What's my line? Archbishop Hoban knows the answer, much to delight of everyone on offense
Archbishop Hoban running back Lamar Sperling has 1,505 reasons to be thankful every time he carries the ball for the Knights.
Add super sub Zardakar Zaramo and the reigning Division II co-Offensive Player of the Year has 1,822 reasons.
That’s how big the Knights' offensive line is in pounds and it’s why Hoban is staring at possibly another magical run through the playoffs despite it only being Week 2 following a 47-14 win over Cathedral Prep (Pa.) on Friday.
“My life is way easier,” Sperling said. “They come out here and work hard every practice just to get better. To block for me, it means a lot. They put their lives on the line for it. It’s nice to know they’re here.
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“It’s a lot of comfort because they have that chemistry. We have that bond. I can trust them.”
The fact right guard Drew Holt (6-0, 284) is a three-year starter, left tackle Keon Johnson (6-foot-4, 390) is a two-year starter (four including his time at Stow) and right tackle William Satterwhite (6-2, 290) is a two-year starter helps.
Add center Nate Cross (5-11, 260), who started in last season’s state final, and there’s experience across the front for the new guy in left guard Sal Brugnano (6-2, 281).
“We have a lot of pride,” Johnson said. “Lamar and the quarterback [JacQai Long], even though he’s new, shows us love after every carry. He’ll come over and dab us up. He’ll give us a high five.
“When we’re on the sideline, Lamar will tell us, ‘Good job. Keep going.' The same thing with the QB.”
Hoban's offensive line success isn't limited to this season
Dating back to last season, the lowest rushing total by a lead back for Hoban was 121 yards and it took state champion Cincinnati Winton Woods to do that in the Division II title game.
Last week, Sperling erupted for 393 yards and four touchdowns in a 44-20 win over Mississauga North (Canada).
Sperling, a Buffalo commit, ran for 164 yards on 19 carries and scored twice against Pennsylvania power Cathedral Prep.
More than that, the offense had 419 yards and averaged 7.0 yards per play.
The Knights (2-0) rushed for 273 yards on 40 carries and that came against a school from Erie that is predicted to make a deep playoff run.
“It makes Lamar very comfortable when he sees the guys that he knows,” Hoban coach Tim Tyrrell said. “And it makes JacQai comfortable. He spent a year [at Capital High School in West Virginia] running around for his life. This is the first year he’s got people in front of him. He’s used to that and he’s getting balls where they need to go. He’s got a cannon of an arm.
“That’s a very good football team that’s supposed to be battling for a state championship in their division. When you can do what we did up front, other than penalties I don’t think we had a negative yard. It’s huge when you have those five guys and six when you add ‘Z.’”
Hungry? Hoban is serving up pancakes
![Hoban offensive lineman Sal Brugnano looks to put a block on Erie Cathedral Prep's Camariyon Bridges on Friday, Aug. 26, 2022 in Akron, Ohio, at Dowed Field. [Phil Masturzo/ Beacon Journal]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/aLeyvqHxH60QpoDDnOUp8g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTExMjY-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/akron-beacon-journal/346d912e4d44d91434ba5b2f41e9c794)
It would be easy to measure success in points and offensive yards, but the Hoban front counts it in pancakes.
“We get to the sideline and we’re always seeing how many each of us got,” Holt said. “It gets a little heated over there, but we tally them up at the end of the game. It makes us better because it’s a competition. Pancakes are better for Lamar and better for us, too. It’s an all-around win.”
The Knights’ line doesn’t consider itself five individual fingers on offense.
It sees itself as a fist that needs to punch through the defense for Hoban’s skill players.
“Everybody loves when the RBs and QBs score,” Satterwhite said. “Even though we don’t get praise, they come up to us and congratulate us after the big plays and the big runs.
“Our connection is great. We have really good chemistry. It’s gotten better throughout the season. We’re just trying to get to that state championship.”
Contact Brad Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Hoban's offensive line is the reason the Knights make so many headlines
