By Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – It’s easy to focus on who is missing from the Regina offensive line this season.  

The graduation of all-state seniors Jared Brinkman and Reagan Ries leaves a hole in the middle of a Regina offensive line that ranked among the best in 1A last season.

Focus on the missing pieces if you please but Regina returns the talent to once again boast one of the best offensive lines around.

“Replacing Jared and Reagan is going to be huge, we know that,” Regina senior Steve Sehl said. “We have a bunch of young guys that have stepped up and are really passionate about the game and we are trying to coach them up. Everyone has stepped it up.”

A three-year starter, Sehl headlines a trio of returning starters from last year’s offensive line that paved the way for Regina to rush for more than 260 yards per game.

Senior Alex Moore (6-1, 240) and junior Luke Stein (6-2, 230) join Sehl to give Regina a rock-solid returning group up front.

“Steve, Luke and Alex are all experienced guys,” Regina coach Marv Cook said. “Steve is a three-year starter and those other two guys started last year so those are three guys we are going to lean on.”  

The 6-foot-3, 270-pound Sehl is the anchor.

Sehl started at guard last season but is versatile enough to play any of the three spots on the offensive line.

As valuable as his versatility, skill and strength are for the Regals the leadership from Sehl this season may be his most important asset.

“We are veterans, we know what to do so we have to try to help the young guys out. We just have to show them physically how hard it’s going to be and coach them up.”

Replacing a pair of all-state picks and multiple year starters is no easy chore but the Regals return the talent up front to do just that.

Stein is an athletic lineman that played left tackle last season while Cook loves the toughness that Moore brings to the group.

“We have three solid linemen that we are going to figure out how to use and we have other guys coming up so I think they are going to be great,” Regina senior running back Jake Phillips said. “The guys are coming in and stepping right in.”

Senior Nick Bouland and junior Jacob Clark are battling for the chance to step into the open spots left by Ries and Brinkman.

Despite the loss of two veterans the offensive line still figures to be a strength for the defending 1A runner-up Regals.

“Nick Bouland is back and Jacob Clark is back and some younger guys are going to have to step up and fill those spots,” Cook said. “With coach Kanellis the way they drill and the way they work we will find a way to make it work.”

Regina Offensive Line

Returning Starters: Seniors Steve Sehl (6-3, 270) and Alex Moore (6-1, 240) and junior Luke Stein (6-2, 230) give the Regals a strong returning nucleus up front.

Sehl is the headliner, a three-year starter that can play any of the three positions while Moore and Stein are both returning for their second year as full-time starters.

Key Players: The Regals must find replacements for a pair of offensive line stalwarts in departed senior all-staters Jared Brinkman and Reagan Ries. Leading the list of candidates to step into the two vacated spots are senior Nick Bouland and junior Jacob Clark and freshman Nick Wagner.

Statworthy: Regina averaged 262 rushing yards per game last season while averaging an impressive seven yards per carry.

Why it’s a strength: Regina has developed a tradition of strong offensive line play over the last decade and this year will be no exception. Sehl is a potential all-stater while Moore and Stein bring toughness and athleticism to the front five. If Regina can fill the other two spots with solid play the offensive line again has a chance to be tops in Class 1A.