Preble’s O-line overcomes injuries to remain strong

Tanner Diring no doubt had some butterflies going through his stomach before last week’s game.

The Green Bay Preble junior was making his first varsity start at center and was named a team captain to boot for the Week 2 matchup against Manitowoc.

Diring not only passed his big test with flying colors, but helped provide the finishing sting the Hornets needed to put away the Ships in a 31-26 victory.

Photo courtesy of Green Bay Preble football

“Tanner Diring has been doing a really nice job of stepping up,” Preble senior running back Henry Geil said. “I think he’s a little bit skittish, a little bit nervous, but that comes with your first varsity start. He’s handling it really well.”

The Hornets are built to handle losing three of their offensive linemen to injuries about as well as any team in the area.

Preble went into Week 2 without the services of senior center Marcus May and senior left tackle Cal Sebranek. It needed to make another adjustment midway through its home-opener against Manitowoc when senior left guard Jack Rentmeester went down.

The shuffle on the offensive line at that point saw Diring slide over from center to left guard, senior Paco Ponce move from guard to center and senior Lukas Henjum come in at right guard.

The result was Geil ripping off a 57-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

“(Henjum) had to do double duty tonight,” Preble coach Tim Larsen said about the linebacker. “He played right guard. He actually gave us a spark. When he was in at right guard, that’s when we had Henry’s long run there.”

Senior Anthony Aziere stepped up at left tackle for Sebranek in the win against Manitowoc.

Meanwhile, senior Ryan Possley has remained a linchpin at right tackle and is flanked by tight ends David Perret and Dalton Lardinois.

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“Ryan is a three-year starter for us, so it’s really nice that he can be out there directing guys for us,” Larsen said.

While it’s not exactly how they envisioned starting off the season, the Hornets should benefit from the rash of injuries they’ve been dealing with on the offensive line in the long run.

May, Sebranek and Rentmeester are expected to return to the lineup at some point. Preble can take solace in having other tested players to turn to in a pinch as well.

“Everybody is doing their part and everybody is stepping up,” Geil said. “They’re all making a big impact.”