Ethan Keyserling, P

In a town replete with quality, accomplished athletes, East Chapel Hill had a rare combination for high school football -- two national caliber kicking specialists. With the NCHSAA prepping to host the 2009 football championships this week, it seemed fitting to cap the fall season with a look at the pair who figure to be the best punter-kicker combination in the state. At most schools, either one likely would have been both the placekicker and punter. With both of them All-Conference seniors on the same team at East, they split the responsibilities.

Ethan Keyserling played on Smith Middle School's OPAC champion soccer team when he was in eighth grade, and didn't even get too serious about football until he was ready for high school. Even then, with his 6-2 height and good arm, he was steered toward QB. But his punting skills learned as a soccer goalie fixed his football destiny by the time he was a sophomore. He's capable of consistently booming 40- to 50-yarders with hang times of 5-plus seconds.

Parents: Alice Ammerman and Tom Keyserling (who, no surprise, punted when he was a player.) Brothers: Jonah, 15, a sophomore at ECH; Kaleb, 22, graduate of Kenyon College.

College plans: still looking at a short list, including some ACC schools.

Favorites: ( TV) "The Office" and "Sportscenter". ( Movie) "Stepbrothers" with Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly. ( Class at ECH) Civil War History with teacher Hans Hiemstra. ( Food) Pizza at IP3. ( Athlete) Chipper Jones of the Atlanta Braves.

No one knows: "I'm afraid of spiders."

2009 highlight: snapping the ball to Thomas Moore for a game-winning, 50-yard FG.

Pro kicking coach Chris Sailer on Keyserling: "Hit a 5.25, 50-yard punt in Las Vegas. Big kid with a huge leg. ... Still a bit raw, but the talent is there. Big time potential. Definite D1 Prospect."

Keyserling on Moore: "Thomas and I were the only sophomores on the varsity when we were young, so we spent a lot of time together. We've been a lot of the same national camps and competitions, too. So I've seen that Thomas is an excellent athlete ... a very hard worker, very dedicated. He's multi-talented. He can play on both sides of the ball, as well as kick."

Thomas Moore hit the rare, if not unique in the Triangle, trifecta of being named All-PAC-6-Conference in football at three different positions this fall -- running back, linebacker and placekicker. He was the top rusher and top scorer for the football team at East, and to no one's surprised was named the team MVP at the post-season awards ceremony. His most memorable moment came at the East Chapel Hill homecoming game, when he nailed a 50-yard FG as time expired to win the game, 24-21 over Northern Durham.

Parents: Margaret and Robert Moore. Brothers: Robert, at ECU, and Andrew, a sophomore at East.

College plans: "nothing final yet... open to any school in Div. I."

Favorites: ( TV) "The Office". ( Movie) "Friday Night Lights". ( Class at ECH) History with teacher with Robert Brogden. ( Food) Hamburgers. ( Athlete) Tim Tebow of Florida. ( Shoes) Nike Vapor Jet.

Can't live without: a football.

People still don't know: Moore was named one of the top 12 kickers in the country at the annual Chris Sailer Camp in Las Vegas.

2009 highlight: Kicking a game-winning, 50-yard FG, with feet to spare over the crossbar.

Pro kicking coach Chris Sailer on Moore: "Thomas has the potential to be an outstanding kicker. One of the strongest legs in the nation."

Moore on Keyserling: "He's a great punter. He's one hard-working, cool guy ... great to hang out with."