The Art of the Snap
Memorial's Graham one of nation's top deep-snappers
Feb 13, 2019, 2:29 pm
Graham has been selected to play in USA Football's International Bowl. Via Vype
Originally appeared on Vype
The art of the snap.
While it seems so easy, the deep snapper position is becoming a highly-coveted specialty skill that can be the difference between a win and loss.
Houston is home to a nationally-ranked deep snapper in Memorial's Jacob Graham.
Graham's father had a friend who was a tight end for the New England Patriots, who converted to a deep snapper.
"That's when I really got interested in it," the long-time Texas A&M fan said. "It's a skill that anyone can learn. If you commit to it, you can get pretty good at it."
Graham only picked up the skill a year ago.
"You have to be pretty flexible in your hamstrings and shoulders to get you through the ball," he said. "Other than that, it's all about repetition. Over time, it will come."
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.