ROGERS - Ryan Bolduc received plenty of opportunities Monday to try out different positions with Gravette’s linemen.
The senior played both end spots at various times when he was with the Lions’ defensive unit during the Rogers High Team Camp. He also lined up in both guard positions at times when Gravette’s offense took the field, and he even played right tackle during some of the goal-line drills.
Wherever the Gravette coaches wanted Bolduc to play, that was fine with him.
“I guess they think I know all the positions, and I do,” he said. “I played center in junior high, tackle during my sophomore and junior years and guard this year.”
The 6-foot-3 Bolduc stood tall as a key figure for a young Gravette team last season after not seeing much action as a sophomore. He started the first half of the season as a defensive end, then he became a starting offensive lineman through the second half of the season while still seeing time on defense.
He compiled 43 tackles (12 solos, 31 assists) and one quarterback sack last season, earning him a shot at all-conference honors.
“We expect him to be a leader out there,” Gravette coach Bill Harrelson said. “We had a couple of guys off with trips and everything, so he filled in very nicely.
“He’ll have a regular spot when it comes time, and he’ll know where he’s at. He’ll be at one of the defensive end spots and either one of the guard positions. He’ll be there, and we’ll be counting on him a lot, for sure. He’s been a great leader all summer.”
Bolduc spent a good part of his offseason putting in a little more work than some of his teammates did. He would go to the fieldhouse for individual workouts in the morning, then return that afternoon for the team drills.
It allowed him to put 15 to 20 pounds on his frame without losing any speed or mobility - a must for his position. In addition to that, he helped out teammates during drills by “pumping them up.”
“I was just trying to get big,” he said. “My speed stayed the same throughout this. Now I wished I could run faster than a 5-flat, but that’s still pretty good for somebody my size.”
The football field and the fieldhouse aren’t the only two places Bolduc excels. He’s also at the top of the class academically, sporting near a 4.0 grade point average.
He admitted he wasn’t quite sure what else he could do as an encore for his senior season. Harrelson, though, is content with what his senior produces on and off the field as it is right now.
“He’s made himself,” Harrelson said. “He’s come a long way, and he has worked hard. He puts in a day’s work every day, and even stayed late some days to put in some work.
“He did what it took to be where he needs to be. We’re expecting him to be one of those leaders on the defensive line and getting those tackles. Offensively, he knows every position on the line, and he’s going to be playing one of them.”
Sports, Pages 7 on 07/17/2013