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Kickin’ it: Jackson’s Logan Bruns nears end of historic career
Logan Bruns is in a bit of paradox.
As much as Jackson’s prized kicker enjoys watching his offense skate past Class 5’s best, he hopes for an opportunity to exhibit his long range accuracy.
It won’t happen at the Indians’ current clip.
Jackson (12-0), which travels to Webb City (9-3) on Saturday for a state semifinal matchup, averages 48.8 points a game and has rarely been stopped in scoring territory.
Bruns’ first field goal came in a regular season finale at O’Fallon (Illinois) last month, a 27-yard boot.
The senior has just three field goals on his All-State resume and still ranks among Missouri’s all-time best.
His 227 career points rank third in all-time Missouri kick scoring, 218 coming by way of PAT.
Bruns, who is No. 1 in PAT scoring, credits a defending state champion program that has given him ample opportunity.
“My stats look amazing because our offense scores so much and our defense gets us on the field quickly,” Bruns said.
The multi-sport senior has nailed field goals beyond 50 yards in practice, but most of his time is away from holders and kicking tees.
Bruns also starts at wide receiver, recently scoring his first career touchdown in Jackson’s district title game.
A baseball player in the spring and summer months, Bruns didn’t begin to fall in love with football until his sophomore year, shortly after giving up soccer.
The three-year starter brings an element Jackson fans had rarely witnessed in previous years.
“The town really likes it, because it’s something we’ve rarely done. It’s something different,” Bruns said. “We typically don’t have someone that kicks it that deep.”
Bruns has more than 50 touchbacks this season, preventing big returns and forcing teams to march 80 yards on a smothering defense yielding just 8.8 points a game.
One of his first boots of the season improved his recruiting stock.
When Jackson faced Hillsboro, Bruns sent his booming opening kickoff trough the uprights, a touchback that caused a few mouths to drop.
A Hillsboro coach had a family connection to an Arkansas assistant, and word got to the Razorbacks of the golden-toed kicker in Jackson.
A couple of weeks later, Bruns was on the Arkansas sidelines on a recruiting visit.
Bruns, who is still weighing his collegiate options, said Arkansas liked the hangtime and leg strength on his kickoffs.
He plans to show off more of his leg on Saturday while trying to get Jackson back to the state final.
If tradition-rich Webb City makes it close in crunch time, Bruns said he’ll be ready.
“I’ll be prepared Saturday when or if that opportunity comes,” Bruns said.