Patriots Flip Thrower
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Alexander Gorney | 10/9/2012 .jpg)
"For a flip throw in, it basically gives a corner kick from anywhere from the start of our half to the goal. As long as we have the ball out of bounds on the 50 yard line. It can be a goal."
Eckroth is a senior at Century, the two year varsity player mastered the flip throw at a young age with the help of another sport.
"I started gymnastics when I was like three. I was in it til age 10 or 11 when most people would quit and stuff and I just learned flips there. I would keep doing it. And in BSL I think in sixth grade I tried it my first time and after that in high school I`ve been trying it ever since and strengthening myself, my shoulders, my arms to throw it the extra bit."
"Brandon makes it look pretty easy. I`ve really only seen one other player do it almost as good as him I think Brandon`s past him and that was a former teammate of mine Davis Beattie," said coach Nate Ulness.
Beattie`s flip throw helped Bismarck High make a run to the State final in `07, a game it would lose to Century High. And it`s Eckroth`s throw ins that has given this years Patriots squad far more chances to score.
"It`s an extra corner kick. It`s an extra free kick into the box that we can never be offsides so I mean we can essentially throw everyone around the goalkeeper just throw it into the mix and play a little pinball and hope for the best," Ulness said.
The Flip Throw has lead to eight Patriots goals this season. After doing it hundreds of times thus far in his soccer career, Eckroth says it`s nothing to sweat about.
"First few times you think, you`re just going to fall, you think the ball is just going to slip off the ground, but after I mastered it the first couple times I was perfectly fine."
With the state tournament this weekend, an Eckroth throw in or two might be what flips the Patriots into a state champion.
Eckroth`s talents are not just displayed on the soccer field. Brandon has 3.75 grade point average and he plans to attend the University of Minnesota next fall.
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