DAVE DEVEREUX Cape Coral High senior Kenton Beal finishes signing his national letter-of-intent Wednesday to play football at Elon University in North Carolina. Seated next to him are his parents, Linda and Kenny Beal.

Kenton Beal waited patiently for the opportunity to assume the punting, placekicking and kickoff duties for the Cape Coral Seahawks. When the time came this past season, the senior excelled in each role.

It’s that combination of skills, along with the work ethic, that enabled Beal to become a sought-after prospect, despite having only one season in which to showcase his talent.

“That’s tough for a lot of kids,” Seahawks football coach Mike Goebbel said. “They want to be out there. (Kenton) waited his turn and when it was his time, it was his time.”

Beal’s outstanding senior season led to offers from a number of schools, including Lehigh, Colgate and Charleston Southern.

Ultimately, it was Elon University that won out in the process. Beal signed his national letter-of-intent with the school, located in North Carolina, during a signing ceremony Wednesday afternoon at Cape High.

Elon is a Division I school, which belongs to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision. The Phoenix compete in the Southern Conference, along with traditional powerhouses Appalachian State and Georgia Southern.

“When I went (to Elon) for an official visit, I felt right at home. I didn’t want to leave,” Beal said of his decision.

As a combination player, Beal expects to compete for all three positions (kicker, punter and kickoff) when he joins the Phoenix.

Beal played for the Seahawks for three years, including the last two which ended with Class 5A playoff berths. It was clear early on that he had a strong leg, which is why he handled the kickoff duties as a junior.

The Seahawks, though, already had reliable players at both punter and placekicker during his junior year. Beal took over all three specialties as a senior and was a big part of the Seahawks’ success.

He kicked a 47-yard field goal in a victory over Lehigh and placed 16 punts inside the 20-yard line. On kickoffs, 36 of his 46 attempts reached the end zone for touchbacks.

“We always knew he had a strong leg,” Goebbel said, “and this year, he became more consistent.”