K-Lani Nava now owns a piece of Texas high school football history, and it came in a state championship game.
Nava, a senior at Strawn School, became the first female to score points in a University Interscholastic League (UIL) state title game when she kicked nine extra points on Wednesday at AT&T Stadium, home of the Cowboys.
Nava’s right foot helped undefeated Strawn (16-0) record a 78-42 win over Balmorhea in the Class 1A Division II Six-Man title game.
But if Lee missed her first kick, she wasn’t going to get another chance.
“One chance, miss it, and you’re finished,” her coach, Dewaine Lee said before the championship game, according to Texas football.com.
Six-man games typically are higher scoring than traditional 11-aside games. Extra points are worth two points and field goals are worth four. Nava scored 18 points on 9-of-10 extra point attempts. Her only miss came on a blocked kick that Lee was quick to point out was not her fault.
As for Lee’s pregame ultimatum, it didn’t rattle Nava.
“I had zero pressure,” Nava told the website afterward. “I did think about it [the first kick] this morning, but when I got on the field and ready to kick, it didn’t cross my mind. All I worried about was the ball getting on the tee and me making the right contact with it. I do my job. I know the snapper and my holder do their jobs. They do those jobs very well, and I trust them.”
It is believed the former soccer player also became the first female ever to play in a Texas state title game.
Nava’s teammates said they were not surprised Nava rose to the occasion.
“Strawn is a really close community,” Strawn junior Ivan Ruiz told the website. “Lani has been a part of it forever. We rooted her on in basketball forever when she played, and she’s been a part of Strawn forever. She did good and worked hard like everyone else. She’s just another football player to us.”