Bobcats playing college football!

With nine former Bobcat players playing college football this season, it is tough to keep track of where each player is at these days.  I think it is important for me to give you an update on them, so we can track their collegiate careers as they work towards their higher education.  The high school football experience that these gentlemen had was so positive that they chose to pursue the game for another four years.  This is no easy task, as I am sure they will tell you.  The game that I love so much has helped shape these fine men into the great student athletes that they are today.  With the work ethic that it takes to compete at the collegiate level, I am sure that they all will find success in their future endeavors. 

Let's start locally.  Loras College being so close to home puts our students in close proximity to a great education.  The draw of the Rock Bowl and the Duhawk tradition provides the students with a great place to play four more seasons.  Their current roster has six Bobcats on board.  Sam Ross, Alex Lehman, and Mike Wuertzer (2009 graduates) closed out their senior seasons after four years of hard work.  Sam finished an incredible four year stint as the starting center (All-conference the last two seasons), Alex as a three year starter at offensive tackle, and Mike drawing starts this year as a defensive lineman.  I never had the pleasure of coaching these guys, as they graduated prior to my arrival at Western Dubuque, but I have had the pleasure of meeting them in the weight room over the summer.  Their work ethic is typical WD, lifting and running all off-season to improve.  The example that they have set for the athletes behind them has been tremendous.  Hats off to these three gentlemen for gutting out four years of college football.  The lessons they have learned and the discipline they have earned in the process has helped make them real winners in life.  They have made the Bobcat Nation very proud!

Three new Duhawks are working their way into the line-up as we speak.  Sam Burds, Matt Kass, and Ryan Rolfes all joined the team this season.  Matt (2011 graduate) transferred in after the call of football lured him to Loras to go back to playing the game that he loved.  As a JV quarterback this season, Matt fought to earn playing time with the varsity.  In the JV game I saw him play in, he launched a TD the second I walked in the stadium...typical Matt.  He is fighting for the starting job next season.  As he learns the college system and gets a chance to showcase his gun slinging abilities, Matt looks to have some more fun calling plays again.  Sam and Ryan (2012 graduates) both had their eye on the defensive side of the ball.  Sam started all ten games as a true freshman at safety for Loras this season.  Sam tallied up 38 tackles, 28 of them solos.  This was a fantastic start to a stellar four year career.  Sam will put up some great numbers over the next three seasons.  Ryan earned JV minutes as a defensive tackle this season.  As he continues to grow, the Duhawks might consider moving him over to the offensive side of the ball.  He is a physical specimen at 6'7, 290 lbs, and he is getting better every day.  The Duhawks have three great young players in these WD alums.

Keeping it in the conference, we move to Cedar Rapids where Coe College boasts of a great season, a great program, and a great young receiver in Nick Lenstra.  Nick finished his second season as a Kohawk.  The team finished with a conference championship and ranked as the 10th best team in the nation.  Nick was definitely a contributing factor.  As a rotator at the receiver position, Nick is looking to break the starting line-up next year.  His abilities as a returner got him some extra time on the field.  With a 13.3 yard punt return average and a 21.2 yard kick-off return average, Nick has proven his worth as a play maker for the Kohawks.  Nick's next two seasons are looking to be very exciting.

Nick's conference competition is against some former teammates now playing for the Wartburg Knights: Logan Pitz and Hunter Westhoff.  The Knights finished tied for second in the Iowa Conference with a 4-3 conference record.  As a top tier program, Wartburg will be ready to compete for the championship next year, as Logan and Hunter fight to get into the mix.  Logan rotated at corner back and is looking to take one of the starting positions next year.  Hunter played quality JV minutes as a tight end and long-snapper and will be competing for a chance at those positions as well. 

As I tell my players every year, college football is not like you think it is.  The intensity level, the speed of the game, and the commitment needed to be great are incredibly demanding.  I am very proud of all of the WD alumnus that have committed to being part of something bigger than themselves for the next four years.  They are truly gifted athletes, but more importantly, they are great team players.  Great teammates are always successful people in life.  Learning to make the individual sacrifices necessary for the greater good of the team is one of the most important lessons in life.  These gentlemen are ahead of the game and on the road to big things. 

Dylan James Selected to All-State Team

After a record setting season, Dylan James was honored with his selection to the Iowa Newspaper Association's (INA) All-State Team.  Dylan was named third team wide receiver after finishing 4th in the state in number of receptions.  His 51 catch season put him 8 catches behind the 3A state leader from the runner-up Bischop-Heelan team.  Dylan played in four less games.  His numbers broke the old school record of 44 catches held by Matt Burds in 2001, the Bobcat's state championship season.  Dylan is the second Western Dubuque Bobcat in the last two football seasons to be selected to the all-state team.  Last year, Logan Pitz was awarded INA All-State honors as a cornerback.  Logan is currently playing football at Wartburg College.  Congratulations to Dylan and the rest of his team for this honor.  It takes a whole team for one player to break a record.  Great job guys!

Play-off Game vs Marion

Well, after 3 plus months of practice and 10 battles on the football field, our season has come to an unfortunate end.  We fought like men against Marion, but unfortunately we fell 2 points short, with a final score of 29-27.  The loss has left a bitter taste in all of our mouths, but the fight was our season's finest hour. 

On the road as a four seed and seeking an upset, we came in knowing that we had to play our best football to win.  Striking first was of the utmost importance to us.  We knew that we needed to get Marion down so they had to play from behind and rely on a weak passing game.  After a first possession three and out, we marched down into our own territory before connecting on a Kramer to James TD reception to give us the early lead.  The Indians scratched back but were not able to put the ball in the endzone coming up with a hard earned field-goal, keeping the score in our favor, 7-3.  With great kick-off returns all night, we stayed in striking distance on most every possession.  Dan Beard popped off a 51 yard TD to give us a 14-3 lead following the Nick Kruse PAT.  Coach Butler's defense did the job again, holding Marion to another field-goal and a 14-6 deficit.  It was a quick score for the Indians just before halftime when they capitalized on an interception.  But the score wouldn't be enough to equalize the score, and left them trailing 14-13 at halftime. 

Luke Schroeder rolled his ankle in the second quarter and couldn't return for the second half.  With one of our best lineman out, we knew that our battle tested line would have to go without a rotation, and they went above and beyond the call of duty.  Sean Wagner, Josh Digman, Mason Simon-Ressler, Kyle Kass, and Dane Bergfeld manned the trenches with heart and true grit.  Every yard we moved the ball came at the hands of their toil.  After a slugfest of a 3rd quarter, and an Indian field-goal, we took a huge blow with the injury of Dylan James from a seperated shoulder.  Just when you thought that there was doubt in our hearts, we shook off the bad luck, in true Bobcat fashion, with a huge TD completion to Tyler Donovan giving us the lead at 21-17 in the early 4th quarter.    Marion struck back with a long TD drive but a failed 2pt conversion attempt.  Trailing by 2 points, we pounded the rock back up the middle of the field leading to a 21 yard Dawson Nemmers TD run.  Trying to stretch the lead to seven, we went for two points falling just inches short. 

As Marion began to pass, we felt that we had them where we wanted them.  With a Blake Kass interception at the 6 minute mark, and we knew that we needed to grind the clock out.  Unfortunately, with a 3 and out, we gave the ball back to them with three minutes to go.  After a great punt by Riley Pfeiler, the Indians started out on their own 11 yard line.  With 89 yards to go, the fought to get to thier own forty yard-line.  With 1:37 left on the clock, Marion attempted a Hail Mary pass.  After a first down deflection, Marion completed a miracle pass to take the lead leaving us with a little less than 1:30 on the clock.  A few quick completions put us across mid-field before we fumbled a completion to put the game away. 

The loss struck deep with every member of the Bobcat Football nation.  From players to parents and staff to students, the outcome was difficult to take, but the pride I have for each and every player is so immense.  We fought together, worked together, ate together, cried together, won together, and lost together.  There was an incredible bond created.  I will miss these boys greatly and am proud to say that I have coached them. 

Week 8 Senior Night vs Independence

With our backs to the wall, it was either time to come out fighting or start packing up for an early end to the season.  The boys had to come out swinging, and that is exactly what we did.  With a quick strike to the end zone in the air, the Dylan (Kramer) to Dylan (James) connection got things rolling for The Bobcat Nation with a 28 yard TD pass.  With a balanced attack of run and pass, we were able to get the Mustangs on their heels and keep them there.  But before the Bobcat offense could open up and rack up the yardage, the Bobcat defense (Butler's Boys) put on a defensive scoring display second to none.  With Blake Kass and Dawson Nemmers taking down the Mustang QB in the end zone for a safety, Independence was left with a free kick from their own 20 yard line, setting us up for another quick score by Kass.  After we kicked off to them again, Dylan James picked off a pass at the Mustang 18 yard line and ran it back for a touchdown.  The flood gates were open, and we kept our eyes on the goal.  All in all we finished with another shut-out on the season with a 37-0 final.  Cody Reimer returned an interception 18 yards for a touchdown as well.  It was a great pick, with an even prettier run into the end zone. 

Dylan James finished the game with 2 TD receptions and an interception return for a TD, leading him to a KCRG player of the week nomination and a Telegraph Herald player of the week nomination.  Individual awards are always fun for the kids to win, but everyone involved in sports know that it takes the whole team to help one player shine.  We are all very proud of this weeks efforts.  The teams sticker awards jumps to an all time one week high.  The team earned five helmet stickers this week: one for the win, three for defensive scores, and one for a shut-out.  We are extra proud of this win because it locked our play-off spot for the post-season.  Go Bobcats!

Crestwood, Olwein, JV, and pre-game DeWitt

It has been a couple of weeks since I posted anything.  We are getting in to the part of the season that gets a little hectic.  I need to catch you up a little bit.

Two weeks ago we lost a close game against Crestwood.  It was a team that we felt we should have beaten.  It was a 12-10 game, and it came down to the last drive of the game.  Let me give credit to Crestwood.  They played a hard fought game, and were able to grind out a homecoming victory.  We battled but couldn't seal the deal.  We came off the field feeling pretty disappointed in ourselves offensively.  We moved the ball for over three hundred yards of offense and only put ten points on the board.  But, that is what football is all about.  Dealing with disappointment and not letting it become our master.  After a weekend of soul searching.......and film work, we came back to the practice field and cleaned up our mistakes.

We followed up the Crestwood game with our own homecoming game.  Olwein traveled to Epworth to meet a team that was ready to win.  Having put ourselves in a bind for the play-offs, we knew that every district game from here on out would be crucial to making the post-season.  We jumped out to an early lead, and we never looked back.  With a 42-0 half-time lead, it was a chance to get every player on the roster quality playing time.  The team did a great job of executing our game plan, no matter who was in the game.  Every athlete that touched the field did a fantastic job.  And thanks to our fan support, the team was able to play in front of a packed home crowd.  When the team looked up into the stands and saw standing room only, with a ton of fans around the fence line, their smiles said enough.  It was a great team victory.  We won 49-0, while racking up 400+ yards of offense. 

With two J.V. wins in the last two weeks, our second team has gotten the chance to sharpen their skills as well.  We traveled to Hempstead last week to win 24-21 in a close game, with a field goal in the fourth quarter.  This week the Senior Rams came to "The Buch" to find out that the Bobcats were ready to fight.  In a hard hitting battle, the Bobcats won 14-7 due to big catches by Reid Mettert, Austin Hosch, and Jake Rosalez.  Sam Neiman stepped up big on some pressure throws that kept the chains moving.  The offensive and defensive line was led by Dominic Boffeli, Josh Digmann, and Trevor Donahue.  But we couldn't have done it without the help of sophomores Josh Hlubek, Jordan Huntington, Shane Bouska, and Justin Curtis.  They filled in the gaps where we were short, and they played well. 

This brings us to week 7 against DeWitt.  They are a physical team that comes ready to play.  We anticipate option football that utilizes the FB and the QB as their key ball carriers.  If we can contain the big play makers, we feel that we have a great chance at victory.  Offensively, we can't stall when we get in the red zone.  If we keep the ball off the ground and limit interceptions, the Bobcats can put points up and help control the clock.  We have steadily gained offensive momentum throughout the season and are eager to show people what we are capable of.  Our goal is always to be playing our best football at the end of the season.  Thanks for your support.  Go Bobcats!

Week 4 vs Vinton-Shellsburg

Sorry for not giving a pre-game update, but technical difficulties temporarily seized my service.  But we are back in action, and that is exactly what I wanted to talk to you about.  Friday's match-up with VS was a crucial game for us.  After two tough losses, it was important for us to rebuild our confidence and right the ship a little bit.  We had a fantastic week of practice that was built by great senior leadership.  With positive peer coaching from our team captains-Mason Simon-Ressler, Dylan James, and Blake Kass-the team responded to the call to action to get better every day.  It was great to watch the guys work hard, follow each other, and have success.

We knew that VS would be a big physical team.  We knew that they would need this win to position themselves for a solid play-off seed as well.  The battle lines were drawn early in the 1st quarter when they drove 80 yards down the field for a Vinton-Shellsburg touchdown.  It was a grind to respond with a touchdown of our own.  The 65 yard drive was capped off by a Dylan Kramer QB sneak from the 1 yard line.  With the extra point kick by Nick Kruse good, we set out to battle again with a 7-7 score.  After another long drive by the Vikings, leading to another touchdown, we got the ball back at our forty yard line with 30 seconds to go in the half.  After a couple of small gains with the clock running down, we decided to call a time-out with 3 seconds left in the half.  Dylan Kramer connected with Dylan James on a 52 yard bomb to finish the half with a 14-14 tie.  That momentum swing was just what we needed to electrify the crowd, the players, and the coaches.

After a couple of half-time adjustments, we came out and played good old WD football.  Our defense shut them out in the second half, and our offense poured on three more TD's, coming via Dylan James on a 20 yard pass from Kramer, Cody Reimer on an 11 yard scamper, and Blake Kass on a 36 yard cut back run.  Cody Reimer returned to the field for the first time, after breaking his arm in practice before week one.  Cody was just as happy to be back as we were to have him.  He showed why he was a starter to begin with, and performed well (even sporting a cast).  We also welcomed back offensive tackle Luke Schroeder.  Luke tore his ACL in the play-off game against Grinnell last season.  He has worked harder than you could possibly imagine to be game ready the week that he was cleared to play.  His determination has been an example for all the athletes in our program.  If you want it bad enough, you can make it happen.  Great job Luke! 

We had the chance to clear the side lines on Friday.  Getting every athlete the opportunity to feel the heat of the Friday Night Lights is incredibly rewarding as a coach.  In the pre-game speech we talked about winning this game for the person next to you, and that is exactly what we did.  The kids truly won this game together and for each other.  We are starting to see a very tight bond begin to form amongst the men.  We can't wait to make it stronger practice by practice, game by game.

West Delaware Week 3

Tyler Donovan (25),  Dylan Gansen (2)

Dylan Kramer (15),  Dylan James (24),  Blake Kass (42)

Friday night we traveled to Manchester to take on district rival West Delaware.  Coming off an 8-1 regular season and a state semifinal appearance, we new that they would be a tough opponent.  But we felt well prepared with a solid game plan. 

The first half was an absolute battle, and we picked up some scars on the way.  On the second play of the game, Tyler Donovan, starting free safety and slot receiver, went down with what they thought was a broken leg, fortunately it turned out to be a severely sprained left ankle.  Dylan Gansen stepped in on defense and Shannon McDermott was the next man in offensively.  After a slight delay, we went back and forth delivering blows and fought to keep the score 6-0 at halftime. 

The second half started with a long touchdown run for the Hawks and was followed up by an end zone fumble that led to a touchdown recovery for West Delaware, a quick 13 point swing that was tough to bounce back from. 

The team showed no signs of quitting.  The start of the 4th quarter showed promise when a solid drive took us to the 20 yard line, where Dylan Kramer hooked up with Dylan James for a TD pass in the end zone.  That was followed by a defensive stand, but a fumble a few plays later kept us from building the momentum necessary for a comeback.

Win or lose, our weekly measuring stick is improvement.  The two biggest aspects of the game were improved upon.  We blocked much better than we did a week ago, and our defense tackled with a purpose.  Blake Kass and Dylan James led the defense with 10+ tackles a piece.  And James proved to be a threat in the air racking up 7 catches for 78 yards and  TD.  We didn't come out of this game with a win, but we definitely progressed from a week a go.  We are excited to redeem ourselves in front of our home crowd this week when Vinton-Shellsburg comes to "The Buc" for district play.  Hope to see you there!

West Delaware Prep Week

Blake Kass (42),  Dawson Nemmers (23),  Dylan Kramer (15)

Dan Beard (31),  Dylan Gansen (2)

With the West Delaware Hawks coming off an overtime loss to Dyersville Beckman, the team will be ready to rumble against us this week.  The last two seasons contests were barn burners.  In 2010, the Hawks edged us with a last minute defensive stand in a high scoring shoot-out.  Last year we handed them their only regular season loss in a 17-16 victory on our own Buchman Field here in Epworth.  They will be ready for redemption and eager to make up for last week.  With the start of district play, every game matters for the play-offs.  With that much more on the line, we expect both teams to come eager to fight for a victory.

They are a big physical team that looks to run the ball 80 percent of the time.  With an athletic offensive line, they like to pull  centers and tackles to work to the outside.  But out of their spread pistol formation, they have the ability to pass as well and a quarterback that is mobile.  It will take a solid team defensive effort to get the job done this week. 

With our offense starting to put things together, we look to have a good mixture of run and pass to keep the Hawks defense on edge.  With a four headed monster at the running back position, Blake Kass and Dawson Nemmers at fullback, Dan Beard and Dylan Gansen at half back, we have a great balance of strength and speed to attack with.  As we continue to tweak our running game, Dylan Kramer and the passing game should have the opportunity to ignite and keep our offense moving the chains.  We look for long sustained drives that control the clock. 

Our preparation has been fantastic this week.  The effort and attitude has been everything that we could ask for from these young men.  Friday is the test!  A road win would be huge, and that is exactly what we are shooting for.

Week 2 vs Maquoketa

Dylan Gansen (2),  Kyle Kass (67),  Luke Schroeder (52),  Cody Reimer (20)

The last two seasons against Maquoketa have been big games.  In 2010 we needed a win to put ourselves in a position to make the play-offs.  We pulled through with a victory in a last minute nail-biter in front of a roaring home crowd.  Last year we played at Maquoketa for a chance to win the district.  We came up short in a last minute battle, and Maquoketa went on to claim their first district title in quite some time.  We knew this game would be no different and carry the same weight with this year's teams. 

The game started quickly with the Cardinals scoring on their first drive.  After a couple of quick defensive adjustments, we were able to keep them at bay while we got the offense on track.  Dylan Gansen busted a 53 yard sweep into the end zone in the second quarter to even up the score at 7 a piece.  The Cardinals scored one more TD before the half, and it left us trailing by 7 at the break.

The second half turned into a mess with sloppy ball handling.  We put the ball on the ground 7 times total for the game, and turned it over 3 times, all in Maquoketa territory, setting them up for some easy offensive possessions.  Poor tackling compounded with fumbles made for a recipe for disaster in the second half.  Finishing with a 30-7 loss made for a long weekend but a great opportunity to grow from our mistakes.  After films on Saturday morning, the team is ready to address our mistakes and get back to work.  If we learn a page from a win and a book from a loss, then we learned plenty from Friday's experience.  We aren't proud of the outcome, but we are very proud of the effort.

We are still in the process of building depth right now.  With two tackles injured, Kyle Kass and Luke Schroeder, we are anxious to get them back and start building a rotation that can give our guys the needed breaks to sustain a consistently high level of play.  Cody Reimer returns to the line-up this week after being sidelined with a broken arm.  Although it will be tough for Cody to carry the ball for us since he is in a cast, this creates more depth at defensive back and on special teams.  With a district rival in West Delaware to prepare for this Friday, we know the importance of getting better everyday this week.  We are excited to get back in the ring and go toe-to-toe with a quality opponent.

Beckman Week 1

The Bobcats came out on Friday night against Dyersville Beckman in true WD fashion.  We started with a goal line stand to get the ball back in our hands.  Dawson Nemmers, Andy Cook, and Riley Pfeiler all came together to stop a QB keeper from breaking free to the end zone.  Dylan Kramer led the offense from our own

two yard line down to the opposing teams 32 before being stopped on downs.  It wasn't until Dylan James returned a punt to the Beckman 2 yard line that we were able to get the ball into the end zone on a Dan Beard rushing TD.  Nick Kruse followed it up with a PAT through the uprights.  After halftime we moved the ball to Beckman's 30 yard line once again, until penalties pushed us back into our own territory for a 4th and 25 punt. 

The second half was laden with penalties that kept us out of striking distance the rest of the game.  After a Beckman interception return to our 19 yard line, the Blazers punched in a 19 yard score, but were unable to capitalize on the point after, leaving them down 7-6. 

In the final minutes of the game, our defense stepped up once again, thwarting the efforts of the Blazer's two-minute offense.  Some big pass deflections by Tyler Donovan kept Beckman's offense at bay, and we were able to come out of a great rivalry game with a victory.  As always, this is a great memory for the seniors to take with as they begin the closeout of a great high school career.  Senior seasons are special, and this victory helps to make the moment that much sweeter.

I was very pleased with the effort and attitude on and off the field.  The first step has been taken down the road to the post-season.

To view the full gallery of the game photo's click here.