Former DFW Tejanos keeper Garrett Hartley kicks Saints to Super Bowl
Published 1/26/2010 8:32:35 AM by staff from dallas
Former DFW Tejanos goalkeeper Garrett Hartley kicked the New Orleans Saints to their first ever Super Bowl appearance Sunday in the NFC Championship Game as he hit a 40 yard field goal in overtime. The kick lifted the Saints to a 31-28 victory over the Minnesota Vikings and sent the town into a frenzy.
Garrett Hartley grew up a soccer player joining the DFW Tejanos at U11 playing for the 86 boys team. He played with Willie Molano for two years and then played for Shane Barrow for five more. Garrett was an ODP goalkeeper making the Region III ODP squad as well as playing in Dallas Cup. Hartley played his high school football at powerhouse Southlake Carroll where he played on a football state championship team as well as a soccer state championship team.
Garrett's talent as a kicker was quite evident and he left soccer to focus entirely on football for his senior year. He earned a scholarship to Oklahoma where he led a successful college career kicking in a BCS National Championship Game against USC as well as the famous OU-Boise State Fiesta Bowl. Hartley has been with the Saints two years and is an impressive 24-26 on his field goal attempts over that time period.
It's wonderful to see local Classic League talent go on to great things and I am willing to bet Garrett is the first Dallas Classic League player to ever play in a Super Bowl!
Label: Garrett Hartley, DFW Tejanos, New Orleans Saints kicker
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