What averages 6 feet, 6 inches and 281 pounds? Eureka's dominant offensive line
EUREKA — Gage Diekhoff still gets a kick out of the strange looks he gets while traversing the halls of Eureka High School.
So do the rest of his offensive linemates on the unbeaten Wildcats football team.
"They'll just stare with their mouths open," Diekhoff said of the reaction of the other students.
Added teammate Stephen Meitz, "It's like they can't believe we're this big."
Believe it.
The offensive line's bulk and strength has helped Eureka win its first nine games by an average of 26 points per contest.
The Wildcats (9-0), who carry serious title hopes, begin their postseason campaign at 7 p.m. Friday when they host Washington (7-3) in a Class 5 District 2 semifinal game.
Diekhoff and Meitz are just two of six physical monsters up front who like to refer to themselves as the "hoggies." The origin of that nickname is somewhat unknown, but the school has been using that moniker to describe its offensive line for years.
"It's just what we go by," senior Jackson Vardeman said. "It fits."
The six offensive linemen average out at 6-foot-6 and 281 pounds. It is no surprise that the group has spent the season dominating play up front.
Eureka has rushed for 2,234 yards on 362 carries this season with 28 touchdowns.
Thanks in part to this hulking group, the Wildcats are averaging 6.2 yards per carry with junior running back Trevor Codak (161 carries for 1,330 yards and 17 scores) leading the way.
"The thing about this group of kids is that they're so hard working and they believe in one another," Eureka coach Jake Sumner said. "They're a humble group. They want to get better so they challenge themselves."
That formula has worked to perfection.
Senior left tackle Jack Lange (6-8, 300) leads the way. Recruited by Power Five Conference colleges across the country, Lange is heading to Mizzou.
Meitz (6-6, 295) is bound for Missouri State University. Center Connor Flinn (6-3, 265), guards Diekhoff (6-4, 255) and Lucas Vandegriffe (6-6, 255) and tackle Jackson Vardeman (6-4, 305) added more beef up front. Diekhoff is the lone junior, the rest are seniors.
"Everyone knows we've got size, but every week we just keep working hard to get better and better," Lange said. "I'm not sure we've played a complete game with our entire offense on the field yet."
That's a scary thought for other teams around state.
"Our plan is that we want to go out there and win every play," Vardeman said.
Eureka is averaging 248 yards per game on the ground including a whopping 520 yards in a 63-28 win over Pattonville on Oct. 25 in its regular-season finale.
Lange and Co. enjoy doing the grunt work and don't mind the lack of notoriety.
"Whenever we score, we realize that we're a big part of it," Lange said. "That's enough (recognition) for us."
Like most offensive lines, the players have formed a tight bond together. They walk around the campus as a group whenever possible and enjoy being among the biggest students in the district.
Yet they serve as gentle giants, gregarious and fun-loving with everyone they see in the course of a school day.
"The best part is that they're great kids too," Sumner said. "That's important for our program, that our players do the right things on and off the field."
On the field, the "hoggies" are dominant.
And Lange sees no reason why that success can't continue.
"Once we get rolling we're really hard to stop. So far, this has been a special year and we're trying to keep it that way," he said.
High school sports reporter
