A Closer Look at Gretna HS OL Ethan Winn

Back in the summer months of 2008, many of Catawba's football players were hard at work in the weight room preparing for another winning season.

However, not many Indian fans knew that the Tribe's coaching staff had offered a scholarship to one of Virginia's top prep offensive lineman in the meantime.

It is rare for Division II coaching staffs to offer high school players prior to their senior season, but Gretna High School's Ethan Winn is just that.

Rare.

Winn has started since his freshman year for the Hawks, which adds up to 51 consecutive starts on the offensive line.

If that statistic did not grab your attention, then take a gander at this one.

The superb combination of Winn and Maryland Terrapin commit Bennett Fulper upfront helped pave the way for 14,000 rushing yards during their stint at Gretna, Va. The two are cousins and have not played on different teams since they were only seven years old. Perhaps "knee-high to a grasshopper."

If you do not have a calculator present, let us help you do the math. Winn was an integral force that allowed running backs to pile up 3,500 ground yards per season. That is not even including their passing yardage.

Winn was a bully on the offensive line, as he was responsible for more than 50 pancakes on opposing defenders during his final season.

Add some eggs and bacon, and that is a balanced breakfast.

Obviously Gretna High School was a very successful program during Winn's tenure, winning back to back state titles during his final two years.

Winn is even more successful in the class room, boasting a 3.4 GPA.

Hawk coach Chris Thurman described Winn as the "more physical of the two and may be a bit stronger than Fulper" and believed he could play offensive or defensive line.

As a defensive tackle, Winn overwhelmed centers and guards with his 6'4 295 pound presence.

He accumulated a dozen sacks as a senior and tallied seven sacks during his junior campaign.

Winn will see some familiar faces this August when he reports to fall camp in defensive backs Tyon Bennet and Bryant Vennable, whom are Hawk alums.

Bennett was a former all-state quarterback that loved playing behind Winn and Fulper, while Vennable was an all-state cornerback that assisted the two linemen in making tackles.

And how did Catawba land the two time all-state and four-time all-district offensive lineman over Liberty, University of Charleston, and Virginia Tech?

"I picked Catawba because from day one they were always up front with me," said Winn. "They always expressed how they not only wanted me, but they said they needed me."

The Tribe will have three senior starting offensive lineman in two-time All-American Terence Crosby, All-SAC Hunter Carnes, and four-year starter Kevin Hamaker.

"The coaches and staff are great, down to earth people who stood out to me during the recruiting process," commented Winn. "Coaches Hubbard, Hepler, and Barrett told me that I was exactly what they were looking for in a offensive lineman."

"And that is why they offered me back in July."

Catawba is historically known for producing high-caliber offensive linemen. In the past decade, the Indians have recognized five offensive linemen as All-Americans.

Perhaps Winn will be the sixth in the near future.