Sports - High Schools

POSTED: Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008

PREP FOOTBALL: Lynden lineman rebounds from knee injury

Lynden offensive lineman Gunnar Groothuis still warms up for football games like the youth league quarterback he once was.

Before games he fires spirals to anyone interested in catching them, fakes imaginary handoffs and rolls away from an invisible pass rush.

That he usually steals a second or two between throws to stretch out his surgically repaired knee just serves as a reminder of how important this senior season is to him. After tearing the lateral meniscus in his knee during the first game of the season, there was some doubt as to whether he would suit up again.

After undergoing arthroscopic surgery and several long weeks of rehabilitation, Groothuis is once again an anchor on the Lions' offense line. Now he's looking to help Lynden to its second Class 2A state championship in the last three seasons.

Lynden (9-2) hosts Blaine (7-4) at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 21, at Civic Stadium in the Class 2A state quarterfinals.

"The knee feels great," Groothuis said. "I think it's back to about 100 percent right now. The doctor did amazing things. He said it's amazing how fast it's healed up."

For Groothuis, a guard, this was supposed to be a special season from the first snap. Not only was he the only returning starter on the Lions' line, but he was also the only returning lineman in the Northwest Conference to be named to the all-NWC first or second team.

But his knee got wrenched against Archbishop Murphy in the first week of the season. When the torn cartilage started rubbing and clicking together making it painful just to walk, Groothuis knew it was time for surgery. He missed the next seven weeks.

"I was kind of down," Groothuis said. "I was depressed for a little while, but then I got my energy back up when I came back. Then I had to work hard to get my position back. It was tough, but I got the job done."

That Groothuis didn't have the position waiting for him upon his return speaks to just how far the Lions' offensive line has come since the start of the season. Inexperience was a big concern for the unit coming into the season, but the group has gelled nicely.

"I've been proud of how much this line has improved," Groothuis said. "As the season has progressed, we've gotten a lot better."

Being a successful offensive lineman in Lynden's system takes hard work and toughness, Groothuis said. And those are two things that he's shown this season. Another component is having the ability to get off the ball quickly. Still a third is being able to drive an opponent on running plays despite operating mostly from a two-point stance.

"You have to be pretty tough on the offensive line," Groothuis said. "It's trench warfare. You have to play your hardest on every play."

Perhaps the most important thing a lineman in Lynden's system has to be is athletic. The Lions like their linemen to pull, and they also need to be able to get to the second level to block a linebacker or the third level to reach the secondary.

For Groothuis, who has obvious size at 6-foot, 295 pounds, it's his athleticism that sets him apart. Along with playing guard, he also snaps on Lynden's field-goal attempts. He's been playing football since the third grade and recently started playing lacrosse.

"There's a chance I could tear my meniscus again, but I wasn't going to miss my senior year," Groothuis said. "There was no way I was going to miss my senior year."