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ISHPEMING -- It's becoming rarer in J.V. football in the U.P.--kicking an extra point after scoring a touchdown.  But it's something 16-year-old Eric Dompierre does well for the Ishpeming Hematites.

Eric is an inspiration to his teammates who say the freshmen is all smiles when he's on and off the field, in spite of having Down Syndrome.

"We just let Eric kick the ball, he gets it through and brings up the morality of the team," said tailback, Matthew Spencer.  "Makes us all pumped up.  We go out there and win some more, get another touchdown, so he has a chance to kick."

While he played defense in Pop Warner football, the Ishpeming coaches thought Eric would make a good kicker.  And it was something he took seriously, spending most of the weekly practices kicking, then rekicking the ball.

"Because I like to help my teammates to do better," said Eric.

"No matter how warm or cold, he comes out here, he doesn't complain," said Coach Scott Syrjala.  "He comes out and does his job and he practices."

So, when Eric kicked an extra point for the first time two weeks ago in a game against Norway, the crowd and his teammates couldn't stop cheering.

"That's the loudest I've ever heard anyone cheer for our team the whole season," said freshmen Robert Poirier.  "Everyone on the sidelines and the field; we were all just so excited for him."

Eric's dad says the seconds before the ball cleared the uprights were nerve-racking.

"He had worked really hard to get that far," said Dean Dompierre, "and it was nice to see him experience some success."

Eric plays more than just football.  In November he'll trade his cleats for basketball shoes.  He is a two sport athlete for the Hematites.