Daily Journal Athlete of the Week: Serra’s Saul Marks

The senior ran onto the field with the Padres trailing by 3, and connected for a soaring field goal through the south goalposts at Freitas Field to tie the game 42-42 with 2:14 to play. Marks was so in the zone, he didn’t even see the kick split the uprights with plenty of distance to spare.

“Off the foot it felt pretty good,” Marks said. “And then I looked up, saw it going straight, and then I don’t even think I even saw it go in. I just looked at [holder Charlie Walsh] and then heard everybody go crazy.”

It was Marks’ second career field goal. He hit his first attempt earlier in the day, an impressive 42-yard field goal late in the first quarter, tying him for the 17th best in program history. Midway through the third quarter, he had a 32-yard field goal attempt blocked.

When Serra returned a kickoff to the Folsom 38-yard line late in the fourth quarter, Marks immediately started taking practice kicks on the sideline. The Padres advanced the ball just two yards on the possession, but head coach Patrick Walsh knew all along the distance within Marks’ range.

“We’ve been practicing field goals this year now more than ever, for obvious reasons,” Patrick Walsh said. “I think you know now why. He’s good from 60. Going in that direction, with that wind, I’m confident that he can make a 60, 65 yarder even. So, that’s why I feel comfortable kicking it. Most high schools wouldn’t be going for that.”

Marks’ range is no secret around Freitas Field. During a quiet summer day while he was taking practicing kicks with holder Jackson Mendoza, Marks connected for a 62-yarder, his personal all-time best distance. He followed that by backing up to miss a 65-yard try.

“I said before the game one thing I did know about this team is we have a 5-star kicker who proved that today,” Patrick Walsh said, “and we’re going to continue to use his leg on kicks. ... That’s a school record, and something he’ll never forget.”

Now a senior, Marks only took up kicking as a freshman, a strange choice seeing as he began his varsity career at Stuart Hall-SF, a small school that only participated in eight-man football.

“I never kicked a field goal,” Marks said. “I had kickoffs and, one day, one guy was like: ‘You’re pretty good. You should try to go to a camp.’ I did, and ever since then I kind of got into kicking.”

Marks soon began working with kicks coach Andrew Strauch and, admittedly, learning the position came with some serious growing pains.

“I had no idea what I was doing,” Marks said. “Someone had to teach me my steps freshman year.”

Prior to last season, Marks transferred to Serra, where he had to sit out the first four games of the year as per transfer rules. During the sit-out period, he travelled to Folsom for Serra’s 2024 opener, a dramatic 22-21 victory thanks to a game-winning field goal, a 38-yarder by Brody Smith.

“I watched Brody make that field goal,” Marks said. “I was coaching Brody up a little bit. Those are my transfer rule games. So, I was very disappointed that I didn’t get to hit it, but I was more happy for him that he made that kick.”

This year, Marks changed holders after last year’s holder Michael McGee graduated in the spring. Charlie Walsh took over as holder this season.

Marks had an interesting moment earlier in the game after Charlie Walsh took a short screen pass for an 80-yard touchdown reception that gave the Padres a 17-14 lead early in the second quarter.

“I was right by the kicking net,” Marks said. “That was awesome. I was going crazy. It was super fun.”

On the ensuing play, Serra lined up in conversion formation, using a swinging gate formation. This is a common look for the Padres, who more times than not audible out of the two-point conversion formation and reposition for a standard point-after kick. Because of the audible, the kicker initially lines up at wide receiver, and doesn’t know until the ball is snapped if he’s kicking or receiving.

“I got hit pretty hard on that play, but that was fun,” Marks said.

Marks’ reputation as a 5-star recruit is beginning to precede him. When he ran onto the field for his 53-yarder, the capacity crowd at Brady Family Stadium was already going crazy.

“I know that I heard it before I was taking my steps back,” Marks said. “I was like: ‘Wow! They’re pretty loud.’”

As he jogged off the field, the cheering from the Serra side turned into a celebration chant: “5-star! 5-star! 5-star!”