When the lights shine bright on Friday night it seems that all the eyes are fixed on the little guys scoring touchdowns, but we can’t forget about the big boys battling it out in the trenches. Every Friday night five brave young men put their lives on the line in an attempt to dominate the trenches. Whether it’s driving their opponents off the ball allowing space for the running backs to hit the hole, or taking a pass set to keep star quarterback Ian Reynolds safe and sound while he drops back in the pocket. These offensive linemen are true warriors and they share a special bond that can’t ever be broken.
If you weren’t already familiar with the five men fighting on the front lines for the Warriors, it is certainly an imposing lineup: left tackle- Ben Diedrich, left guard- Carlos Hernandez, Center- Nash Vogeltanz, right guard- Jayleon Mitchell, and last but not least, right tackle- Reis Holzworth. At practice, you will always see these guys close together cracking jokes and playing around. Captain Ben Diedrich seems to be the leader of the group and knows how to balance party and business. “I love joking around with the o-line, but I make sure they know when to lock in,” said Diedrich.
Although this is their first year all starting together, the bond has never seemed stronger with a group of guys. Senior Reis Holzworth is in his first year as a full-time starter, following a stint as the feature tackle towards the end of last season. Despite his smaller stature relative to his ferocity on the front, he has been a key piece for the o-line and has stood out amongst the hogs in the trenches. Reis had a few words on his thoughts about why the line has been so tight-knit this year. “We’ve been able to hang out outside of football, bringing us a lot closer,” said Holzworth.
One of the hardest things to do in football is snap the ball and immediately block a 300-pound defensive lineman, but Junior Nash Vogeltanz has done a stellar job of getting this done. In his first year as the starter, Coach Aull has been pleased with the quality job that the Atlanta Classical Academy student is doing. Although, one cannot mention a center without his right and left-hand men (literally). To Volgeltanz’s left is Senior first-year starter Carlos “Los” Hernandez, and on his right is Junior second-year starter Jayleon “Boosie” Mitchell. Much like Nash as a first-year starter, Los has been another big contributor in providing key blocks all year for North Atlanta. He also can testify to the strong bond these young men have with each other. “Having trust in the guys next to me always makes me play better,” said Los.
We all have enjoyed watching the Dubs thrive under the Friday night lights these past few months. Although these o-linemen can sometimes go unnoticed, their bond has led to stellar performances helping boost the Warriors to a region championship. Without the ever-unnoticed selfless efforts of the North Atlanta linemen, the Warriors would certainly be without their current success.
