TIM HAYESBristol Herald Courier
Eastside High School's Landry Carico has such an impressive head of hair that some folks have taken to calling him "Meat Loaf" since his marvelous mane makes him resemble the rock-and-roll legend.
Man of Steel was a hit sung by the doppelganger of Carico, who is a 6-foot-1, 250-pound junior.
He has helped form a steel curtain of sorts alongside fellow lineman and friend Tristan Fields.
Both are in their third year as starters on the varsity level.
They hold down spots at defensive tackle.
Carico is the left guard on the offensive line and the 5-foot-11, 250-pound Fields lines up at right guard.
When the ball is snapped, they both make like a bat out of hell as they fire off the ball and move whoever is in their way.
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"They definitely make me look good," said Eastside sophomore playmaker Rocky Bond. "The best linemen in Southwest Virginia."
They will play in Southwest Virginia's marquee game on Friday night's schedule when Eastside (6-0) hosts the Rye Cove Eagles (5-1) in a battle for Cumberland District football supremacy.
Rye Cove earned a 26-20 win over the Spartans in the 2024 Region 1D championship game as a touchdown pass from Landon Lane to Luke Jessee with 25 seconds remaining was the decisive play.
That tune by the original Meat Loaf goes, "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" and that sums up Carico's feeling when reminded of that season-ending setback.
"I was on the field playing defensive tackle," Carico said. "I could see the quarterback right in front of me throw the ball and when I looked back it was caught in the end zone. It was a great play and pass. I'm still not completely over it. We had a chance to go the length of the field and score at the end to tie it or try and win it, but I know that I can't let that game influence the game this year. However, I can let it motivate me to play better this year."
Fields got a different viewpoint of that play.
The ditty "Not a Dry Eye in the House" could have been the soundtrack in the Eastside locker room following the loss.
"It was really loud and cold," Fields said. "I wasn't out there for that play but when it happened, but I was crushed. It took me a really long time to get over that game, but me and everyone else turned it into motivation."
Eastside has taken care of business this season in winning its first six games. The Spartans are averaging 42 points per game and have posted four shutouts.
"I think we have played well and been able to find a way to win even when it wasn't always going our way," Carico said.
Fields and Carico provide a veteran presence on the offensive line.
Sophomores Carter Jackson and Isaac Dingus are the left tackles and junior Jayden Tedesco took over at center this season.
They have followed the lead of the two talented trenchmen.
"Landry and Tristen mean everything to this team," said Eastside sophomore quarterback Landon Pannell. "They are the leaders in the offensive line and defensive line room. They take every lineman under their wing and do an amazing job of getting them up to par for the team to win games and do their job."
That is quite the tandem.
"Me and Tristan are like brothers on and off the field," Carico said. "We hang out together all the time, sit next to each other in class. If either of us have a question about what we are doing on a play, we talk about it and make each other right."
Occasionally they to one-up each other.
"Tristan and Landry are always in competition for the past several years trying to race each other," Bond said. "Because each one thinks they are faster than the other. Even though both of them have raced multiple times no one has seen the final results."
While not as fast as the speedy Bond, these aren't lumbering linemen.
"The most impressive thing about both of them is how well they move," said Eastside junior running back/linebacker Keldan Hamilton. "They are both very fast and are able to change direction good."
Hamilton has already rushed for more than 4,000 career yards while running behind the blocks of Carico and Fields.
"I don't recall either missing a day in an offseason their entire career so far," said Eastside coach Mike Rhodes. "They don't get enough credit for how good our run game is or how they make our defense go."
Carico gets no shortage of shoutouts for his flowing locks, however.
"He always gets compliments," Fields said. "He does have some nice hair."
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