INSTITUTE, W. Va. (WCHS-TV) — During this week's North-South Classic, you won't find a pair of closer players.

Not only are Herbert Hoover's Trey Chapman and Brayden Rollyson tight off the field - with only a handful of linemen on the South roster, at times, they will line up shoulder to shoulder.

"It's cool to having him right there," Chapman, who is playing both tight end and on the offensive line, said. "We only have six linemen, so if I'm playing guard, I'll be right beside him."

Both are honored to be playing in the Classic before continuing their football careers in college. Chapman is heading to West Virginia State. Rollyson to Glenville State.

Rollyson said he is coming into the week with an open mind.

"(I want to) learn as much as I can and get familiar with the position I'm going to play in college . . . just open-minded to learn as much as I can," Rollyson, who is playing center, said.

"It's a cool experience and an honor because there are 90 some people, and they only pick 33," Chapman said. "They even said this is the top of the top, and you have to act like it."

In May, the Hoover community was hit with sorrow after student-athlete Frank Early tragically passed. Both Chapman and Rollyson were close with him.

"It was devastating," Chapman said. "Everyone knew Frank. We were like best friends, like brothers. It was upsetting to hear the news because we didn't believe it. It still doesn't seem real. He made a big impact. You walk around Elkview and ask about him, and everyone will go, 'Oh yeah, we know Big Frank.' Everybody knew him."

"We'd always come into the locker room, and he'd made everyone laugh," Rollyson said. "We could be coming into the locker room down 40, and he'd still make us laugh somehow."

It's clear Early will be missed, and these two will be keeping him close in mind.