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PRIDE UP FRONT
By MATTHEW PEASLEE
berlin center
Following perhaps the two biggest wins of his high school career, Western Reserve running back Donnie Bolton has many to thank. First was God, second his coaches and third his offensive line.
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Western Reserve’s Tim Cooper escapes a tackle attempt by Villa Angela-St. Joseph’s Ryan Gallagher in the Blue Devils’ playoff win. Saturday, Western Reserve will take on Malvern in Louisville.
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Western Reserve’s Thomas Benyo hauls in this pass while Villa Angela-St. Joseph’s Mato Vunak chases during their playoff game last weekend at Western Reserve High. The top-seeded Blue Devils won 33-6.
While he combined for three touchdowns and 352 rushing yards in those games, big victories against McDonald and Cleveland Villa-Angela St. Joseph, the senior remained humble.
“I definitely didn’t do this all myself,” Bolton said.
Indeed, the aforementioned folks really did have an impact on him. With God looking down on him and the coaches calling plays, it was the offensive linemen that gave him needed room to run.
“We’re blessed to have big linemen and it’s great to have them blocking for me,” Bolton said. “I just happen to carry the ball.”
Yes he does — awfully well.
Bolton leads the area in touchdowns [24] and rushing yards [2,273]. Joined by fellow seniors, quarterback Jeff Clegg and fullback Tommy Marlowe, the Blue Devils have a potent backfield. Five veterans on the OL make it down right scary.
“We have tremendous skills guys,” Western Reserve coach Andy Hake said. “But when you match up and you have a good line, you can really put them in.”
Tyler Powell, Aaron Halls, Micah Marra, Bryan Deal and Adam Badget average more than 280 pounds while standing at an average of 6-foot-1.
“They just get bigger and bigger and we keep feeding them,” Hake said.
Popeye can have his spinach — these are meat and potatoes type of young men, with an all-out weight training program.
“We hit the weights hard,” Halls said. “Spending a lot of time in the weight room over the past few years has paid off because we’re all stronger and that’s what is needed on the field.”
Overpowering the opposition is one thing, but the Devils linemen prides themselves on their agility. That was a primary focus this summer with assistant coach Jeff Martig, Halls says.
“Footwork was a key thing,” he said. “We had to get down our pass-setting and run blocks down pat. We’re big guys, but we can move.”
That’s what Hake says is Western Reserve’s saving grace.
“They can move, they can trap, they can counter — our strength is our line,” he said.
Playing football since he was 10 years old, Halls knew he was destined to be a lineman.
Getting the glory of the quarterback or running back wasn’t for him.
Rather, his reward comes from seeing the back of a Blue Devils jersey running away from him in the distance toward the end zone. Bolton, Clegg and Marlowe’s glory is his glory, all the same.
“It’s so exciting knowing that a tocuhdown is a result of you making it happen,” Halls said.
“With the guys that we have running the ball, as a unit, it’s a pleasure to block for them.”
Halls also feels the Blue Devils 11-0 record speaks for itself.
“We go out and dominate,” he said. “And we still haven’t played our best game yet. When that happens — man, it’ll be great.”