Linemen are unquestionably the unsung heroes of any football team. Score a touchdown and fans point to the quarterback, running back or wide receiver and give them the loudest cheer.
But if it weren’t for linemen, there wouldn’t be any holes for a running back to run through or enough time after a snap for a quarterback to throw the ball to a receiver.
Hilltop High School hosted its inaugural Molina Strong Lineman Challenge July 26 to honor these players as well as one of its own.
The event benefitted former Lancer gridiron warrior and current assistant coach Jonathan Molina, who was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma in June.
Ewing’s sarcoma is a rare form of cancer found usually in teens and young adults. Molina has already undergone three rounds of chemotherapy treatment.
He was, of course, humbled by the personal outreach by the Hilltop team.
“It means a lot,” he said after the event. “I honestly didn’t believe I had that much support. When I was diagnosed, everyone came together.”
Football teams are, after all, a family.
The Hilltop event included five categories: a truck push, bench press, dumb bell carry, hang time and hot dog eating contest.
In the truck push, five athletes from each team had to push a fully loaded 4,250-pound truck 50 yards, with the fastest time winning.
In the bench press, athletes had to bench press 165 pounds as many times as possible until failure.
In the dumb bell carry, participants had to carry two 50-pounds weights as far along a marked course as possible in 30 seconds. The total distance was calculated for all team members.
The hang time event determined how long athletes could remain in a hanging position, with their feet not touching the ground, while dangling from a pull-up bar.
The winning team in each of the first four events received 10 points.
The hot dog-eating contest rounded out the day. Each of the eight participating teams selected two of their hungriest players to eat as many hot dogs in the fastest amount of time.
The two players from each team had eight grilled hot dogs placed in front of them. The team that finished first was declared the winner.
The winning team received 40 points for winning the hot dog-eating contest, meaning a team lower in the points standings following the initial four events could win the event by winning the hot dog-eating contest.
Players had to eat the buns as well.
Olympian captured top honors in the hot dog-eating contest, followed by La Jolla (second) and Sweetwater (third).
There was a lot of whooping and hollering by teammates during the event (with cell phones dangling inches from the mouths of participants), which added to the overall excitement of the afternoon.
“It was fun,” said Molina, a 2013 Hilltop graduate. “It was so great to see all these linemen come out to try to beat each other and also help me out. I was really touched.”
“Only one guy threw up during the hot dog-eating contest,” Hilltop head coach Drew Westling quipped.
Branden Reynoso finished seven of the eight hot dogs for Olympian. He said the trick was to drink some water with each bite.
The event took place the week before many schools opened fall football practices, thus providing closure to summer workout regimens.
Participating teams included host Hilltop, Chula Vista, Castle Park, Olympian, Sweetwater, La Jolla, Hoover and Granite Hills.
Westling called the event “extremely satisfying.”
“It was awesome,” the Hilltop head coach explained. “It was funny because when we were had everyone together at the start, to explain the event, everyone was silent. Everyone was on their knee and had great eye contact. I think that’s why football coaches love linemen so much. There were no personalities.”
Westling said he intends to continue the event, with funds donated to other men’s cancers in the future.
A Go Fund Me page has been set up for coach Molina at the following URL:
https://www.gofundme.com/help-jonathan-molina-beat-cancer
Results:
Truck push
Hilltop 15.8 seconds
Chula Vista 15.9 seconds
Olympian 16.3 seconds
Hoover 16.7 seconds
Granite Hills 16.8 seconds
Castle Park 16.8 seconds
Sweetwater 17.0 seconds
La Jolla 17.6 seconds
Dumb bell carry
Hilltop 600 yards
Chula Vista 592 yards
Olympian 578 yards
La Jolla 555 yards
Castle Park 550 yards
Hoover 495 yards
Sweetwater 456 yards
Granite Hills 410 yards
Hang time
Hilltop 515 seconds
Hoover 369 seconds
Chula Vista 365 seconds
Olympian 363 seconds
La Jolla 303 seconds
Sweetwater 231 seconds
Castle Park 148 seconds
Bench press
Olympian 101 reps
Chula Vista 100 reps
Hilltop 94 reps
Sweetwater 79 reps
Hoover 68 reps
Granite Hills 59 reps
Castle Park 41 reps
La Jolla 33 reps
2017 Metro Conference
High School Football Schedules
Metro-Mesa League
Bonita Vista Barons
August
25: Poway at Bonita Vista (Southwestern College), 7 p.m.
September
1: San Marcos at Bonita Vista (Southwestern College), 7 p.m.
8: Bonita Vista at Madison, 6:30 p.m.
15: Bonita Vista at Point Loma, 7 p.m.
22: Chula Vista at Bonita Vista (Southwestern College), 7 p.m.
29: Helix at Bonita Vista (Southwestern College), 7 p.m.
October
6: Bonita Vista at Olympian, 7 p.m.
13: Bonita Vista at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
20: Otay Ranch at Bonita Vista (Southwestern College), 7 p.m.
27: Eastlake at Bonita Vista (Southwestern College), 7 p.m.
November
3: Bye
Eastlake Titans
August
25: Eastlake at Rancho Benardo, 7 p.m.
September
1: Eastlake at Hilltop, 7 p.m.
8: Eastlake at Santiago (Corona), 7 p.m.
15: Eastlake at Grossmont, 7 p.m.
22: Valhalla at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
29: Chula Vista at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
October
6: Eastlake at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
13: Bye
20: Mater Dei Catholic at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
27: Eastlake at Bonita Vista (Southwestern College), 7 p.m.
November
3: Olympian at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders
August
25: Mater Dei Catholic at Ramona, 7 p.m.
September
1: El Capitan at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
8: Mater Dei Catholic at Mission Hills, 7 p.m.
15: Bye
22: La Jolla at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
29: Oceanside vs. Mater Dei Catholic, TBA
October
6: Mater Dei Catholic at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
13: Bonita Vista at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
20: Mater Dei Catholic at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
27: Mater Dei Catholic at Olympian, 7 p.m.
November
3: Otay Ranch at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
Olympian Eagles
August
25: Santa Fe Christian at Olympian, 7 p.m.
September
1: Olympian at Grossmont, 7 p.m.
8: Poway at Olympian, 7 p.m.
15: Hilltop at Olympian, 7 p.m.
22: Olympian at Point Loma, 7 p.m.
29: Cathedral Catholic at Olympian, 7 p.m.
October
6: Bonita Vista at Olympian, 7 p.m.
13: Olympian at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
20: Bye
27: Mater Dei Catholic at Olympian, 7 p.m.
November
3: Olympian at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
Otay Ranch Mustangs
August
25: Mt. Carmel at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
September
1: Otay Ranch at Valley Center, 7 p.m.
8: Otay Ranch at Rancho Bernardo, 7 p.m.
15: St. Augustine at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
22: Steele Canyon at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
29: Otay Ranch at Valhalla, 7 p.m.
October
6: Eastlake at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
13: Olympian at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
20: Otay Ranch at Bonita Vista (Southwestern College), 7 p.m.
27: Bye
November
3: Otay Ranch at Mater Dei Catholic, 7 p.m.
Metro-South Bay League
Chula Vista Spartans
August
25: Chula Vista at Lincoln, 7 p.m.
September
1: Chula Vista at Mt. Miguel, 7 p.m.
8: Morse at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
15: Castle Park at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
22: Chula Vista at Bonita Vista (Southwestern College), 7 p.m.
29: Chula Vista at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
October
6: Chula Vista at El Cajon Valley, 7 p.m.
13: Bye
20: Hilltop at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
27: Hilltop at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
November
3: Sweetwater at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
Hilltop Lancers
August
25: La Jolla at Hilltop (Sweetwater), 7 p.m.
September
1: Eastlake at Hilltop (Sweetwater), 7 p.m.
8: Hilltop at Grossmont, 7 p.m.
15: Hilltop at Olympian, 7 p.m.
22: Hilltop at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
29: Hilltop at Escondido, 7 p.m.
October
6: Bye
13: Granite Hills at Hilltop (Southwestern College), 7 p.m.
20: Hilltop at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
27: Sweetwater vs. Hilltop (Chula Vista), 7 p.m.
November
3: Hilltop at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
Mar Vista Mariners
August
25: Monte Vista at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
September
1: Mar Vista at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
8: Mar Vista at Bonanza (Las Vegas), 7 p.m.
15: Mar Vista at Coronado, 7 p.m.
22: Mar Vista at University City, 6:30 p.m.
29: Santana at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
October
6: Bye
13: Southwest at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
20: Mar Vista at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
27: Chula Vista at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
November
3: Hilltop at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
Sweetwater Red Devils
August
25: Sweetwater at University City, 6:30 p.m.
September
1: Bye
8: Carlsbad at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
15: Lincoln at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
22: Sweetwater at El Cajon Valley, 7 p.m.
29: Serra at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
October
6: Sweetwater at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
13: Sweetwater at Vincent Memorial, 7 p.m.
20: Mar Vista at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
27: Sweetwater at Hilltop (Chula Vista), 7 p.m.
November
3: Sweetwater at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
Metro-Pacific League
Castle Park Trojans
August
25: Santana at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
September
1: Mar Vista at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
8: Castle Park at Coronado, 7 p.m.
15: Castle Park at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.
22: Hilltop at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
29: Castle Park at San Pasqual, 7 p.m.
October
6: Mater Dei Catholic at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
13: Bye
20: San Ysidro at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
27: Castle Park at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
November
3: Castle Park at Southwest, 7 p.m.
Montgomery Aztecs
August
25: Montgomery at Pioneer, 7 p.m.
September
1: Classical Academy at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
8: Montgomery at Army-Navy Academy, 7 p.m.
15: Montgomery at San Diego (Balboa Stadium), 6:30 p.m.
22: Clairemont at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
29: Calipatria at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
October
6: TBA at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
13: Montgomery at Francis Parker, 7 p.m.
20: Southwest at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
27: Castle Park at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
November
3: Montgomery at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
San Ysidro Cougars
August
25: Coronado at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
September
1: Mountain Empire at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
8: Escondido Charter at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
15: San Ysidro at Vincent Memorial (Southwest El Centro), 7 p.m.
22: San Ysidro at Kearny, 7 p.m.
29: Francis Parker at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
October
6: Sweetwater at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
13: Bye
20: San Ysidro at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
27: San Ysidro at Southwest, 7 p.m.
November
3: Montgomery at San Ysidro, 7 p.m.
Southwest Raiders
August
25: San Diego at Southwest, 7 p.m.
September
1: Southwest at Crawford (Lincoln), 7 p.m.
8: Serra at Southwest, 7 p.m.
15: Southwest at Kearny, 6:30 p.m.
22: Southwest at Orange Vista (Perris), 7 p.m.
29: Calexico at Southwest, 7 p.m.
October
6: Bye
13: Southwest at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
20: Southwest at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
27: San Ysidro at Southwest, 7 p.m.
November
3: Castle Park at Southwest, 7 p.m.
