By SCOTT TYLER
Sports Editor
BETHEL — Cayuga’s Melvin Shead wears many shoes for the Wildcat football team.
To be more specific, it is two sets of shoes.
Shead has had an impact all over the field for the Wildcats as on offensive lineman, a linebacker and the Wildcats’ place kicker, where he uses a special shoe.
“Melvin is a key part to our success this season,” Cayuga head coach Tommy Allison said. “How Melvin goes is a big part of as we go as team.”
Shead and the Wildcats face Gandado in the Class A, Division II state semifinals at 5 p.m. Saturday at Woodforest Bank Stadium, just south of Conroe.
“It means a lot for us to get back to the semifinals,” Shead said. “Since we lost in the championship game last year, all we have been thinking about is getting back and this is another step towards doing that.”
Shead was one of two returning starters on the offensive line along with his cousin Tramon.
“We had very high expectations for Melvin as a returning starter,” Allison said. “We came into the season expecting him to be a leader and to make plays.”
Shead has flourished into a strong offensive lineman after being a starter for three years.
“He has a great knowledge of our system and knows who to block on each play,” Allison said. “His ability to make space up front has been a big reason why we run the ball well.”
On defense, Shead plugs the middle of the field. He has 39 tackles, four tackles for loss and a forced fumble this season.
“He is one of those players on defense that keeps teams from being able to run up the middle,” Allison said. “His size and speed are a dangerous combination.”
Shead is one of the bigger players on the Cayuga team at 260 pounds but he also is one of the faster big men with a 4.8-second 40-meter time.
Along with offense and defense, Shead’s other duty is as the place kicker. Shead handled the kickoff duties last year but was promoted to place kicker this year when the Wildcats needed to fill a void.
“Melvin always said he could kick,” Allison said. “Last year he did a good job kicking off and this year we needed him to take over the extra point duties as well.”
With the kicking game comes the special shoe that has received a lot of attention on the Cayuga sideline.
“Oh, yes the shoe,” Allison chuckles at the first mention.
The special kicking shoe is bigger than the regular cleats Shead wears, but he key feature is a flat toe at the front which enables Shead to kick the ball straight on.
“I got that shoe a couple of years ago, the previous coaching staff bought it,” Shead said. “I have been kicking since I was a kid.”
The trickiness with the shoes comes when Shead has to put it on after a touchdown. Cayuga has a team manager whose responsibility is to carry the shoe at all times.
Once Cayuga scores a touchdown, Shead must change the shoe and get out to kick the extra point in the designated 25-second play clock.
“Melvin is never in too much of a hurry,” Allison said with a smile, “so sometime that is one of the most anxious times of the game.”
But while it may get some stomachs turning, watching the play clock and seeing Shead flip one shoe off and tie another one on, the Cayuga senior has been consistent in his attempts.
“Early in the year we had no answer to our kicking game but Melvin has stepped in and done a good job,” Allison said. “When we really need it, he comes through and makes the big ones.”
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Scott Tyler may be contacted via e-mail at styler@palestineherald.com
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Lauren Kimbrough/For the Herald-Press
Discussion
The many facets of Melvin Shead
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