Haynes, with firm affirmation, told Siereveld something that’ll ring true for quite a while.
“I said, ‘Austin, you could be the best linemen that I’ve ever coached,” recollected Haynes, now the current offensive line coach at Princeton.
“It was his size and his speed and his athleticism. They’re unparalleled. He’s so big and so strong, and he can move so well. He’s got a lot of gifts.”
Those attributes have led Siereveld — a 2023 Lakota East graduate — to the pinnacle of college football.
The 6-foot-5, 320-pound sophomore at Ohio State will compete for a College Football Playoff National Championship when the Buckeyes (13-2) face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (14-1) on Monday night in Atlanta.
“He’s a great athlete with great size and strength,” Haynes said. “He took in coaching. He wanted to be great. He was so easy to coach, and I’m sure that’s still the same at Ohio State.”
It has been. Siereveld started the first two games of the season and the last five games at left guard.
He will be lined up beside a familiar face, too.
Tegra Tshabola — a 2021 Lakota West graduate — is listed at 6-foot-6, 327-pounds and has started at right guard every game this season.
“It’s awesome. We’re not talking about a safety and a guard,” Firebirds coach Tom Bolden said. “We’re talking about the left guard and the right guard that grew up playing against each other in high school and playing with each other before that in the youth program.
“What’s so cool to see is that they’re in the same position room, the same meeting room, the same lifting group.”
Bolden said Tshabola and Siereveld contain similar attributes that have gotten the two standout linemen to this point in their football careers.
“It’s a testament that 40% of the O-line is from the same school district and playing in the national title game,” Bolden said. “It’s just so cool to see — the left guard and the right guard from the same school district.”
There are others from the Lakota school district that will be part of the title game.
Ohio State safety Malik Hartford, a 2023 Lakota West grad, has played a decent amount on special teams this season.
Bukari Miles, a 2024 Lakota West graduate, joined the Buckeyes this past summer as a preferred walk-on.
And Notre Dame will suit up two defensive backs from Lakota West — safeties Ben Minich (2023) and Taebron Bennie-Powell (2024).
Lakota West grad Ryleigh Stelletell is on the OSU cheerleading squad and will be cheering for the Buckeyes on Monday.
“I tell people that there are seven kids from the Lakota district that will be on that field,” Bolden said. “And to me, that’s so cool to see.”
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