Massey valuable to Wolverines on both sides of ball

Just minutes after East Webster dominated rival Eupora last Friday night in a 45-12 Maroon Bowl victory, lineman Caleb Massey stood on the field out of breath.

It wasn't that Massey was out of shape or not conditioned, but he had just played the entire game on both sides of the football. Massey is what head coach Ron Price called, “a coach's dream.” He goes where he's told and plays at 100 miles per hour.

In the game against the Eagles and every one before them, Massey has made his presence known, either on the offensive line or the defensive line. That was certainly the case against Eupora in a game where a little more pride is involved than usual.

“I wanted to take control of the game and put some people on their butt,” Massey said. “I did it every play.”

Massey certainly did that. He recorded pancake after pancake up front on the offensive side paving the way for his team to rush 34 times for 300 yards. Quarterback Steven Betts racked up 220 yards and three touchdowns on just 16 carries and the Wolverines ran for 8.8 yards a rush.

On defense, Massey was there as well. He added a strip sack around the goal line in the third quarter that gave the Wolverines the ball on the 1-yard-line and led to a touchdown on the very next play. Every play meant something to Massey and it's why he earned the OCH Regional Medical Center Athlete of the Week award.

“He's been huge all year and those linemen don't get the credit that they deserve,” Price said. “I hope that someone will take notice of the season that he's had and give him the chance to play at the next level. I've challenged him all year to keep putting it on film and he does it every night. He's getting pancakes, playing every snap on defense and we even put him on the kickoff team.”

What's made Massey so valuable aside from being able to play both ways every game is the fact that Price can move him around the offensive line where he's needed. Massey could be utilized at any position up front but has been at right guard this season to help in the interior.

Price has seen him command the attention of his entire group there and it's helped make the Wolverines offensive line one of the strengths of the football team this season.

“He's the quarterback of our offensive line,” Price said of Massey. “He's making the calls. It's tremendous to have somebody that takes pride of being the leader of any unit, much less the offensive line. Caleb has accepted that role.”

No matter what role Massey has, he's vital to the Wolverines' success moving forward.

Price certainly doesn't want to go into battle on Friday nights without No. 56 on his side.

“He's a football player and will do everything that you ask,” Price said. “He's a coach's dream and we're thankful to have him. He's having a great senior year and hopefully it will continue.”