Holmes' Spencer named to the NJCAA All-American Team

The hard work put in last summer and last season by Holmes Community College sophomore punter Matt Spencer of Brandon paid off yesterday by him being named to the NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American team.

During the 2013 season, Spencer finished the season with 65 punts for 2609 yards for a 40.1 average. He had a long of 54 yards with 23 punts downed inside the 20, two fair catches and six touchbacks. Spencer finished seventh in the NJCAA.

Following the season, the honors started rolling in, and they ended with the NJCAA award. He was named to the MACJC First Team and the NJCAA Region XXIII team. He also participated in the MACJC All-Star Game on December 5 at Northeast scoring the North's only points on a field goal. He also received the team's Colonel Bradly S. MacNealy Award named for MacNealy, who played both football and baseball at Holmes, and is currently the U.S. Property and Fiscal Officer for the Mississippi Army and Air National Guard.

"Well it's a really big honor," Spencer said. "I've been looking forward to it ever since Coach (Jeff) Koonz told me my name was nominated. I really couldn't believe it at first. That's a really big honor to be named to that team with a bunch of great players."

During Spencer's freshman season he did both the punting and placekicking duties, but his sophomore season he focused on punting alone.

"Last summer I really got to work and focused on punting," Spencer explained. "I had great instructors, and it allowed me to focus on the one thing. I was able to go watch film and see what I was doing wrong and work hard. I was able to improve my average and everything else by a lot.

"There are always drills to do to improve my consistency on the drop and the ball placement on my foot," he added. "Some days you don't have to kick a ball and work on the mechanics and then there are some days all you do is kick the ball. Some days you just work out. You have to get your leg stronger and get your body ready for that process. You can do it every single time without opening your eyes."

After finishing up in Goodman in the fall, Spencer said he's planning to attend spring classes at the Ridgeland Campus working on his degree in general college studies while waiting on an offer from a senior college.

"Unfortunately, the recruiting process is really hard and takes a while for a punter," Spencer said. "It's usually pretty late. I'm still waiting for the first offer. Hopefully this All American will get an offer  somewhere, and they'll hear about me. I'll be able to decide then what I'm going to go in the fall. I feel that's the best decision for me when I don't have any offers on the table."

He said he plans on majoring in business, but his ultimate goal is being a pastor. "That's what God has called me to do," Spencer said. "I'll get a degree and then go to seminary. Then I'll get a seminary degree, and I'll go to work at a church somewhere. That's where my passion lies. I'll have the business degree as a backup."

Spencer said he was pleased with his decision to play football at Holmes. "What really made me enjoy Holmes were the people on the football team," Spencer said. "There are a great bunch of guys that I got to know well.

"Just them being there and working with me throughout the process," he said. "Jordan Fleming would go out and snap for me whenever I needed it, and Cole (Ballard) worked with me. They were always there for me, and made it a lot easier. I've been blessed to have all those people there. It might be out in the middle of nowhere, but you are never bored when you have good friends around you. You can always find something to do."