The Northside High School football program is one of the most successful across Central Georgia and the entire state.
The Eagles are currently ranked number one in AAAA coming off another region championship and ready to embark on another playoff run that could possibly land them in the Dome in December, all thanks to players like senior offensive lineman Brian Layfield, an unsung hero who gets it done in the trenches.
Mark Stewart, the offensive line coach for Northside agrees, "Part of offensive line is, it's not like defense where you can get down and go after people. You have to know where the play is going, who am I working with, and all the defenses people play against you. But Brian does a good job of that. He can play both guards and tackles."
Coach Stewart has coached Layfield for the past three years, and this year, Layfield has earned the starting nod at left tackle,
a position he says is a privilege.
"Playing with this team and these coaches is an honor, something I'll never forget," says Layfield.
When number 61 is not blocking and pancaking defenders, he excels in the classroom as well with a 4.0 GPA. Earlier this season he was recognized by the U.S. Military during the Warner Robins-Northside game as the Rivalry Academic Player of the game.
"The main reason we come to school is grades," says Layfield. "I mean, football is great, but I'm going to college whether I play football or not, so I realized if I focus on grades then football, then I'll be fine."
Coach Mark Stewart echoes his player, "Kids that usually make good grades usually do their assignments real good and usually know who to block, so being smart in the classroom usually pays off on the football field."
So the Eagles will continue rely on Layfield's brain and brawn to keep the winning tradition on Friday nights.