Lisbon defensive end Tony Walker has blossomed into a dominant force.
By Randy Whitehouse
Staff Writer

LISBON FALLS – Tony Walker knows the exact moment he started turning offensive tackles into turnstiles.

It was at the midway point of the 2002 season. Up to that time, the Lisbon defensive end had been little more than a nuisance to opposing offenses, in need of a little confidence boost to become a major force.

That confidence finally came on a misty fall night in Livermore Falls, when Walker, then a junior, sacked Andies’ QB Dane Hanson three times and burst into the backfield for several more tackles for negative yardage on Livermore running backs.

“It was a really big turning point for me,” Walker said. “I didn’t think I was able to do that good, but playing that well in a game really made me think I could do a lot more things.”

As Walker’s confidence grew, so did his desire to become an even more fearsome defender. He continued to improve for the balance of last season, then worked on his speed, quickness and technique during off-season and put on 12 pounds of muscle in the weight room.

Walker’s coaches noticed the difference immediately when training camp opened.

“He’s probably a throwback to the old-time football players that I used to know where he spent his whole summer conditioning for football,” said Lisbon coach Dick Mynahan. “Not only did he lift weights, but he also went out and ran hills, he worked on his speed. I tell you, when he came out in preseason, he was in a league all by himself, just a superbly conditioned athlete.”

Walker emphasized conditioning this summer knowing that not only would he need it to chase down quarterbacks, but he would have to be a key offensive contributor for the Greyhounds this season. Starting at fullback, he should be Lisbon’s secret weapon when defenses focus on standout halfback John Tefft, though the secret may have spilled out last week with a 23-yard TD run against Old Orchard Beach.

Touchdowns are great, but Walker would sooner punish the other team’s QB than take handoffs from his own.

“I’d rather get the quarterback because that’s such a big adrenaline rush,” Walker said. “Everybody goes crazy when you do that.”

And Walker is driving his opponents crazy trying to figure out the best way to deal with his quickness off the line and his nose for the ball.

“On defense, a lot of teams will choose to run from Tony, or they’ll pay a lot of attention to him,” Mynahan said. “When they drop back in pass protection, they’re going to cover Tony because he’s going to come quick, and we’re not going to hold him back.”