Eagles offensive line brings back wealth of experience in 2025

by Michael Smith, Grain Valley News
 
The offensive line was the heart and soul of the offense last season for the Grain Valley football team.
 
That group helped pave the way for a Grain Valley offense that totaled more than 2,000 yards rushing, which included a 1,472-yard and 18-touchdown season from lead running back Robert Palmer.
 
Those five guys up front return the most experience of any position group for the Eagles as four out of five starters from last season’s 7-4 squad. The group is led by senior Logan Bennett, who was a first-team, all-Suburban White Conference selection in 2024 and he will be at left guard.
 
Other returning starters include senior Chase Kitsmiller at right tackle, senior Will Page at left tackle and senior Titus Jennings at right guard.
 
The Eagles only have to replace last year’s starting center Korbyn Goodwin. The candidates to take that spot are senior Nico Caldarella and junior William Chrisman. Junior Taelyn Schatzer also could see some time at offensive line, as well.
 
Historically, the Eagles have not had a lot of size at offensive line and that will be the case in 2025. Kitsmiller is the biggest offensive lineman at 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds and Bennett comes in at 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds. What the group may lack in size is made up for by its intelligence, work and speed.
 
“They have come in during the summer a lot and have worked on flexibility and power,” Grain Valley head football coach David Allie said. “It translates well on the field. They are one of the hardest working groups we have. They are a very smart group. We are able to do some things offensively that are complicated. We are able to make some checks and changes. They have a great knowledge of the game and what we're trying to do with our schemes.
 
“We’re going to rely heavily on those guys on the offensive side. The reason we run the schemes that we do is because we don’t have the 300-pound bruisers up front where you run zone schemes and just one-on-one blocks. We are a little more predetermined on what gaps we are going to run to rather than zones. We take advantage of the quickness, tenacity and the intelligence of those guys.”
 
The speed of the offensive line will be a factor when the Eagles play teams with larger defensive lineman, and that’s an advantage Bennett said his group will have over a lot of teams.
 
“Since we are a smaller offensive line, we have more speed, so we are pulling a lot. We can beat the bigger guys to the spot, so that helps,” Bennett said.
 
Tight ends Landon Marriott and Hunter Nally will help the offensive line with blocking. Marriott was the team's leading receiver last season and was adept at getting open over the middle and has served as a solid blocker and pass catcher for Grain Valley.
 
“When you look at size, Landon has a tight end build,” Allie said of the 6-foot-1, 190-pounder. “He’s long, lean and muscular. When he gets locked on to you, he can block. He’s not afraid to catch a ball over the middle, he also caught some down field passes on play action passes.”
 
Some of the goals for Bennett and Kitsmiller include making the All Suburban White Conference team and helping either Sjoeren Aumua or Dawson Head rush for more than 1,000 yards.
 
While the Eagles offensive line may be considered undersized by most, it’s not a group that opposing teams should underestimate in 2025.
 
Everyone thinks we are undersized, then on Friday nights, we give it to them,” Kitsmiller said.

Seniors Logan Bennett, left, and Chase Kitsmiller are two of four returning starters from last year's offensive line, who should be big contributors for the 2025 Grain Valley football team. Photo credit: Michael Smith, Grain Valley News
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