LYNN — Tech football senior Devin Lewis has a clear understanding of what he wants to accomplish this fall. It’s his final season wearing the Tigers uniform and Lewis expects to end his three-year varsity tenure on a high note.
“I’m mainly thinking about winning a ring,” Lewis said. “We won a (vocational) championship my sophomore year (2017). The fact that we didn’t win last year only motivates me to win one this year, considering that it’s my last year.”
A two-way player, Lewis is a seasoned veteran on the offensive line at center. He also helps anchor Tech’s defense at middle linebacker.
“Devin started on the offensive line last year,” Tech coach James Runner said. “He’s our center, so he’s the most important person because he touches the ball every down. He’s a middle linebacker and that’s huge. He’s a guy we can trust. He’s played that position since we won the (vocational) championship two years ago.”
Lewis is also expected to bring leadership to the mix this season. He was voted a team captain — a role he also holds on Tech’s wrestling team — during the offseason. Joining him as fellow captains are Haidar Bdaiwi, Victor Bellamah, Arthur Herrera and Kenny Perez.
“It’s a fun experience but it requires a lot of leadership,” Lewis said. “We have eighth-graders coming to the team this year, which brings more responsibility. But it’s been a lot of fun and it’s certainly been different. You have a lot of people looking up to you. You have to change the way you talk to people and the way you act around them.”
Runner said Lewis is fit for the role.
“The star athletes get all the ink because they score touchdowns,” Runner said. “Sometimes the other kids get left in the shadows a little bit. Devin’s right in the middle. He does all the little things. When a guy makes a tackle, he’s the first guy there helping his teammate up. He’s always communicating with his teammates. That’s what makes him an exceptional player for us.
“Going into his senior year, Devin showed great leadership. It was a no-brainer for us to name him a captain. I really appreciate Devin’s work ethic. He’s a guy that works really hard but doesn’t talk about it. He just does it.”
The Lewis family has left its mark on the Tech football program. Older brothers Brandon and Justin were varsity players for Runner before Devin, the youngest of five, clawed his way up the depth charts. Brandon was a four-year lineman who brought grit and toughness to the team. Justin, a four-year wide receiver, continued his football career at Worcester State for two years and now runs track at Division I Arizona.
“I got a head start,” Lewis said. “I started working out with the team as an eighth-grader. I was around my brothers at practice a lot. It made joining Lynn Tech much more relaxing and less nerve-wracking.”
“His brothers have played tough for me,” Runner said. “I didn’t want him to feel any pressure because of that. We always tell him that he needs to play to his role, but when he plays he always does more than he needs to.”
Tech didn’t start the 2019 season the way it set out to. The Tigers fell to Greater Lowell, 17-0, in their season opener last Friday at Manning. This week, it’s all about turning the page and gearing up for another Commonwealth Athletic Conference clash at Nashoba Valley Tech.
“Our main focus is to fix mistakes we made during the game, watching film and working on communication,” Lewis said. “We want to fix those mistakes and try not to make them again. Nashoba’s very big. They have a lot of size but we feel we have some advantages over them. We want to capitalize on what we fixed from the last game and what we saw from playing them last year.”
Kickoff for Friday’s game is scheduled for 7 p.m.
