When asked if he prefers run blocking or pass blocking, Highland’s Drake Turner quickly volunteers that he prefers run blocking.

“I get to flatten people that way,” he said.

And he does a pretty good job of it for the Bears as he’s part of a big offensive line that Highland will count on this year to keep the Bear offense going as HBCS moves to more of a play-action pass type of offense for 2021.

But whether it’s run blocking or pass blocking, Turner will do both as long as it helps the Bears offense go.

“That’s my job on offense, wipe out people and clear the way for the running backs.” he said.

But Turner also plays defense for the Bears as well.

“My job on that side of the ball is to clog up holes and force running back outside so that the linebackers can tackle them,” Turner added.

But even with his defensive play, Turner still prefers playing on the offensive line.

“Of the two, that’s what I love,” he said. “Being on the offensive line and plowing through defenses.”

For Turner, the spring and summer have been pretty uneventful as the Bears get ready for the 2021 season.

“We’ve just been working in the weight room two of the three days that we come to school,” he said. “It was weird going through the spring without having a spring game but that’s part of the game that you have to plan for and adjust to and we’ve done that.”

In the fall, Turner just wants to be a part of a winning season with a team that makes a deep run in the playoffs.

“We lost a number of good players off of the team last year but I still think that we can do well this year,” Turner said. “The guys that we have replacing those players are pretty good and I can’t wait to see what they can do on the field.”

If there is one personal goal for the HBCS senior, it’s to make first-team All-District.

“Last year I got second-team on offense and if possible, I want to be first-team on both sides of the ball,” he said.

As for a specific play that was his favorite last year, Turner said that it wasn’t one play but one whole game when he was part of the team that beat Central Catholic.

“Everyone had a good game that night, including me,” he said.