Defensive makeovers bolster SB-L, MOC-FV
By Jerry Giese, Journal sports writer | Posted: Thursday, September 18, 2008
Even as an assistant coach, Rahn Bertram's defensive philosophy hasn't changed.
Bertram, who guided his last four Elk Point-Jefferson football teams to berths in the South Dakota Class 11B state playoffs, is in his first year as Sergeant Bluff-Luton's defensive coordinator and his old-school approach has heoped the Warriors start the season at 3-0, forcing an average of four turnovers a game.
Sergeant Bluff-Luton has already matched last season's win total heading into Friday's Class 3A District 1 home game against MOC-Floyd Valley (2-1), which is also experiencing a turnaround under new head coach Tom Rupp. An assistant for three years on Dave Pfaffle's staff, Rupp cites defense as the reason the Dutchmen have doubled last year's win total.
Bertram's defense will face a balanced MOC-FV attack led by tailbacks Daniel Locker (155 yards, 1 TD) and Michael Vande Broek (123 yards) plus quarterback Davis Bloemendaal (101 yards rushing, 202 yards passing).
"If the defense gets the ball back, it gives our offense opportunities to score," said Bertram. "Our free safety (Taylor Grote), our linebackers (Bo Solari, Mike O'Neal, Micah Schiller), everyone, our kids are always ripping and stripping the ball and batting down the ball. It comes down to attacking.
"The kids are all over the place, playing their responsibilities. By being disciplined, they're in the right place at the right time. They play for each other. We stress 11 players on the field for 48 minutes and if we do that, it takes all the selfishness out of there."
Bertram's 2005 and 2006 EP-J squads reached South Dakota's 11B semifinals, falling to St. Thomas More each year. He took last year off as he and his brother, Randy, opened Tri-State Windshield Repair, based in Elk Point and Vermillion, S.D.
He didn't watch a single EP-J game last fall, choosing instead to follow former Huskies Curt Truhe and Jason Donnelly in home games at Augustana College in Sioux Falls. It made the 1995 University of South Dakota graduate realize the love he still had for the game. And, when SB-L head coach Chris Zyzda contacted him about an assistant position in April, he jumped at the offer.
Another episode also made Bertram realize how much respect the Huskies had for him. In 2003, he and his wife, Maria, lost a stillborn daughter they named Sarah.
"My wife and I are very close and we helped each other get through it," said Bertram. "I also shared with the team that football means more to me than a game. This was a hard time in my family life and the kids rallied around that. Being with young men, teaching and coaching them, that was part of my medicine."
Rupp also experienced emotion with his club after being named head coach in late March.
"We were in limbo with our weightlifting program," he said. "We had kids working out, but not doing the same things. The first team meeting, I remember telling them we have high expectations with quality kids coming back so we expect to be able to compete.
"If we were going to do this, we wanted to do it between men. It came down to shaking hands with the coach. That meant honor and commitment. There were a lot of handshakes and a lot of kids honoring the commitment."
Senior linebackers Taylor Whitt and Aaron Jansen have 54 and 38 tackles, respectively, for a defense that will be challenged by SB-L senior Paul Saxon, who has rushed for 456 yards and eight touchdowns. Saxon had 165 yards and three TDs in last Friday's 20-7 win over Storm Lake.
"He hits the hole hard and he's tough to bring down," said Rupp. "Sergeant Bluff's a confident team, being 3-0, with a mix of running and throwing the ball. We have to play disciplined against them."
Bertram, who guided his last four Elk Point-Jefferson football teams to berths in the South Dakota Class 11B state playoffs, is in his first year as Sergeant Bluff-Luton's defensive coordinator and his old-school approach has heoped the Warriors start the season at 3-0, forcing an average of four turnovers a game.
Sergeant Bluff-Luton has already matched last season's win total heading into Friday's Class 3A District 1 home game against MOC-Floyd Valley (2-1), which is also experiencing a turnaround under new head coach Tom Rupp. An assistant for three years on Dave Pfaffle's staff, Rupp cites defense as the reason the Dutchmen have doubled last year's win total.
Bertram's defense will face a balanced MOC-FV attack led by tailbacks Daniel Locker (155 yards, 1 TD) and Michael Vande Broek (123 yards) plus quarterback Davis Bloemendaal (101 yards rushing, 202 yards passing).
"If the defense gets the ball back, it gives our offense opportunities to score," said Bertram. "Our free safety (Taylor Grote), our linebackers (Bo Solari, Mike O'Neal, Micah Schiller), everyone, our kids are always ripping and stripping the ball and batting down the ball. It comes down to attacking.
"The kids are all over the place, playing their responsibilities. By being disciplined, they're in the right place at the right time. They play for each other. We stress 11 players on the field for 48 minutes and if we do that, it takes all the selfishness out of there."
Bertram's 2005 and 2006 EP-J squads reached South Dakota's 11B semifinals, falling to St. Thomas More each year. He took last year off as he and his brother, Randy, opened Tri-State Windshield Repair, based in Elk Point and Vermillion, S.D.
He didn't watch a single EP-J game last fall, choosing instead to follow former Huskies Curt Truhe and Jason Donnelly in home games at Augustana College in Sioux Falls. It made the 1995 University of South Dakota graduate realize the love he still had for the game. And, when SB-L head coach Chris Zyzda contacted him about an assistant position in April, he jumped at the offer.
Another episode also made Bertram realize how much respect the Huskies had for him. In 2003, he and his wife, Maria, lost a stillborn daughter they named Sarah.
"My wife and I are very close and we helped each other get through it," said Bertram. "I also shared with the team that football means more to me than a game. This was a hard time in my family life and the kids rallied around that. Being with young men, teaching and coaching them, that was part of my medicine."
Rupp also experienced emotion with his club after being named head coach in late March.
"We were in limbo with our weightlifting program," he said. "We had kids working out, but not doing the same things. The first team meeting, I remember telling them we have high expectations with quality kids coming back so we expect to be able to compete.
"If we were going to do this, we wanted to do it between men. It came down to shaking hands with the coach. That meant honor and commitment. There were a lot of handshakes and a lot of kids honoring the commitment."
Senior linebackers Taylor Whitt and Aaron Jansen have 54 and 38 tackles, respectively, for a defense that will be challenged by SB-L senior Paul Saxon, who has rushed for 456 yards and eight touchdowns. Saxon had 165 yards and three TDs in last Friday's 20-7 win over Storm Lake.
"He hits the hole hard and he's tough to bring down," said Rupp. "Sergeant Bluff's a confident team, being 3-0, with a mix of running and throwing the ball. We have to play disciplined against them."
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