Freiberg one to remember

Kicking has been a lonely job for Dillan Freiberg the past two years.

While the football team worked out on the practice field at Newport Harbor High, Freiberg called the stadium home. He wasn’t completely by himself. There was a football and tee.

This year, the senior is all alone again, in the Orange County record book that is. This type of isolation feels good to Freiberg.

Freiberg set the county record for consecutive successful extra-point kicks at 60 last week. He went six for six in the Sailors’ 45-7 win at Aliso Niguel in the season opener.

On the cover of the next day’s sports section, there was a photo of the left-footed Freiberg breaking the record.

What readers didn’t get to see was Freiberg’s reaction after surpassing the record held by Irvine’s Tommy Louie.

Freiberg, who now has made 64 straight PAT kicks after four Thursday, put his hands on top of his helmet, believing he missed on No. 59. Instead of claiming the mark, he thought he tied it at 58.

“That was the biggest sigh of relief I’ve had in my entire life,” Freiberg said after seeing the ball hook toward the right and safely through the uprights. “All the guys [before I kicked] were reminding me of [the record], too. When you’re throwing a no-hitter, you don’t tell the guy, ‘Oh, you’re two pitches away from winning the game.’

“You don’t say anything. It’s bad luck.”

The night at Aliso Niguel began with a bad omen. The kicking net was broken.

Every two minutes during a game, Freiberg said he kicks into the net to stay loose. The way teammates acted on the sideline, it seemed like Freiberg might lose the feat.

A couple of players helped Freiberg out. They held the net while Freiberg struck the ball. Twice he kicked before the net collapsed.

“They’re like, ‘I’m done,’” Freiberg said. “They were getting all scared like I was going to hit them or something.”

The player who was petrified was Freiberg. He was afraid to miss, or that his chance to break the record might take more than one game.

With nine seconds left in the first quarter, Freiberg converted his first PAT. Twenty-four seconds earlier, he nailed a 25-yard field goal.

Freiberg hit another PAT with 4:05 to go before halftime as Newport Harbor took a 17-0 lead.

“After the first half, I was like, ‘OK. This might take three or four games. I’m not going to like that, but I still got to do what I got to do,’” Freiberg said. “I didn’t expect to break it.”

First Freiberg had to tie it. Midway through the third quarter, the opportunity presented itself.

It wasn’t a problem for No. 17. He made it and ran off the field, with teammates telling Freiberg he was one away while they slapped him on the helmet and shoulder pads.

The time to overtake the record happened 90 seconds later. As quick as Newport Harbor scored again, Freiberg’s heartbeat raced faster.

Before every kick, he has a technique to calm himself down.

“Breathe deep three times into your nose and out of your mouth,” Freiberg said he has been telling himself since he became the varsity kicker as a sophomore. “I’ve always done that.”

For some reason, the breathing didn’t settle Freiberg down.

The last time Freiberg found himself in a similar predicament was his first year on varsity. It was the last time he failed on an extra-point attempt.

Freiberg remembers the opponent, the date, the pole he hit. He missed more than once that game.

“My sophomore year against [Corona del Mar] I hit the right pole,” said Freiberg, adding it was the third game of the season on Sept. 20, 2007. “I missed three that game. That was the only time I missed in a [varsity] game.”

Freiberg has been perfect ever since.

When Freiberg became the county’s leader for consecutive successful extra-point kicks, his approach was way off.

His pace to the ball increased. His hips opened, making the ball go to the right. It was still good.

The person who convinced Freiberg to pursue kicking was the one who delivered the message of Freiberg’s milestone.

Kirk Norton, the Sailors’ boosters president, ran from the visitor’s side to the press box at Aliso Niguel to talk to the public address announcer. The announcement was a little late, but it was perfect to Freiberg.

Norton’s son, Parker Norton, was the holder for Freiberg on a memorable kicking night.

“That was kind of ironic,” Freiberg said of having the younger Norton hold. “Kirk was always telling [my parents] I was going to be a kicker in high school and we never believed him. When I was younger, I played soccer and I was always really good at kicking the ball far. Kirk came up to me [when I was 8] and told me I would be a great kicker. It took me until seventh grade. I joined the Pop Warner team and I was the kicker. Then I went into high school and I just knew I wanted to be a kicker.”