O-line confident with pair of returners

The Washington football team made its money in the trenches last season.

The Demons put together a balanced offensive attack last season, as the Demons put up nearly 5,000 yards of offense, but the challenge comes in replacing the seniors.

Washington is tasked with replacing a two-time All-State selection in Tommy Peterson, while losing two more starters, including All-District honorable mention selection Kyle Collier, but the two starters the Demons have returning, will certainly make a strong force.

Penciled in to start on the left side of the line are 2014 All-District junior left tackle Seth Townsend, and honorable mention All-District left guard Aaron Vittetoe.

While the experience is on the left side, the right side of the line might be the most physical with sophomores Gabe Greiner and Mark Engelken penciled in to start against Pella.

?I think it?s a nice blend of guys,? Washington head coach Garrison Carter said. ?That left side is extremely experienced and extremely talented. They can do a lot of things really well. Then on the right side they aren?t as experienced, but they have great size and physicality, and that?s the side that is going to surprise some people.?

Up the middle, senior Tanner Renoux is slotted in to start at center, and was the first name out of Townsend?s mouth when thinking about players who are stepping up.

?Tanner Renoux has been doing a great job,? Townsend said. ?Mark Engleken and Gabe Greiner have been doing a really good job. Those positions on the right side have been a good battle.?

With young players on the right side of the line, it would be easy to expect some growing pains, but running back Jack Giardino has said that that portion of the line might be the most impressive.

?We have the depth chart figured out and everyone is figuring out their roles,? Giardino said. ?The linemen have been doing great. We have two young bucks coming in on that right side and they?ve been doing a great job. Renoux has been helping out at the center position and they?ve looked great lately.?

With Vittetoe and Townsend having the returning experience, they have had to take on a leadership role among the rest of the line, and have been happy with the results.

?Vittetoe and I are the two returners and we?ve been stepping up and helping the other side,? Townsend said. ?They?ve really been doing a nice job filling those positions that needed to be replaced.?

Last season the Demons? line helped pave the way for a pair of 1,000 yard rushers, led by Jacob Hennigan?s 1,516 yards at 8.6 yards per carry. From the quarterback position, Daryn Sebelius ran for 1,127 yards at 7.3 yards per carry.

With both of those athletes gone, the line will play an even more crucial role in making sure the offense doesn?t miss a beat, something that Townsend isn?t worried about this season.

?I think we are going to do just fine,? Townsend said. ?Even with all the seniors we lost, we are going to come together more as a team this year.?