SOUTH PITTSBURG, Tenn. — Even at a high school football program where consistency comes standard, Alex Phillips is uncommon.
Not only is the South Pittsburg senior a rare four-sport athlete, he’s also climbing the state record lists for connecting on extra points. The Pirates (12-1), who are ranked second in TSSAA Class 1A, visit No. 3 Coalfield (11-2) for a state semifinal at 7 p.m. Friday, and Phillips enters already holding program records for PAT kicks made in a season (85) and a career (205), and his career total also ranks fifth in state history.
On a team that has scored an average of 60 points per game against 1A competition this season, Phillips needs to make eight more PAT kicks to take over fourth place, and he is nine from finishing third on the list.
He also ranks second in TSSAA history with 12 PATs made in a single game — his dozen came in an 86-7 home win against Copper Basin on Oct. 23 — and earlier this season, his streak of consecutive PATs made was snapped at 84, which left him third on the state list.
“Whatever Alex does, he doesn’t just want to be good, he wants to be the best at it,” said Pirates special teams coach Michael Daniels, who spent two seasons as a special teams assistant for the Canadian Football League’s Edmonton Elks. “He’s worked hard to be where he is for us. There are lots of times when we’re at our Sunday coaches’ meeting and we’ll see Alex on the field working out.