Offensive line unsung hero for Hawks

SALEM — When looking over the Gretna Hawks’ 2008 state championship run, it is easy to notice the electrifying long runs of quarterback Jayme Barksdale and the ankle-breaking sprints of running back Andre Dickerson. They seem to go hand-in-hand with the lopsided scoreboards and, of course, the shiny new championship trophy that was clinched in the hands of coach Chris Thurman as he exited Salem Stadium Saturday night.

What isn’t as easy to see is the reason for the thousands of rushing yards created by the almost hidden factor of the Hawks’ offense — the offensive line. Anchored by three seniors, the Gretna offensive line is where all of the action starts.

“That is why we have all that yardage,” Thurman said. “Those kids up front play great. That is really where it starts.”

All season the line was made up of four seniors, until left guard Gabriel Logan went down with an injury. In the state championship game, freshman Coleman Osborne had to fill-in. The other three seniors are right tackle Bennett Fulper, center Zak Dalton and Ethan Winn, who starts at left tackle.

Fulper, who stands a towering 6-foot-5 and weighs 291 pounds, lists this year’s state championship as one of his greatest moments.

“This game will be the one we think about,” Fulper said. “This will be a better memory than last year because it is our last one. This is the one we will tell our grandkids about.”

Winn, also a force standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 285 pounds, thinks this year will be more memorable but because of the various challenges he and his teammates faced throughout the season.

“This season was all about adversity,” Winn said. “At the start of the season our center was a wide receiver and our center was a wide receiver. The five of us aren’t the most talented unit on this team, but we are the hardest working. It is sweet to win this back-to-back, I can’t say too much about our work ethic.”

For Dalton, who started this season as a 6-foot-2, 222-pound wide receiver, this year’s championship means a lot more than 2007.

“I didn’t get to play last year because I blew my knee out,” Dalton said. “So playing at all was good. It was good to see that all our hard work paid off. We really went out with a bang.”

The Gretna offensive line is one of the most talented in the state, and it has been noticed by people outside the town of Gretna. Fulper is considering an offer from the University of Maryland and is also hoping to hear from the University of Virginia. Winn is also looking to continue his career at the college level and hopes to play for Appalachian State or Liberty.

Even with more football in their futures, the linemen will miss their playing days at Gretna.

“I’m going to miss it a lot,” Fulper said. “A lot of memorable things have happened this year. You had Nick (Miller, the 2007 quarterback) breaking his leg, the thing at Dan River (where the two teams got in a huge postgame shoving match) and winning the Essex shoot-out last week. I’m going to miss it.”

“After Nick got hurt, we came in Saturday and practiced all day,” Winn said. “I am going to miss playing for Gretna; I have always played for Gretna. It hasn’t really set in yet, but it will.”

Dalton is unsure of what he will do with all of the free time that comes at the end of the season.

“What are we going to do after school?” Dalton said. “I have never not played for Gretna.”
Thurman is also unsure of what he will do in the future.

“This is going to be tough. We are losing the whole line except the freshman we put in tonight. The entire line is gone,” Thurman said. “We will be loaded with skill. But we have to work our butts off to get that offensive line back together because it is going to be five new ones up there.”

Perhaps the allure of the 2008 version of the Gretna offensive line is best summed up by one of the players who found a lot of success running behind them.

“To me, that’s one of the best lines I’ve ever played with,” quarterback Jayme Barksdale said. “I love the line.”