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Snyder linemen Cyrus Soria (left) and Nathan Beaver take their stances Tuesday during practice at Tiger Stadium for the upcoming state lineman challenge.
Football is a game won in the trenches, and members of the Snyder football team appear to have themselves a solid front on both sides of the ball.
After dominating the state qualifier tournament, the Snyder linemen are preparing for the annual State Lineman Challenge on June 22 at Shelton Stadium on the campus of Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene.
The Tigers defeated several familiar opponents at the qualifiers, including Sweetwater, but most impressive may be that the group came just a few points behind Dumas High School, which had two teams at the qualifier
Volunteer coach Freddie Rocha has certain things he wants the athletes to improve as they prepare for the state challenge.
“Situation awareness and team unity,” Rocha said. “Once we get them to understand one another, and rely on each other to know the other will do their assigned task, we will have accomplished our mission.”
Rocha and fellow coach Daniel Soria have already seen major strides from the lineman since they started training.
“When we first started, we had to constantly be on them and motivate them,” Soria said. “But now we have a system. They show up, they want it. I think that speaks volumes.”
The linemen corps is one of the more experienced units on the 2019 team, and their offseason success has shown that, Rocha said.
The lineman compete in 10 different strength and conditioning events. They are:
• Forward Tire Throw: Athletes will throw a small tire forward for distance.
• Bench: Bench press reps will be awarded points.
• Farmers Walk: Athletes will walk with a farmer’s bag.
• 4-Way DB Stack: Athletes will stack defensive back’s on a plyo box.
• Tire Flip Medley Relay: Five athletes will rotate after four consecutive flips.
• Power Drive: A five-man relay race.
• Private Ryan: A five-man relay race with weighted implements.
• Sled Relay: Five athletes will push a sled in a relay race.
• Obstacle Course: Five athletes will compete and the top total time wins.
• Monster Sled: Three athletes will push and two will ride in a 50-yard race.
• Tug of War: Five athletes will be on a team competing in a single-elimination tournament.