HOLLENSHEAD PROOF SUCCESS IS NO BIG DEAL LACKING SIZE, A.V LINEMAN RELIES ON HEART.Byline: Ramona Shelburne Ramona Shelburne is an American sports journalist currently writing for the Los Angeles Daily News. Shelburne was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She attended El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills, California where she was a class valedictorian. Staff Writer Le'Marck Hollenshead has heard the snickers
Snickers is a sweet bar made by Mars, Incorporated. that come from across the line of scrimmage line of scrimmage n. pl. lines of scrimmage Football Either of two imaginary lines extending across the field parallel to the goal line at the ends of the ball as it rests prior to being snapped and at which each team lines up for . Heck, sometimes people don't even try to whisper. At 5-foot-8, 253 pounds, the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley senior isn't exactly a prototypical lineman. Then again, not many of Antelope Valley's players are prototypical for their positions. But with an 8-3 record, the Antelopes have to be doing something right, and Hollenshead is a perfect example of what that is: They play with heart. ``I think a lot of people underestimate him when they see him,'' Antelope Valley quarterback Mychal Bogan said. ``But once they get on the field, they know how good he is. He plays with a lot of heart and emotion, so his size isn't really an issue. People try to talk trash to him, but he doesn't say anything back because he knows he'll show them once they get on the field.'' Hollenshead said his father, Lawrence, has been his inspiration for how to handle the challenges presented by his size. ``My father wasn't very big when he played (at Compton College) either, but he's always told me that if you have the heart, then size isn't an issue. He's really been my inspiration,'' said Hollenshead, who plays center and defensive tackle. ``I figure the only way a college will want me is if they see me play. I've always been told that I have to play twice as hard as everybody else because of my size, but I don't mind that.'' He also draws inspiration from his teammates, most notably 5-6 cornerbacks Eric Wickliffe and Jovan Johnson. Last week in a Southern Section Div. III first-round game, Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, city (1990 pop. 31,971), Los Angeles co., S Calif., completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles; inc. 1914. The largely residential city is home to many motion-picture and television personalities. High players were taunting and laughing at Antelope Valley's diminutive di·min·u·tive adj. 1. Extremely small in size; tiny. See Synonyms at small. 2. Grammar Of or being a suffix that indicates smallness or, by semantic extension, qualities such as youth, familiarity, affection, or cornerbacks and linemen. By end of the game, A.V. needed only to point to the scoreboard for a retort re·tort n. A closed laboratory vessel with an outlet tube, used for distillation, sublimation, or decomposition by heat. retort a globular, long-necked vessel used in distillation. . ``We saw them during warmups pointing at our short (cornerbacks), but that's OK,'' Antelope Valley's Kreig Peters said after the game. ``A lot of people think that about us, and it's just more motivation.'' Unfortunately, there is one side effect to Hollenshead's all-out effort on the field. ``He's always sleeping on the bus; he sleeps everywhere,'' Bogan said. ``I think he's so hyper A Greek work meaning "above" or "more than." It is used as a prefix to technical concepts and products to convey a more advanced or more automatic capability. and uses up so much energy during the game that he's got to sleep all the time.'' Indeed, it seems Hollenshead needs all week to recover and rest up for Friday nights. Most evenings, he's in bed by 7 p.m. because ``there's nothing better to do.'' But on Friday nights, he's up well past midnight, winding down from the game. ``I play like I have ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder (ADD or ADHD) formerly hyperactivity Behavioral syndrome in children, whose major symptoms are inattention and distractibility, restlessness, inability to sit still, and difficulty concentrating on one thing for any ), so it takes me a while to come down after the game,'' he said. You'll just have to see him play to believe it. Ramona Shelburne, (818) 713-3617 ramona.shelburne(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Le'Marck Hollenshead has excelled as an Antelope Valley lineman this season despite his 5-foot-8, 253-pound frame. John Lazar/Staff Photographer |
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