Twins roaming middle for Clippers

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Twins Johny and William Longmire of LaMoille team up at linebacker for the Clippers co-op. (BCR photo/Chris Yucus)

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LAMOILLE — In football, like life, having somebody to count on means everything.

LaMoille seniors and fraternal twins Johny and William Longmire, who will suit up together at linebacker for the Amboy/LaMoille Clipper football co-op in Saturday’s 2A playoff game with Annawan/Wethersfield, never have to look far on the gridirion for somebody they can count on.

The pair grew up playing different positions throughout junior tackle but landed together at the linebacker position for the Clipper co-op at the fresh-soph level.

“It was fun because in fresh-soph, there really wasn’t anybody else to depend on, but we could depend on each other. We were both there,” said Johny, the younger of the brothers by a nine-minute span.

William, who played a few games at linebacker without his brother before the pair joined up, said there was a big difference playing next to Johny.

“Johny was way more aggressive I would say,” William said.

Johny welcomed the move to the linebacker position alongside his brother.

“I liked it; there’s a lot more action at linebacker than any other place,” Johny said.

While they are twins, there are differences in what each brother brings to the field, the brothers said.

Johny summed up each brother’s strength.

“I probably have a little more speed than he does, and he’s probably got a little more strength than me,” Johny said, with William agreeing with his assessment.

The pair says their strengths can compliment each other.

“Usually if Johny gets there before me, he’ll hit the guy at the waist, and then I’ll finish coming over the top,” William said.

“It’s kind of nice because if we need somebody to make it to the outside quick, I can make it, and Bill can stand them up in the middle; it can go either way,” Johny said.

The closeness the brothers share on and off the field provides them with plenty of opportunities to talk about their games and game plans.

“When one of us does something wrong we’ll tell them, and then tell them a few more times on the way home,” said William.

“We talk about what we’re expected to see in the playoffs,” said Johny. “We can talk about it when we’re at home.”

So how often does the pair talk about football at home?

“Probably almost all the time,” William said. “My mom always talks about it too.”

“She says, ‘Go out there and play like you did against Bureau Valley,’” William added. “She thinks very highly of us as a team this year.”

A lot of people are thinking highly of the Clippers this year, as they have accumulated a 9-1 record and are continuing their postseason push.

For Johny and William their success this season has been bittersweet, as the two have had heavy hearts without their father Robert, who passed away July 30 at age 47, in the stands to root them on.

They say their father was a big football fan.

The Longmire twins and the rest of the Clipper co-op, which includes LaMoille’s only other varsity player, Tom Orozco, will square off against Annawan/Wethersfield in the second round of the Class 2A playoffs Saturday in Amboy.

For the brothers, who made their varsity debut for the Clippers in the playoffs as sophomores on special teams, ending their careers in the playoffs, hopefully with a state title in hand, will bring things full circle.

They said they can’t believe their senior year has come so soon but are prepared for Annawan/Wethersfield, rattling off the tendencies of the Titan offense in rapid fire.

One thing is certain when the two take the field Saturday — they know they will have someone to count on.

Comment on this story at www.bcrnews.com.

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