By Tom Halliburton
Treshod Lewis has shouldered heavy loads throughout life. That meant he was prepared for anything The Woodlands or North Shore intended to dish out.
A Port Arthur Memorial senior defensive left tackle, Treshod Akeem Lewis had been a momma's boy when he started playing football in the seventh grade at age 12.
"She really helped me to play," Lewis recalled proudly yet somewhat painfully on Tuesday afternoon with a touch of moistness in his eyes. "She wanted me to fight through adversity no matter what."
Lachanta Hopkins learned she had lung cancer when Lewis reached that seventh grade at Edison Middle School. She died two years later and her ninth-grade son understandably had to fight through no matter what.
Lewis' step-father, Trey Hopkins, a former football player for Lincoln, taught young Treshod how to play football. Memorial coach Dwight Scypion has been like a father to him, too. Then there's Memorial defensive line coach Nelson Barnes, who has definitely added and refined plenty of skills to the 6-2, 215-pound Lewis' package.
Yet mom is always there. Her memory never leaves. Her words rang out loud and clear when Lewis tangled head-up with two of the state's premier offensive line units.
"I know she's looking down on me," he said. "I know she wants me to do positive things. I know that's what she would want. I had to take care of her when she was real sick and she couldn't move."
Treshod Lewis had to cope with the blocks of North Shore blue-chip tackle Trey Hopkins, the state's No. 6-rated college recruit according to Rivals 100.com. The 6-4, 285-pound Hopkins has committed to the Texas Longhorns.
That obviously meant Lewis gave away at least 70 or 80 pounds in that individual matchup, an impossible request for Titans head coach Kenny Harrison to make. Not so fast, Titans' skeptics. Lewis had held his own pretty well against an even bigger 300-pound lineman from The Woodlands.
Friday's environmental conditions tended to add to Treshod's degree of difficulty, because the rain, the mud, the slop and the stink of Memorial Stadium's playing field only figured to favor a bigger player such as North Shore's blocker, rather than a smaller, quicker man such as Lewis.
"That definitely was the first time for me to be in those conditions, but it was a wonderful first time," said Lewis after he had a hand in nine tackles and Memorial halted North Shore's 52-game streak of consecutive district football wins. "That's what football's all about.... I don't let the conditions bother me. It's football, not basketball. It's a man's sport. Sometimes you just gotta get a little dirt in you and pin your ears back and just go."
That's true. But what about Treshod's size? The fact remains Hopkins and The Woodlands blocker outweighed Lewis by 70 to 90 pounds.
Does Treshod give up too much bulk and strength? Doesn't he get intimidated?
"No sir, I don't let them intimidate me," he said. "Don't let the size fool you. I can do it all. I did some powerlifting last year. If anything, the bigger blockers should be intimidated by what I'm capable of."
When Treshod walked off the field on Friday night, Lewis departed from a true mud bowl and he carried a bunch of it with him. He was a sight for sore eyes. He cleaned up his face and torso and sharpened up his messy jersey a bit for a post-game celebratory group photo with fellow seniors Corwin Keal and Ronzell King.
Lewis had commanded the love and respect of his head coach long before last Friday night.
"Treshod is one of the hardest workers we have," Memorial boss Harrison said. "He's a real high character kid who makes very good grades. He wants to be successful. He's been through a lot but we are all pulling for him. And he's a natural leader."
His momma and her painful final chapters helped to make Treshod a natural leader. Lachanta would have been real proud of her son last Friday night.
Titan Tidbits
Kenny Harrison turned 36 on Tuesday and he received a certificate from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Houston Texans head coach Gary Kubiak for being named Houston Texans high school coach of the week in the Greater Houston area after the 7-6 win over North Shore. Harrison also received a $500 grant which can be used for the Titans football program. Harrison will be invited to attend the Texans annual Coach of the Week banquet after the 2009 season... Besides the coaching honor and grant, the Titans were selected the U.S. Army strong team of the week in Class 5A by Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine in recognition of the upset victory. Local U.S. Army officials will be at Memorial on Friday to present the award to Harrison and the Titans at Memorial's pep rally. The 2009 Army strong teams of the year will be announced in Jan. 2010.... Offensive tackle Cassius Griffin has returned to practice this week after sustaining a broken hand against The Woodlands.... Memorial normally names "team champions" for each area of its squad, but three Titans were recognized on special teams -- kicker Hulices Nunez, holder Stedman Haynes and long snapper Jacoby Moore. Treshod Lewis (line), Earl Hines (linebacker) and Xavier Byers (secondary) took the defensive champion recognition while offensive honors went to tackle Ken Milo (line), Corwin Keal (backs) and Chris Reed (receivers).... Officials have considered other venues for Friday's 21-5A home game against Baytown Sterling due to the quagmire which existed at Memorial Stadium. But as of Tuesday evening, the game was expected to remain at Memorial Stadium...
