From lineman to fullback, Shenendehowa's House has found a new home

PHOTOGRAPHER: Stan Hudy

Shenendehowa senior fullback Patrick House runs out of the Plainsmen backfield during practice Tuesday, November 9, 2021. House was a lineman his entire career before transitioning to a fullback this season.

CLIFTON PARK — When you are fullback for Shenendehowa High School and your surname is House, running for touchdowns should not be a surprise — it should be a given.

But for Plainsmen senior Patrick House, his first career touchdown came during Week 1 against Queensbury.

Why the wait?

Because Patrick House has always been a lineman, from Junior Plainsmen through his junior year, until now.

“We had a pretty big hole at fullback left by Josiah Woodrow who was a two-year starter,” Shenendehowa head coach Brian Clawson said. “We had a couple guys battling it out for some starting offensive line positions. I took a look at Patrick and the body of work that he’s done off-season in the weight room, conditioning on the field, just training himself constantly — he looked like a full back type of kid.”

During that team camp at Castleton University, House the lineman was given the opportunity to take the ball to the proverbial house — the end zone — and a starting fullback was born.

“I was always fast for a lineman, I thought I would give it a try when they gave me the chance, I just went for it,” House said.

The 5-foot-10 195 lineman has found a new home behind the line of scrimmage, running for touchdowns, and blocking for a host of Shenendehowa tailbacks all season.

“You see him run the football and it looks like he’s been doing it forever,” Clawson said. “He has that natural knee bend; he really dips his shoulder and makes contact while he’s running the football.

“He’s athletic enough where he can get outside on the perimeter, block on outside tosses and he’s strong enough where he can lead the tailback on some inside plays and kick out the [defensive] end.”

House scored both touchdowns for the Plainsmen last week in the Section II Class AA semifinal, upsetting top-seeded Shaker on the road in a 17-14 win.

“I know my parents are watching, I’ve got family watching at home and I’ve always been a lineman,” House said. “Being able to score a touchdown is just great.”

House didn’t forget to thank the boys up front of him that got him to the end zone throughout the season.

“As a lineman, you always have the lineman coach that is telling you that we’re the reason why we win, our blocks are why we win,” House said. “From my days as a lineman, it’s all those guys who are making it happen. If they didn’t block perfectly, I’d get gobbled up and lose two yards every play. As somebody getting to score, I just appreciate my linemen so much.”

House has brought his knowledge into the backfield.

“I’ve had to explain our blocking schemes before,” House said. “If you’re a back your whole life you don’t understand why you are going [right or left] to block.”

As a fullback, House is often leading the charge for the tailback out of the backfield, giving him another opportunity to meet up with an opposing defender.

“As a lineman, we only get a yard to pick up speed to hit somebody, you can’t hit them quite as hard,” House said. “When you have 20 yards to get out to a corner [back] and the guy is 150 pounds, you get to just light him up. I love it.”

With a lineman’s mentality heading into the Class AA Super Bowl, House is focused on the win, not taking the football to the house.

“It’s everybody’s goal every year to be the sectional champion and that’s Shen Football’s goal every year,” House said. “If I’m a part of that, that’s all I want. I don’t care if I’m a fullback or a lineman, I just want to be a part of it.”