Ben Fee | #50 | Kicker/Punter St. Mary’s Preparatory – Class of 2018
Ben Fee, who booted a 50-yarder in the state final, could be the state’s
top place kicker. - Tom Markowski, State Champs Network, Aug 21, 2017
Height: 5’10” Weight: 195 lb 3.90 Cumulative GPA 1895 Kinsel Court Walled Lake, MI 48390 Twitter: @benny_fee E-mail: [email protected] Cell: 248-425-3787
Varsity Head Coach George Porritt E-mail: [email protected] Office: 248-706-4200 Ben Fee | #50 | Kicker/Punter St. Mary’s Preparatory – Class of 2018
High School Athletic Highlights FOOTBALL Training Camps · Train with Coach Mike McCabe, One on One Kicking, Birmingham, AL · 1st place in Field Goal Competition – University of Toledo Kicking Camp · 1st place in Field Goal Competition, 2nd place in Punting Competition, 3rd place in Kick Off Competition – Kohl’s Mike Sadler Specialist Camp · 2nd place in Field Goal Competition – Ohio State University Kicking Camp · 2nd place in Field Goal Competition – Michigan State University Kicking Camp Varsity · 2016 and 2017 Michigan 1st Team All-State · State of Michigan Championship Game Record Holder o Longest Field Goal (49 yard) o Tied for Most Field Goals (3) · 2017 Catholic-All League · 2016 and 2017 Special Teams MVP Award
SNOWBOARDING Boardercross · Qualified for States 9th, 10th, 11th Grade (fastest qualifying time - 11th Grade) · Most Valuable Snowboarder 9th, 11th Grade Ben Fee | #50 | Kicker/Punter St. Mary’s Preparatory – Class of 2018
High School Academic Highlights Honors, Advanced Placement and College Classes · Honors Chemistry · Honors Geometry · Honors Algebra II · Honors Pre-Calculus · AP American History and Geography · College Biology Grade Point Average and Awards · 3.90 Cumulative GPA, ACT: 27 (Super score 28) · 9th Grade Suma Cum Laude · 10th, 11th Grade Magna Cum Laude · 3rd place English Oratorical Winner - 9th Grade · 2nd place Global Oratorical Winner - 9th and 11th Grade Extra-Curricular Activities
· Volunteer TOPSoccer Coach – bring joy of playing and learning soccer to any boy or girl who has a mental or physical disability · Kick-It Champion – raise funds for pediatric cancer research · Volunteer Football Coach – Lakes Area Hawks Michigan Youth Football Competitive Cheer · Snowboard Instructor - Vail Resorts · Jazz Band, Double Bass 9th - 12th Grade Ben Fee | #50 | Kicker/Punter St. Mary’s Preparatory – Class of 2018
Preseason Top 25 Football Teams: Nothing new this season as Cass Tech again takes the top spot Football AUG 21, 11:00am | Tom Markowski
1. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (10-4), A: The defending Division 3 champions will sport a number of new faces in the starting lineup as just two return on defense. The good news the Eaglets have four back on offense led by quarterback Caden Prieskorn (6-5, 215). Prieskorn is a three-sport athlete who has surprisingly good speed and great vision. Rashawn Allen (5-8, 205) rushed for 2,000 yards last season and he’ll keep low to the ground and run behind guard Don Whalen (6-2, 290) and center Brennan Ebbert (6-0, 290). Ky’Ren Cunningham (LB/RB) is the Eaglets’ best two-way player. Nathan Kolwich (DT) is the other starter back for a defense that will be trimmed down and quicker. Ben Fee, who booted a 50-yarder in the state final, could be the state’s top place kicker. Ben Fee | #50 | Kicker/Punter St. Mary’s Preparatory – Class of 2018
Detroit News top high school football teams 2-20
David Goricki, The Detroit News Published 10:02 p.m. ET Aug. 23, 2017 | Updated 5:20 a.m. ET Aug. 24, 2017
7. ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARY’S (10-4), CLASS A
St. Mary’s should have an explosive offense with quarterback Caden Prieskorn returning to work with 2,000-yard rusher RaShawn Allen and Ky’ren Cunningham behind an offensive line that returns three linemen in Donnie Whalen, John Miller and Brennan Ebbert.
Allen rushed for 136 yards in the 29-28 state title win — the program’s third straight — over Muskegon to give him a school-record 2,131 yards while Prieskorn found Cunningham for a 18-yard TD pass with four seconds left for the difference.
Nathan Kolwich (6-3, 240) and Cunningham at linebacker will be key contributors on defense.
Ben Fee will be another weapon, kicking field goals of 32, 35 and 49 yards in the state-championship game. Ben Fee | #50 | Kicker/Punter St. Mary’s Preparatory – Class of 2018
Faith in Jesus helps kicker set state title game record by Don Horkey • September 7, 2017
Ben Fee gets a kick out of kicking a football.
“I watched my brother kick in high school and college. I wanted to be like him.”
He added with a grin, “I’ve surpassed him. He admits it.”
Fee earned All-State honors his junior year last fall as the punter, kicker and kickoff specialist for the defending three-time Division 3 state champion Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep.
The soft-spoken Fee employed his lethal right leg to blast 80 percent of his kickoffs into the end zone to prevent opponents from runbacks, average 38-yard punts, and convert 57 of 59 extra-point attempts after touchdowns.
Coach George Porritt called upon Fee only six times for a field goal; he made good on four. The last three, however, put him in the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s record book.
The Eaglets were involved in a tense, nip-and-tuck struggle with Muskegon for the Division 3 title at Ford Field. Fee kicked a 32-yard field goal in the first quarter and a 35- yarder in the second quarter before OLSM scored a TD to trail 14-13 at the half. Ben Fee | #50 | Kicker/Punter St. Mary’s Preparatory – Class of 2018
With 4:47 remaining in the game, Porritt sent Fee in for a 49-yard attempt. His previous best had been 46 yards earlier in the season. The ball cleared the uprights dead center with a couple of yards to spare to give St. Mary’s its first lead, 23-21 – and set up a wild finish.
Fee recalled the moment. “I was thinking the team needs me. I’ve done it in practice. My time has come.”
The three field goals are the most ever made, and the 49 yards the longest, in a state championship game.
Muskegon took the lead right back. The Eaglets responded with a beat-the-clock 80- yard drive, capped by an 18-yard TD pass with four seconds to play and won, 29-28.
Fee, 16, is the youngest senior on the roster — he’ll turn 17 in November — packs 200 pounds on a compact 5-foot-10 frame. He works tirelessly on a routine of drills to improve his form, kicking power, leg speed and balance.
“And stretching every day,” he said. “Flexibility is important.”
“He works hard,” said his kicking coach at St. Mary’s, Jeremy Ruckhaber. “He has the ability to go to the next level.”
Over the summer, Fee attended camps at Ohio State, Toledo, Michigan State and Wayne State showcasing his considerable talents, hoping to attract interest in an athletic scholarship offer.
Along with form and flexibility, faith is as important to Fee. Asked what motivates him, what keeps him going, he answered without hesitation: “Jesus Christ.” Inspiration to pray on and off the field that “Jesus is watching over me” comes from his mother and grandmother. “They are devout Christians.”
A severe test of faith is facing Fee and his teammates. The Eaglets have lost their first two games of the season, and it could be three straight this weekend when they come up against a formidable Penn High School in Mishawaka, Ind., which had no difficulty getting past Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, 36-0, last week.
The last time OLSM lost three games in a row to start a season happened a long, long time ago, 1984. St. Mary’s would have to win their remaining five games to qualify for the state playoffs in quest of another state title. Ben Fee | #50 | Kicker/Punter St. Mary’s Preparatory – Class of 2018 Ben Fee | #50 | Kicker/Punter St. Mary’s Preparatory – Class of 2018