Haddonfield’s Porter likes life in the trenches

Most tight ends want to be wide receivers, not tackles. They prefer to move into space, not the mayhem in the middle of the line.

Matt Porter has another perspective. The Haddonfield senior has a special place in his heart for the offensive line, and the largely anonymous guys who play there.

"It's a brotherhood in there," Porter said. "We work together. We depend on each other. I love it in there."

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Porter is a two-way lineman for Haddonfield (10-1), which will visit Colonial Conference rival West Deptford (11-0) in the South Jersey Group 2 title game Friday night.

Porter also excels as a defensive end. He leads the team in tackles with 75, and sacks with nine.

But it was his willing switch from tight end to tackle that underscored his team-first attitude, according to Haddonfield coach Frank DeLano.

"He started every game for us last year at tight end," DeLano said. "This year, we wanted to move him inside, and he never said a peep. He made the move without a moan or a groan. He's a kid who says, 'Team first, me second.' "

Porter said he played some offensive guard as an eighth grader and also was an emergency center earlier in his career. He looks like a tight end, and he's athletic enough to make plays in space.

But he said he has a unique rapport with other Haddonfield offensive linemen such as center Drew Lynch, guards Jacob Reisman and Carson Stack, and tackle Jim Cashman.

"There's no glory to playing on the offensive line," Porter said. "But we don't care. I love my line. Tight end was fun, but tackle is where I belong."

A top student who hopes to attend medical school after college, Porter is considering Johns Hopkins and Bucknell. Also a standout lacrosse player, he is leaning toward playing football in college.

Haddonfield's only loss this season was to West Deptford, 31-28, in a game in which the Bulldogs trailed by 28-0 and rallied to tie the score at 28.

"That was the most exciting game I ever played in my life," Porter said. "This is the best situation for us, to have a chance to get some revenge."