WALHALLA — For nearly 10 years, high school football skill position players have toured the state and country traveling to 7-on-7 passing camps in the heat of the summer.

But for the first time in the Upstate, linemen are getting their chance to escape the weight room, and hit the field for workouts. Walhalla hosted the Hawg Tuff Lineman Challenge on Wednesday in hopes of building the same chemistry and camaraderie that skill athletes generate for the fall schedule.

Eleven teams competed in 10 events such as the bench press, farmer’s walk, tug of war, bull pull, and tire flip. Coaches described it as a modified strong man competition. Teams included Walhalla, Daniel, Hillcrest, Seneca, Banks County, Hart County, Dixie, Gilbert, Brookland-Cayce, Gaffney, and Blue Ridge.

“I’d like to see something like this catch on,” said Walhalla coach John Boggs, who attended his first linemen camp last year at Gilmer High in Georgia. “It’s part of the whole process of building a team.”

Mike Pope, a Walhalla assistant coach, has coached the Hawg Tuff camps for 19 years.

“Offensive linemen and defensive linemen, they’re neglected sometimes,” Pope said. “It’s not a glory position. This is their day to shine.”

Boggs and Pope said they plan to have another camp next year, and several other coaches said they would look into hosting their own.

Michael Stone, a D.W. Daniel senior noseguard, won the bench press with 27 repetitions of 185 pounds. He said he’s lifted 36 times before, and has worked this summer to put his name next to Daniel’s power lifting records.

“It’s a good competition,” Stone said. “You get to try different things, things you never think you could do. It’s a good experience, it gives our coaches something to do to get us going.”

Stone said the bull pull, where opponents wear harnesses and try to pull each other five yards, was one of the best events because the entire team encouraged a teammate.

“The 7-on-7 camps, the skill guys get to do stuff, and the linemen never get to do stuff,” Stone said. “It ain’t exactly hitting somebody, but it’s the next best thing.”

Added Boggs, “They’re all encouraging each other. I think they all grow from that.”

Banks County won the overall competition with 85 points, while Daniel was second at 70, and Walhalla was third with 53.

“Very proud of the effort,” Daniel offensive line coach Jamie Wilson said. “We’ve been going to those 7-on-7 camps, and these guys have been doing nothing but lifting weights.”

Several locals took home trophies from the event. Hart’s Dion McIntosh won the 20 yard dash; Daniel’s Zack Hellard won the pro shuttle, and Deshaun Williams took first in the tire flip. Walhalla also won the team sled event.