Becoming nationally ranked on the football field isn’t an easy feat, yet a Tuolumne County student-athlete recently accomplished that achievement.

Summerville High School senior kicker and punter Bryson Benites has had a strenuous summer, visiting several Division I programs across the country over a three-week period. 

“How big the schools are out there compared to here in Cali is crazy,” he said. “When you’re kicking in the stadium, it’s a different experience feeling so small compared to everything that’s around you.”

Back in June, he attended camps at: Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, Sacramento State, Texas Christian University, Utah State and University of Tennessee.

“It’s pretty hard to compare them all or pick a favorite,” Benites said. “They all had positives, different outlooks of how they did things and how it was structured. Some schools I liked better than others, but overall, they were super well organized.

“It’s crazy to see all the other talent across the U.S. that goes to these camps to check them out and come kick. You see how you can compare to other people and where you’re at versus them.”

Benites wrapped up his nationwide tour this past weekend at the Harvard-Westlake School in Southern California. He attended the Chris Sailer Rising Seniors Camp, where he was ranked as a 4.5-star prospect.

“I don’t try to show off or do anything extra,” Benites said. “I stay in my element and do more of what I’m comfortable with.”

As a three-sport student-athlete, who also plays golf and soccer, Benites remains busy in the offseason.

“I’m so excited for Bryson,” Summerville boys varsity soccer head coach Zac Garman said. “He’s such a great, earnest young man and a hard worker. I really look forward to what comes for him, because he’s been one of those kids with an incredibly hard kick in soccer. To see it transition into football is such a cool thing.”

Last month, Benites told The Union Democrat that he is currently averaging 60-yard punts with a 4.1-second hang time and recently nailed a 58-yard field goal.

Statistically, Benites was one of the top kickers in the Golden State last year. After converting 84 point-after tries, he ranked first in California and 18th in the nation. 

Benites ranked 15th in the country and second in the state with 108 total kicking points, only behind his cross-county rival, Emmanuel Garibay from Sonora. With 5,812 kickoff yards, Benites was second in California and 13th in the nation. Additionally, he was 19th in the state with eight successful field goals.

“The biggest thing by far is your warm up,” Benites said. “How you structure everything and the drills that you do to progressively get better plays a major part. No matter what you’re doing, football or soccer, your warm up is the biggest thing along with technique and drills.”

Benites has stacked accolades over the last two campaigns. Individually, he was an All-Mother Lode League second team selection on the gridiron in 2023 and on the soccer pitch in 2024-25.

With Benites on the roster, the Bears soccer team has won back-to-back MLL and Division V CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Championships. Last year, the Summerville football team tallied four titles: co-MLL, D7 CIF SJS, D6-A CIF NorCal and D6-A CIF State.

When the season starts Aug. 22 at Ripon Christian, the Bears know if the game comes down to a last-second field goal, they can rely on their 4.5-star kicker.

“Coming into it, I just have to do my part and try to help out my team the best I can with what I do. Hopefully, I can give us an advantage,” Benites said. “I want to have fun and not take it so seriously to the point where I’m stressed, being rude or anything. I’m focused and locked in, but at the same time, I want to enjoy it because it’s my last year playing high school football.”

Contact Shaun Holkko at sholkko@uniondemocrat.com or (209) 588-4526. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram and X at @shaun_holkko. Check out his weekly sports podcast, Stats Over Politics, on YouTube and all streaming platforms.