High school football preview 2022: Who wants pancakes? Buckeye tackle Ben Midea, that's who

Picture the scene: An opposing defensive lineman taps the Hudl video app on his phone and brings up the last three games of Buckeye's 2021 season, hoping to see something he can exploit. His eyes immediately widen, especially if he's playing end, with the quick realization he's in for a grueling night. First he'll see No. 55, left tackle Ben Midea, a 6-foot-3, 293-pounder with a mean streak and soft feet. Then he'll see No. 53, left guard Todd Allen, a 6-0, 281-pound state wrestling champion and herculean drive blocker. Bucks coach Greg Dennison has waited a year to see the tandem in action on a full-time basis after Allen missed all but one game of 2021 due to a torn labrum sustained during his state wrestling final. He has no doubt Midea and Allen will shine. "That makes things easier, especially two guys who have that much experience," Dennison said. "They're not just big kids playing football. They're football players who come off the ball." While Allen already had a stout résumé — he is the only freshman lineman to ever be named first-team All-Gazette — Midea was a bit of an unknown coming into last season. Dennison noticed Midea's unusually graceful footwork and envisioned him as the left guard. Allen's injury changed those plans, and Midea, who was never informed of Dennison's original plan, stepped in at left tackle. As the season reached the midway point, which side All-Ohio tailback Ben Barnes was going to run to in a clutch situation became virtually automatic. Midea was that dominant at caving down the end of the defense. "You never know with a sophomore," Dennison said. "We knew had a ton of ability, physically he had good strength and he had really good feet. Once the games started, he just got better and better every week. He was figuring things out, using his legs and using his leverage. He did a lot of good things for us last year." The dream for Midea is to play collegiately. While he has yet to receive an offer, his measurables, coachability and willingness to move his feet until the whistle — something large linemen don't do as much as they should — check all the boxes. That wasn't always Midea's goal. Despite struggling to make weight during his youth career, he held out the slim odds that maybe — just maybe — he could get to run the ball and score a game-winning touchdown. A more mature and much more realistic Midea laughs at the story now, almost scoffing at how ridiculous that idea was. "I always wanted to run the ball, but I wasn't allowed to. I hated it," the easygoing, fun-loving Midea said. "Freshman year, it kind of hit me that was never going to happen. "I love playing O-line. It's fun pancaking people. I'd rather do that than run the ball." Instead of dreaming about carrying the rock, Midea is now 100% focused on how to make gargantuan holes for new tailback Troy McCann. Midea was so good at doing so for Barnes that Dennison elected to move Allen back to guard, where he excelled as a freshman. The one-of-a-kind duo has only experienced playing together once, in a Division III, Region 9 playoff loss at Rocky River where Allen obviously was a tad rusty in what otherwise was a gutsy return. Midea can't wait to show off what the Bucks are capable of. "(When Allen couldn't play last season), I was shocked because he just had won the state championship and I thought he was going to come right back, not skip a beat and pancake people like he always does," Midea said. "It was a big step (playing left tackle in his place). I was scared. Of course I would be scared. Second game, I realized he's not coming back so I had to do something. "This is going to be the best offensive line in a while. I think we're going to be great this year. This is a steppingstone because we're going to get better. We're a big O-line. We're all tall, lengthy and strong. That's a big plus we didn't have last year." Contact Albert Grindle at (330) 721-4043 or agrindle@medina-gazette.com.