1. Ashland
Courtesy of Ashland Athletics
Ashland ranks first in the division in tackles for loss allowed per game at 2.8, and have only lost 82 yards on opponent tackles for loss this season. It's no wonder the Eagles offense has made plays all season long and allowing their team to go 10-0.
Quarterback Travis Tarnowski is very grateful for the group in front of him all season, saying "If it was not for these guys up front we are not 10-0. They do an unbelievable job week in and week out. If these guys do not block the way they do every week, I cannot throw for the yards and touchdowns I do every week. And because of that, it is the reason we are 10-0 and I am not afraid to tell these guys that."
Damon Stewart, Jon Cipa, Matt Murphy, Zach Douglass, and Jon Conner are the guys who make up the line. These are guys Tarnowski felt deserve recognition for being such rockstars. Jon Cipa is also a big fan of how the line has come together this season, and he describes how they were able to come together: "I think that the most important aspect for an offensive line is patience. From last year to this year, we lost three starters and only have one guy playing the same position that they did last year (RG Zach Douglass). We have two young tackles that have done a great job stepping in. You have to accept that success isn't going to come right away. We knew early in the year there would be a learning curve and it would take some time for us to get into a groove. Playing this position is a process. You have to be willing to accept that you're going to make mistakes and take your bumps and bruises, but you have to learn from those mistakes, move past them, and stick with the process."
