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Carson Shattuck is a mauler in the trenches for the Grangers. The junior offensive and defensive lineman doesn’t have the gaudy stats that his teammates put up as he does the dirty work for the team.

Shattuck is ever happy to slam opponents to the turf whether it is on offense or defense.

There is little doubt that the offensive line is where Shattuck feels most natural and in particular at either of the guard positions. This is the position the junior came into the season with eyes on making the all-region team and even All-State.

It is exhausting, but in those big region games, Shattuck gets just a handful of snaps off as he is a key figure for the team on both sides of the ball.

“It gets tiring, definitely, but you just have to lock in and take it one snap at a time,” Shattuck said.

Shattuck is more than just an important piece on the field. With the loss of Jycel Mosley and Jaden Ligon to Division I colleges earlier this year, there was a real leadership void on the offensive line and Shattuck has filled it.

“It has been really hard at times to keep everybody together,” Shattuck said. “Now I have to step up and use my words to try and help bring us together.”

Shattuck has been operating in the trenches since he was just four years old, recalling memories of some of his first games. “I was four years old, playing football for the first time. Playing flag football. I remember playing at the Granger when I was little actually.”

Shattuck played just about every sport over the years, but with the help of his older brother Parker, who is currently a freshman on the South Alabama team, the younger Shattuck fostered a real love for football.

“I played football, basketball, baseball, everything growing up, I loved sports. I guess you could say football found me,” Shattuck said. “[Parker] got me into it most, and he’s the main thing that made me stick with football, more than anything really.”

The two Shattucks used to battle it out with the Granger star on their helmet every day at practice just last year.

“It was a battle every time and sometimes he won and sometimes I won,” Shattuck said, flashing a big grin.

One of the main reasons that Shattuck can blow up opposing defensive linemen, and even handle his older brother on occasion, is the work Shattuck puts in the weight room. He is one of the strongest players on the team and helped LaGrange High win a state championship in powerlifting in his sophomore year.

“I helped start it here at LaGrange, it’s pretty fun. The first meeting, I had to lose a couple of pounds, and that was pretty tough, but it was a fun atmosphere to lift weights in,” Shattuck said. “I really started lifting in middle school with coach (Marcus) Blandinburg, he really pushed me and now coach (Tyler) Eady helps me up here.”

Sophomore year was a coming out party for Shattuck on the gridiron. He played sporadically as a freshman and figured to be a key rotational player in his second campaign with the Grangers as well. Injuries piled up and Shattuck was forced into the starting lineup and despite some initial difficulties, he eventually became a bona fide starter.

“I was nervous the first game. I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t know how the team was going to be. I didn’t know what to do against the team, but then it just happened and I was able to play better from there,” Shattuck said.