Some things can’t be explained in the box score.
That old saying has proved true in the case of the Raiders 8-0 start to the season, in which all eight wins have received major contributions from players who go largely unnoticed and unmentioned in stat sheets. This group of players has been at the top of a long list of reasons why the Raiders will be competing for a district championship tonight at Frenship. The group of five seniors: Brian Saavedra, Chance Geiger, David Roulston, Frankie Garcia and Marcus Burk form the Raiders offensive line, which has been nothing short of a force to be reckoned with.
At a combined weight of over 1,200 pounds, the line has pushed back opposing defenses all season long, leading to the Raiders being ranked no. 1 in rushing yards among area 4A teams. Quarterback Collin Bowen and running back Tyler Junell have reaped the benefits of running through gaps provided by the linemen as well as making their own open field moves, as they are ranked first and fourth, respectively, in rushing yards.
“If we go unnoticed, then we did our job,” Saavedra said. “Everything on the offense starts with us.”
Tonight, the Raiders will face their biggest test of the season as they play 8-0 Frenship on the road. Geiger said the offensive line needs to have its best game in order for the team to win.
“You have to prepare differently for a game like this,” Geiger said. “You know going in you’re going to face a legitimate challenge, so you have to be ready.”
Garcia also said the fate of the team lies very much in the hands of the offensive line.
“We know we have all the weight on our backs,” Garcia said. “The team relies on us to do our job, and if we want to win, we have to be able to dominate the line of scrimmage and open up running lanes.”
The importance of the line to the Raiders success has been clear this year. In games where the line has been in control up front, the team has moved the ball efficiently and won easily. Against Plainview, however, players said the line struggled, and the team was able to put up only 14 offensive points, although it was still enough to seal a 18-0 victory.
“If we struggle, the team struggles,” Burk said. “It showed against Plainview. We don’t score touchdowns and receive a lot of credit, but it’s still obvious whether or not we performed well.”
However, the bond between linemen goes deeper than on field results. All five players have been together as a unit since junior high, as they have developed lasting friendships in the process.
“We have great team chemistry,” Roulston. “We’ve been playing together for five years and now we’re pretty much brothers.”
