Cougars lean on experienced offensive line
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Warden's Elijah Gonsalez prepares for a catch during practice.
It’s a position group that’s usually a question mark for most high school coaches.
Finding five big bodies that can work in concert to protect the quarterback and create running lanes is a tall task at this level. Fortunately for Warden, head coach Robert Arredondo knows that his guys won’t have “big eyes” when the Friday night lights glow each week.
“The offensive line is going to be our strong suit this year,” he said. “In all levels that’s kind of a position that everyone is always piecing together, whether it’s here or the upper levels. But we seem to have this group and they played together last season and they’re all returning kids from last season so that’s going to be our strong suit.
“They know as much as the quarterback, in a way, as far as check downs and stuff like that so it’s pretty good. It’s a good deal. We’re fortunate.”
The line goes as follows: Callie Edson at center, Tyrone Mendez and Elijah Gonsalez at guard, and Martin Dominguez and Tucker Roden at tackle. Everyone is a senior besides Gonsalez who is a junior.
“We’ve got tons of experience and pretty tough kids,” Arredondo said. “Pretty smart kids, too.”
Mendez, Gonsalez and Dominguez especially know how to overpower an opponent; all three qualified for Mat Classic XXIX in February. Mendez finished sixth in the 170-pounds weight class.
In an area that worships wrestling, that tenacity carries over to the gridiron.
“We’ve got some wrestlers that understand leverage,” Arredondo said. “Leverage is something that sometimes a kid gets in a hurry and sometimes they struggle with, but these kids it’s a good deal. They understand it. We’re fortunate, for sure.”
An experience offensive line is a luxury to have when Warden’s new varsity quarterback, Ryan Arredondo, is only a sophomore. And although Ryan Arredondo has experience in 7-on-7 circuits and as an all-league pitcher for Warden’s baseball team, it certainly helps when those protecting him know what they are doing.
Keeping the quarterback upright is important in a league that boasts the 1A state champion and 1A state runner-up.
“With those guys being sort of the group we’re going to lean on, kind of goes hand in hand with the quarterback,” Robert Arredondo said. “Us having a young kid at quarterback just makes him better because they’re pretty good. He has the luxury right now that any kid would enjoy having.
“Like I said, it makes him better having those kids, that group, in front of him.”
Warden hosts Okanogan, 7 p.m., Friday. The Bulldogs were just outside the top 10 of the first Associated Press Washington Football Prep Poll.