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Pingree's power found in O-Line

Friday, October, 19 By Matt Jenkins
Staff writer

Pingree football coach Chris Powers knows there is a secret to senior quarterback Carlos O'Donnell's success this fall. Actually, it's five small (relatively speaking) secrets.

Through four games, O'Donnell has completed 43-of-71 passes for 662 yards, seven touchdowns, and only one interception. He's also run for 115 yards on 19 carries, and he is coming off a dandy individual performance where he tossed for 281 yards and four touchdowns in a 44-31 setback to Holderness. Of course, the stats represent an individual's performance, but saying that anything O'Donnell does is individual is a minor mistake.

O'Donnell's five secrets are named Jason Kramer, Michael Shaughnessy, Danny Rogers, Tim Weinstein, and Josh Shain. Also known as Pingree's offensive line, that blocking quintuplet, despite being undersized and overmatched on paper, has been opening holes for the Highlander running backs, and providing O'Donnell more free time than even Paris Hilton would know what to do with.

These guys do the job while giving up size to the opposition every single week.

Rogers, the center, for example, will be blocking Proctor Academy's Josh Mays tomorrow. Mays, a post-graduate student from Oklahoma, is 6-foot-3, 345 pounds. Rogers is 5-10, 175 pounds ("at best" Powers said).

Rogers is the smallest of the group, but not by much. "Danny is facing a guy that outweighs him by 50, 60, 70 pounds every week," Powers said. "And he does a terrific job."

Kramer, the senior captain who plays left tackle, is the biggest of the group at 6-2, 215, followed by Shain (right tackle, 6-0, 200), Weinstein (right guard, 5-10, 195), and Shaughnessy (left guard, 5-10, 180).

"Week in and week out they are overmatched by 30 pounds per player," Powers said. "We really emphasize that they're on the smaller size, but they're all really quick. At St. John's Prep or some other local schools, some of these guys would be backs. They use quickness and angles and good technique to take care of bigger people."

Pingree's offense, a one-back set that spreads the field, also plays to the line's strengths.

"When we first started, we knew we'd be a little undersized and knew we could run this offense. It's even better if you have size, but you can do it without size as long as you have solid skill people. We're fortunate to have some good skill people."

The Highlanders' offensive line also seems to enjoy the underdog tag it wears.

"They have this motto, One Good Block," Powers said. "That's what they say, and that's what they try to do."