CEDARBURG — For the first time in nine years, three-seeded Cedarburg Football will be playing in the Division 2 quarterfinals following last week's thrilling win over two-seeded Homestead.
Down two points with seven seconds left on the clock, senior kicker Daniel Gill kicked a 27-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs a 17-16 edge.
"A lot of people don't like when games get down to a special team's unit, but I knew Dan," senior lineman Gavin Hanaman explained. "I know Dan had it in him. He's got that clutch factor to him.”
Gill originally made a 32-yard field goal, but the game-winner was waived off due to a Homestead encroachment penalty.
He said his "stomach dropped" with the idea of having to kick again but took a deep breath and pretended as though the 27-yard attempt was his first.
“I can only describe it as the best feeling of my life," Gill beamed. "Seeing that ball go through those uprights is just like — just thinking about it is giving me goosebumps, and it was just the best feeling in the world.”
Gill moved to the United States last year from Wales. His father, Craig Gill, is the Director of Technical Development and Coach Education for the North Shore United Soccer Club.
The Cedarburg senior is an avid futboler, but shared that one of his American Dreams was to play underneath the Friday Night Lights.
“I had him in one of my classes last year and we started talking about American football," Bulldogs head coach Brian Leair recalled. "I gave him assignments to research certain players in the NFL.”
“I went on YouTube and watched their clips," Gill added. "I watched what they do, and then I collected some notes that I saw. I'd keep watching their film, keep watching their film, and learned how to play.”
With aspirations to play safety, Gill watched game film on Hall of Fame Pittsburgh Steeler Troy Polamalu. A few other names he mentioned included current Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.
However, due to Gill also suiting up for Cedarburg's soccer team this fall, he was limited to only kicking for the Bulldog's football program.
It was an easy decision to grapple with since the senior will be continuing his soccer career at the collegiate level with UW-Milwaukee.
Congratulations to North Shore United 2006 Boys Blue player, Daniel Gill, on his commitment to continue his soccer career at NCAA DIV I UW-Milwaukee!! #nsupride #WeAreUnited pic.twitter.com/XMyRI6WmP4
— North Shore United (@NSU_Soccer) July 26, 2023
“When I got that scholarship offer it was definitely a phone call I'll never forget for the rest of my life, and it's definitely something I'll be telling everyone in the future that I was playing soccer in college in America," Gill smiled. "It's just a step closer to fulfilling my big dream of being a professional soccer player."
The Bulldogs travel to first-seeded Kaukauna on Friday in the Division 2 quarterfinals.
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