Why the Ballard football team can contend for a 4A playoff spot in 2023
The Ballard football team is hoping to stay healthy and navigate its way through a tough schedule and into the Class 4A playoffs in 2023.
The Bombers are coming off a tough 3-6 season in 2022. They were banged up for much of last year and could not get over the hump in three consecutive close games during the middle of the season.
But with the return of some talented playmakers on both sides of the ball, the Ballard coaching staff feels that if their players stay relatively healthy during the season, the Bombers could finish with a winning record and make it back to the playoffs.
"Our goal will always be to get better every week," said Ballard co-head coach Kyle Howard. "If we do that, we should find ourselves in good shape."
Ballard will run out of the spread on offense and multiple fronts on defense. The Bombers return 15 players with starting experience.
On offense, Ballard brings back leading rusher Eli Rouse and its top two receivers in Chance Lande and Jakson Fleischmann. All three players are entering the senior season.
Rouse ran for 832 yards and 14 touchdowns, and he caught 14 passes for 207 yards and one score in 2022. Lande caught 30 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns while Fleischmann made 19 grabs for 216 yards and three scores.
Junior running back Rhett Hedrick ran for 102 yards last season.
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On the offensive line, seniors Ike Buller, Beau Warg, Alaric Whiting and Ethan Johnson along with junior Henry Christensen all have varsity experience. Junior Mason Gatchel and sophomore Brady Hillebrand are battling for the starting quarterback spot, with Rouse also potentially being in the mix.
The Ballard defense will be anchored by seniors Jack Nelson and Brody Sampson at linebacker. Nelson made 31.5 tackles, seven stops behind the line and a fumble recovery in 2022 while Sampson had 59.5 tackles and 6.5 sacks a year ago.
Junior Jackson Wacha and Hedrick tallied 24 and 18.5 tackles respectively last season at linebacker. Wacha also had 3.5 sacks and Hedrick returned an interception for a touchdown.
Rouse is expected to see time at outside linebacker this season.
Lande, Fleischmann, senior Caleb Sparks and junior Tucker Vizthum will be in the defensive backfield. Last season Lande had 32.5 tackles and three interceptions, Fleischmann posted 25 tackles and one fumble recovery, Sparks added 27 tackles with one interception and fumble recovery apiece while Vizthum contributed 32.5 tackles and one interception.
Christensen, Johnson, Whiting, Warg and Buller will be up front on defense for Ballard. In 2022, Christensen had 37.5 tackles and three sacks and Warg made 14.5 tackles.
"We have great kids," Howard said. "Our kids work incredibly hard and (they) are very coachable. We are so excited to see them take the field this fall."
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Ballard is moving up from Class 3A to 4A this season. The Bombers will be in 4A District 5 along with Adel-Desoto-Minburn, Boone, Des Moines North, Indianola and North Polk.
"In our eyes, the district is wide open," Howard said. "Each team is well-coached and there is a lot of talent throughout the district."
The Bombers play at Indianola on Sept. 22, host North Polk on Sept. 29, go to ADM on Oct. 6 then wrap up the season with home games against Des Moines North (Oct. 13) and Boone (Oct. 20).
Ballard opens the season Friday, Aug. 25 at Pella. The Bombers' home opener is against Humboldt on Sept. 1.
The other non-district games for Ballard are at Creston on Sept. 8 and at home against Dallas Center-Grimes on Sept. 15.
"We will face good competition week in and week out," Howard said. "We must be ready to play every Friday night. Right now our focus is on Pella."
Joe Randleman covers high school sports for the Ames Tribune. Contact him atjrandleman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeRandleman
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: The Ballard football team wants a 4A playoff berth in 2023
