Pacheco’s Tui working behind the scenes for the North

Unless they are a Division I prospect or a multimillionaire in the NFL, offensive linemen don’t tend to get individual notoriety.

Instead they are lumped into entire units with credit being given for how many sacks they prevent and yards their teams rush for.

In this world of group anonymity, Pacheco’s Josh Tui has thrived. The only thing that draws attention to the soft-spoken Tui is his 6-foot-2, 250-pound frame. And that’s just the way he likes it.

“Josh looks like a man among boys, but he’s a very quiet and unassuming kid,” Pacheco coach David Snapp said. “He rarely says much on the field, but has the respect of his teammates because of his work ethic.

“He’s not the kind of kid who’s going to make a huge play and then disappears for the next quarter. Unless you really enjoy line play, you probably wouldn’t notice his contribution that much. He just quietly goes about his business on every play and makes his team better.”

The Panther pair will team up one last time as Snapp is set to coach the North in the 30th annual North/South Rotary All-Star Game on Friday night at Golden Valley High’s Veterans Stadium. The North won 35-13 a year ago.

The city of Los Banos will be well represented in the game with five Pacheco players (Tui, Robert Ricks, Tyrone Faitalia, Maurice Harden, Jessie Cortez) and three Los Banos High players (Gilbert Fuentes, Bailey Rodriguez, Alec Barcellos) set to represent the North.

“You could definitely say there’s a comfort level,” Tui said. “Most of those guys I’ve played with or against since Pop Warner. But it’s also pretty cool to get to play with so many guys I’ve just competed against the last four years.

“I just feel honored to get to be a part of this and plan to have as much fun as possible.”

Tui starred on both sides of the ball for Pacheco last fall. He finished fifth on the team with 39 tackles and third with four tackles for a loss. He also anchored an offensive line that helped rack up 2,852 rushing yards in 2014.

Snapp plans on using him only on offense.

“I’ve never worried about making a name for myself,” Tui said. “I just go out and do my job. My coaches and my family taught me to be humble, and that’s how I try to play.

“The best thing about being on the offensive line is that feeling of being a unit. If one person messes up, the play doesn’t go well. It makes it a great feeling if you execute a play perfectly.”

With Tui on the line, the North hopes to see plenty of that on Friday night.

This story was originally published June 23, 2015 at 8:06 PM with the headline "Pacheco’s Tui working behind the scenes for the North."