The numbers put up by last year’s Greenfield High School football team were impressive, to say the least. Tailback RJ Byrd went over the 2,000 yard mark, quarterback Owen Phelps threw for 11 touchdowns and nearly 1,000 yards, and No. 1 receiver Danny Vega hauled in nine TDs and racked up nearly 500 yards.
All three graduated, and new starters were thrust into those skill positions entering the 2019 campaign. Not an ideal situation, sure, but there was a big reason why that trio put up jaw-dropping numbers a year ago. That would be the work of a talented offensive line, and the good news for this year’s Green Wave squad was that seniors Colby Avery, Cam Lackey and Kenny Adams all returned to stem the tide with new players in new positions around them.
The trio have played together since seventh grade. That experience has the Greenfield offensive line serving as a source of strength, and if the Green Wave are going to make a run at a postseason berth down the stretch, it’ll likely be because of a dominant unit up front.
“We can’t change anything that has happened,” offered Adams, the team’s starting center, of Greenfield’s 2-3 start to the season. “We just have to come out and win the last three games and see what happens.”
Growing up, there was little question where the trio would play on the field, especially once middle and high school rolled around. Avery is 6-foot-1, 270 pounds, Lackey is 6-0, 265 and Adams checks in at 6-1, 185.
“We kind of knew coming out of middle school that we weren’t going to be playing anywhere else (but the line),” said Avery, a tackle, with a laugh. “It takes a certain sense of pride knowing you don’t really get put in the spotlight but everything starts with you.”
Lackey, the team’s right guard, agreed.
“It’s prideful,” he said of playing the position. “Your one job is to protect people. It’s really special to go out there and block for my boys.”
Not surprisingly, the seniors have taken a shine to the physicality required to be a successful lineman.
“Once you get into being a lineman, hitting is the most fun part about the position. It’s what you love about it,” said Adams.
While teams often game plan for talented skill position players, they also have to deal with a dominant line, particularly in Greenfield’s case.
“It’s kind of a nice feeling knowing when you go into a game that people are afraid of you,” Avery said. “Other teams may fear a running back gaining a lot of yards, but people actually fear linemen. Nobody wants to get hit by a big lineman.”
Lackey’s favorite part of the gig?
“I love pancaking people,” he said with a big smile. “Oh man, that’s the best.”
The chemistry of the unit makes it particularly effective. Joined by juniors Brody Baird and Nick Lyons, it’s a veteran group of offensive linemen this fall.
“We definitely have a lot of chemistry with each other, playing together for five years,” said Adams.
That chemistry can make the difference come crunch time, where one or two plays may alter the outcome of an Intercounty League North game.
“If teams switch up a certain defense, try to blitz a certain (line)backer, it’s almost like we can look at the person to our right or left and know exactly what we need to do,” Avery offered.
The linemen have learned what is necessary to be successful at the varsity level over the years. While skill and technique are part of the equation, you can’t teach strength.
“You’ve got to be in the weight room,” said Lackey. “There’s a lot of great players in this league, great linemen in this league. If you want to be able to compete with them, you have to be in the weight room.”
Time in the weight room has been a consistent theme, particularly in recent years.
“We probably all could’ve been in the weight room a little more when we were younger but if you want to compete, you have to get stronger,” Avery said.
After a tough loss to league-leading Frontier a week ago at home, Greenfield has a string of three tilts remaining to close out the regular season. Winning out could very well get the Wave back into the Division 8 postseason discussion. That run begins tonight, with a huge road trip to play at Mahar Regional School (7 p.m.), another Div. 8 contender.
“We have to keep playing smash mouth football but I think we’re capable of winning out,” Lackey said. “That’s what we have to do.”
While Greenfield’s chances at an IL North title took a major blow with the loss to Frontier, the linemen hope that it will wind up being a turning point toward an impressive stretch run.
“Losing to Frontier, that’s not a good feeling,” Avery said. “I know going forward, I don’t want to lose any more games. I don’t want to have that feeling again.”