One Undefeated Season: 59 Points Booted: $5,317 Raised

NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI—Every time North Kingstown High's Noah Iden kicks a field goal or an extra point, he's also raising money to help children with cancer. When the Skippers' season started back on Sept. 8, he hoped to collect $5,000 in donations. Although that seemed like a lofty goal, he's beaten that mark, with two more games to play, the Turkey Bowl on Thanksgiving Day and the Super Bowl on Dec. 3. As of Tuesday night, in fact, he had raised $5, 317 from people who chip in $2 when he boots the ball through the uprights.

So far, he's scored 59 points for the Skippers, who are 11-0-0 and atop their Division II B section.

"It's a good amount," he allowed but credited the team's success for helping him rack up the points. When a squad scores 42 or 56 points in a game, the kicker's going to come away with a few points, he said. The Skippers are undefeated this season. The trip to the Super Bowl is the school's first in a long time.

"It's been about 20 years," he said.

The game against Moses Brown (7-1-0) is also rematch of a game the Skips won by one point at the beginning of the season, Noah said. Both teams have improved and had outstanding seasons.

"It's going to be a great game," he said.

Noah isn't overlooking the Turkey Bowl, though. The Skips are playing to win, he said, and the rivalry against the South Kingstown Rebels is intense. The game starts at 10 on Thanksgiving Day morning in South Kingstown. The Rebels (5-3-0) are a Division I team, so they are tough competition. The Turkey Bowl is also their final game of 2017 because they're not Super Bowl bound. The Skips know from recent past experience how a victory in the Turkey Bowl can carry through to the next season.

The Skips have been rebuilding since Joe Gilmartin took over as head coach and Bill Piva, of Jamestown, stepped in as one of the assistant coaches. A Turkey Bowl just a few years ago was a turning point for their program.

This time, the Skippers want to ride the momentum from a Turkey Bowl win into the Super Bowl. The Skippers have won two of the last three against the Rebels, but they're not taking anything for granted.

"They're definitely a good team," he said.

Noah came to football late. He was a soccer player, but living in a football family, he did hear suggestions about playing a new sport. Junior year, the Skippers needed a kicker, so he tried out and made the team. He's since attended "a lot of camps" and done a lot of training, he said. "It all clicked for me."

Former University of Rhode Island head coach Joe Trainer is also a family friend and thought Noah should go in for football. He's now defensive coordinator at Villanova.

Noah would like to play college football but isn't sure where yet.

Older sister Emily is a student at URI. One of his brothers is also a teammate at North Kingstown, and another brother is a student at Davisville Middle School

Noah, a North Kingstown native, is the son of Kristin and David Iden. His mother survived Hodgkin lymphoma, which she developed as a child.

“I know how much cancer affected me and numerous others in my life,” he said. “I want to do whatever I can to help others that are going through it as well.”

All donations go to childhood cancer research through Kick-It, according to the organizers, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. If you want to help, visit Noah’s Kick-It Champions page. The Kick-It Champions program was started by All-State Ohio football player Matt Colella who battled cancer as a middle school student, the organizers said.

Courtesy Photo: Noah, his Mom and brother at a game