freshman, two his sophomore season, 18 last year and nine this season. The 18 in 2005 were one short of the state record of 19 for one season.
