The look.

Megan Mortensen sees it a lot when she's shaking hands with opponents before and after Franklin Pierce High School football games.

Many are somewhat shocked when they realize No. 12 is a girl.

"I get lots of funny looks, lots of strange looks," said Megan, a junior kicker who wears French braids on game nights. "Actually, it's kind of amazing. The guys behind me on my team are always laughing at the looks people give me."

She is the third Mortensen to kick for the Cardinals (6-2 overall, 5-1), who share first place in the South Puget Sound League 2A with White River. Dirk was an all-conference selection as a senior in 2007, when the Parkland school reached the Class 3A semifinals. Celina kicked for the Cards as a junior in 2008, but returned to the girls soccer team the following year so she could play with Megan, then a freshman.

Megan (5-9, 155) was co-captain of the Ford Middle School football team in eighth grade, playing tight end and linebacker in addition to kicking. Football was a spring sport and one she said she was more adept at than softball, so she turned out.

Megan played soccer her first two years in high school, but said she wasn't having fun and decided to switch to football.

"Because of Celina, the door was open wide," she said. "There was no problem with me trying out."

Megan hasn't been as consistent on her PATs as she would like (12 of 22), but coach Howard Lutton said it hasn't all been her fault. Her kickoffs are generally inside the 10-yard line and Lutton said he would be comfortable having her attempt field goals up to 35 yards.

Megan arrives at games dressed in game-day T-shirt and spandex, so doesn't need separate dressing quarters.

Teammates are supportive.

"They're awesome," she said. "They tease me, they make fun with me like any other player. It's like having a bunch of older brothers, a lot of older brothers."

It ain't over 'til it's over

Longtime coach Jim Sutrick thought he had seen it all.

He has witnessed wild finishes and games won as the clock ran out.

But Sutrick said he had never seen one unfold the way it did last Friday as his Foster Bulldogs rallied to beat Renton, 27-26, on an untimed down after the scoreboard clock had expired.

After spotting Renton a 26-6 lead in the first half, Foster battled back to trail just 26-21. The Indians seemingly had escaped when Anthony Gold intercepted Marquis Jackson's Hail Mary in the end zone on the final play of regulation.

Renton players and coaches celebrated what they thought was a win on Homecoming and Senior Night and lined up to shake hands. The scoreboard clock went dark. The announcer told fans to drive home safely. A man in an electric cart started picking up the pylons on the field.

But Sutrick stayed calm. He had seen the penalty flag thrown near the Foster sideline after Jackson had been hit on what he and the nearby official felt was clearly a roughing-the-passer foul.

It took five minutes to restore order. After the 15-yard penalty was assessed, Jackson tried another Hail Mary, this time to the other side from 30 yards out. Gabe Gutierrez caught it for the Foster victory.

"I've never seen a game won on an untimed down," Sutrick said.

Welstad gives Peninsula a rush

It's not all about the pass in the SPSL 3A, which features record-setting quarterback Chris Brown from Bonney Lake and two others who have thrown for more than 1,400 yards.

Just check on the rushing totals for Peninsula's Danny Welstad. The senior running back already has smashed the league's season record of 1,145 yards. Through eight games, he has 1,702. His 27 touchdowns (including one on a reception) are another record, and he ranks No. 1 in all-purpose yards as well (1,763).

Brown continues to add to his passing records with 210 completions, 2,813 yards and 34 TDs, and he also ranks No. 1 in total offense (2,725).

Notes

• D.J. May made a notable return for Federal Way last week after missing two games with a rib injury. He gained 137 yards on just six carries against Spanaway Lake, including a 79-yard TD run. He also caught a 46-yard TD pass.

• With five rushing TDs last week against Mount Rainier, Jefferson QB K.W. Williams has 14 on the ground and has passed for 11. Bethel QB Justin Hordyk has 13 rushing and 14 passing TDs.

Sandy Ringer: 206-718-1512 or sringer@seattletimes.com