| Henderson
is just one of the many ball carriers Evans has used
this season.
The Knights don't have an
outright star running back, and 10 tailbacks carried the
ball in a win over rival Lakeside two weeks ago.
What hasn't changed is
the offensive line.
The starters in the
trenches, right tackle Ryan Amrhein, right guard Matt
Holmes, center Michael Heredia, left guard Will Brinson
and left tackle Wes Ivie, serve as the big boys who
protect those tailbacks and senior quarterback Kevin
Millward.
They've done their job so
far this season.
An offensive line can't
always judge its success on sheer statistics, but these
Knights have one stat they take pride in.
In the team's first three
games, the offensive line has yet to allow a sack.
"I've never had an
offensive line that goes from when the ball is snapped
till the whistle blows like they do," Evans
offensive line coach Mickey Derrick said.
Their shining moment came
Friday when the Knights were protecting a 21-7 lead
against Greenbrier. Evans got the ball with seven
minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, and the
offensive line opened the necessary holes to keep the
ball, and the clock, moving.
The drive that sealed the
win ended with a touchdown run from six yards out with
less than a minute left.
"That's our job. As
a lineman, I know I've got to do my job well for the
team to do well," Heredia said. "When we line
up, it's always - you're not going to beat me."
No one has so far. The
Knights are off to their best start since 2000. Fans are
beginning to compare this year's team to the 2004
Knights, who went to the state playoffs.
Evans head coach Marty
Jackson said the 2007 squad is more athletic than that
state playoff team.
The offensive linemen see
that athleticism every week.
"Our receivers are a
lot more experienced now, and that's helped,"
Holmes said. "Everyone's working as a unit."
Though guys such as
Henderson and Millward get much of the credit for
scoring touchdowns and winning games, the linemen know
that it all starts in the trenches.
"This year, if we
give Kevin as much time as he needs, we know we'll
succeed," Heredia said. "That's what we've got to
do." |
