B7

Kevin Barrett

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

1 Comment(s)

They are the linemen. Football's big boys.

Enlarge Photo

Matthew Sherwood/Telegraph-Journal

Curtis Green, left, and Adam Stewart are two of the Saint John Greyhounds who participate in the Lineman Luncheon, the team’s way of saying thanks to the players in the trenches who do the dirty work on the football field.

The young men in the trenches take the body shots, grind open holes for fleet-footed teammates and smile quietly in the shadows when the spotlight shifts to those popular weapons on offence.

Often, they accomplish their tasks with little or no fanfare.

But each year, the Saint John Greyhounds coaching staff rewards their towers of power with what's come to be known as the Lineman Luncheon - a bonding and morale-boosting dining event so eagerly anticipated, the boys begin to lick their lips in preparation for an annual all-you-can eat buffet the moment training camp begins.

"It is basically a free-for-all," said fourth-year senior Adam Stewart, a six-foot-four, 240-pound centre. "We are a bunch of linemen and when they say, 'free food', we say, 'OK'."

Consumption is so great, at times, it impacts the performance at practice later in the day. "There can be some puking," Stewart said.

As the season unfolds though, the performance of the big men is critical to the success of the Greyhounds, whose main goal is a provincial 12-man division football title in the New Brunswick Interscholastic Athletic Association.

And while the top scorers generate the publicity, the recognition of free grub for grunt work is appreciated by those wearing the XL and XXL jerseys.

"We are just a bunch of Hoggies," said five-foot-11, 235-pound senior tackle and guard Curtis Green. "We look forward to this all season."

While quarterbacks are rated by passing yards and touchdown throws, the lineman chow down with an eye on their own standards - the record for most pizza slices eaten.

The long-standing mark is 28 (not including appetizers, salad and pasta) but Rane Griffin gave it a run with 17 pieces late last week.

"All of the linemen are close," said Green, a second-year player who took up the sport after he was encouraged by fellow senior Justin Nathan, another prominent member of the Hogs.

"I think we are the hardest working group of players on a football team."

As the tradition of the lineman's meal evolves, another is gaining steam as well - the Greyhounds success in the post-season and their annual potential for a provincial title.

In the past four regular seasons, the Greyhounds are 20-4, and only the Bernice MacNaughton Highlanders have won more games at the 12-man level in that period.

Last season, Saint John, backed by a strong line on both sides of the ball, advanced to the provincial final, before losing 33-14 to the Highlanders.

"It was a real heartbreaker when you get that close," Stewart said.

This year, the Greyhounds went 5-2 in the regular season but have won four straight after two narrow setbacks to Oromocto and Hampton evened their record at 2-2 in mid-season.

Since then, they have outscored opposition 141-33.

"We really stepped it up at practice after those two losses," Green said.

Friday, the Hounds host Harrison Trimble at 7 p.m. at Millidgeville Field where a win will lift them to the provincial final again - against either Moncton or Fredericton.

-

SEMIFINAL SATURDAY: The 10-man division semifinals are slated for Saturday with No. 1 seeded Sussex entertaining Mathieu-Martin of Moncton at 1 p.m. and St. Stephen hosting Harbour View, also at 1 p.m.

Earlier in the season, Sussex shaded Mathieu-Martin 21-14 in the closest game of the season for the 7-0 Sonics, who have outscored their opponents 198-21 this season.

"We felt we left some points on the field that game but at the same time, it showed even though we went 7-0, we are not invincible," said Sussex quarterback Aaron Tabor. "We have to come to play."

The Spartans defeated Harbour view 69-6 on Sept. 19. St. Stephen head coach Neil Grant is expecting a much tighter affair in the 10-man semifinal.

"The regular season was the regular season," Grant said. "We treat every game like our competition is the best team we can play."

St. Stephen has the best points for-against ratio (plus-222) in the province this year but Grant knows it will take a team effort to slow the Harbour View attack

While senior runner Brett Saunders is a key for the Vikings, there is more to prepare for, Grant said.

"We never look at one individual," he said.

"We just see the colour of their jerseys. We are going to play Spartan football. We are committed to running our offence and stopping the other team's offence."

Last weekend, Harbour View advanced with a 30-21 victory over Rothesay in the quarter-final. Mathieu-Martin shaded Kennebecasis Valley 14-13 in the other quarter-final.

The championship game goes Nov. 14 in Moncton.

Kevin Barrett is a sports reporter with the Telegraph-Journal. His Varsity View column appears Thursdays during the school athletic calendar. He can be reached at barrett.kevin@telegraphjournal.com.