After the first touchdown of the game for Southmoreland, Olivia Porter stepped up to kick her first extra point for the Southmoreland High School football team.

“I was really nervous at first he called my name and it seemed like we scored so fast,” said Porter.

As Porter started her steps to kick the ball, she thought about her coaches saying that she just needs to focus on the ball and if she makes it, the fans would let her know.

The night of Sept., 2 against South Park, Porter made Southmoreland history.

“I focused on hitting the right spot,” said Porter, “I heard everyone screaming and everyone looking at me, taking pictures, and after the game I began to get interviewed.”

Going into her senior year, Porter didn’t expect to be playing football for Southmoreland. The fact that she is making history while playing football astounds her even more. Porter was the first girl in Southmoreland history to score points for the varsity football team.

On Sept. 30, Porter kicked a 35-yard field goal in the team’s 23-15 victory over Waynesburg, the first field goal in Southmoreland history kicked by a girl.

When practicing kicks for soccer one day, Porter didn’t expect to be asked to join the football team and make Southmoreland history her senior year.

One day after soccer practice, she was practicing her kicks for a big game the next day. Impressed, assistant football coach, Ed Jenkins, approached Porter and asked her if she wanted to try kicking a football.

At first, Porter was nervous and declined coach’s offer before being convinced that it might be worth it to give football a chance.

“When he first asked me, I was scared and didn’t want to do it,” said Porter. “But then I gave in and thought it would be worth a shot.”

When she finally accepted his offer, it looked so natural as if she had been playing all four years of high school.

After going 7-for-7 in practice with her kicks on the 25-yard line, Jenkins asked Porter if she would be interested in kicking for the football team that following Friday.

Making Southmoreland history is a “very different feeling” for Porter. Being the first girl to play under the Friday night lights for the football team instead of being in the student section for her senior year is “unbelievable.”

“It’s sad not being in the student section for my senior year,” said Porter. “But I love being on the football team because I’m doing something no other girl has.”

Porter is very much welcomed by the team by both Southmoreland and Geibel football players. She has many friends on the team, and they know she has a significant amount of athletic ability. They are very impressed by what she has done for the team so far and what she will do for the team.

“I was skeptical about joining Southmoreland at first,” said Geibel senior John Pokol. “But now that I have come so far with these boys I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Pokol is enjoying this experience with the Southmoreland team, and although he wasn’t expecting to join the guys and a girl, he is in full support for Porter.

“The fact that she’s a girl means nothing. She’s one heck of a kicker and that’s all that matters,” said Pokol.

Senior Tommy Pisula knows Porter very well from them both playing basketball, where he sees her capabilities the most rather than just hearing about them during other seasons.

Although Pisula doesn’t spend much time on the field with her, he is “thrilled” that Porter kicking for the team and the results she is providing.

“She’s by far the most athletic girl in the school, so it doesn’t surprise me that she’s kicking,” said Pisula. “One hundred percent is the goal, and she was two for two her first night, so I’ll take that any night.”