Good Counsel senior left his mark on the football field, in the classroom and by volunteering in a nursing home
As an offensive lineman for the nationally-ranked football team at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Eddie Battista was used to working in the trenches.
“It’s a humble position. You’re a lunchbox kind of guy. It’s a modest job. You’ve got four guys on the line with you. It’s a brotherhood,” he said.
And while the football spotlight is often on big plays by quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers, the offensive line’s hard work in battling defensive opponents, clearing paths for running backs or blocking the pass rush long enough for quarterbacks to connect with receivers does bring its rewards, Battista said.
“As a lineman, you’ve got to love it, love the grind every day,” he said, adding that offensive linemen get satisfaction when their work helps big plays develop, like “that brilliant run or the long pass.”