Berg led Baldwin on a magic ride
Baldwin High football coach Mike Berg knew his team’s 4-5 record last season was an anomaly. He just had to make sure it didn’t happen again.
Determined to right the ship, the 10th-year coach scrapped his old offense in favor of the single-wing formation this year. The offense is known for being run-oriented – something Berg hoped would suit Baldwin well this year while having no varsity experience at the quarterback position.
The switch paid dividends as the Bulldogs rushed for more than 3,000 yards, blasting their way to a 10-3 record and their first Class 4A state semifinal appearance in 19 years. It also earned Berg selection as the Journal-World’s all-area football coach of the year.
“Going into this season, I knew we had a special group of kids,” Berg said. “I just keep going back to our seniors because they were such a special group of guys that took it upon themselves. They did not like 4-5, and they said, ‘We’re going to work hard and get the younger kids to follow us.’ So it was a total team effort.”
Eudora High football coach Gregg Webb, whose Cardinals team lost to Baldwin, 20-19, this season, said Berg had plenty to do with his team’s turnaround.
“He’s a great leader, and he gets his kids to know what they’re supposed to do,” Webb said. “Every year that we play them, their kids have been tough as nails. They’ve got a leader that instills great pride in their program, and everybody kind of rallies around it. That makes for a great coach.”
Behind Berg, Baldwin advanced the farthest it had since a 1988 state runner-up finish. In the Class 4A semis, the Bulldogs came within one touchdown of returning to the championship.
“We’ve had some really good teams in my 10 years, but we have never gotten past the sectional game,” Berg said. “Being in the top four out of 64 is pretty special.”
Berg said the key to his team’s success was the players’ work ethic and their level of coachability. Berg helped instill a toughness in his team by adopting the motto, “Don’t accept being average.”
“As a coach, you get what you demand,” Berg said. “We demanded that they look better than they did the day before. When you demand that, it’s going to happen.”
Journal-World All-area First-teamers
Craig Rosenstengle Free State
Rosenstengle finished the season second in total offense in the Sunflower League. On the ground, he totaled 754 yards and 14 touchdowns on 105 carries. Through the air, he completed 80 of 166 passes for 1,150 yards and eight touchdowns.
Chucky Hunter Free State
A threat to score any time he touched the ball, Hunter rushed for 1,090 yards with 16 TDs on 168 carries. He added 13 catches for 126 yards and also was a dynamic kick returner.
Ryder Werts Free State
Werts made his presence known on offense and defense for the Firebirds this season. As a linebacker, he made 67 tackles, with nine of them going for a loss, and forced two fumbles. On offense, he had 117 yards receiving for one touchdown and 252 yards rushing for five TDs.
Tyler Hunt Lawrence High
The Lions’ workhorse carried the ball 111 times for 684 yards and eight touchdowns. He also started at linebacker all season and often was asked to carry the load on both sides of the ball because of injuries. Hunt was also the team’s punter.
Shane Gimzo Perry-Lecompton
Gimzo was a first-team Kaw Valley League pick on offense and second team on defense this season. On offense, the quarterback rushed for 899 yards with 10 touchdowns and passed for 893 yards with 11 touchdowns. On defense, he had 94 total tackles, with seven of those going for a loss.
Caleb Denton Perry-Lecompton
Denton also was a first team Kaw Valley League pick this season, finishing the year with 78 total tackles and nine tackles for a loss. He also had five interceptions. On offense, he had 426 rushing yards, nine touchdowns on the ground and two more TDs receiving, all despite missing four games due to a broken thumb.
Erik Hill De Soto
Named all-area and honorable mention all-state a year ago as a tight end, Hill was forced to move into the starting quarterback role this season despite never playing the position. He threw for 1,078 yards with 10 touchdowns and had 80 carries for 520 yards rushing and three touchdowns, improving De Soto’s season record by one game over last year.
Luke Weaver Baldwin
A 6-foot, 200-pound linebacker, Weaver led the Bulldogs with 134 tackles and had five tackles for a loss. He caused one fumble and recovered a fumble while leading a defense that gave up just 2.8 yards per carry against the run.
Jared Hall Baldwin
Hall was a dual threat on offense and defense this season. He tallied 76 tackles, with 12 of them going for a loss. He also had four sacks and two tipped passes. On offense, he rushed for more than 1,200 yards with 14 touchdowns. He was also extremely reliable. In nearly 200 carries, he didn’t fumble once.
Cameron Cauthon Santa Fe Trail
Cauthon led the Kaw Valley League in tackles in each of the past two seasons. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound linebacker had 129 total tackles with four sacks this year. That included a 24-tackle performance in the regular-season finale against Hayden.
Morgan Abel Eudora
Abel was a three-year starter for Eudora’s defense. This season, he made 60 tackles, with 15 coming for a loss despite drawing double teams on virtually every play. He led a defense that held teams to 180 yards a game and was named the Cardinals’ defensive MVP.
Mike Sledd Eudora
At 6-foot-3 and 295 pounds, Sledd was an intimidating force on Eudora’s offensive line. A three-year starter, he anchored an offense that averaged over 2,500 yards per year rushing and more than 40 points a game. He also was named to his all-conference team in each of the past three seasons.
Honorable Mention:
Scott Williams, Free State; Joel Gantz, Perry-Lecompton; Clinton Smethers, Mike Sprowl and Shane Miller, De Soto; Beau Elder and Sam Beecher, Baldwin; Cameron Adcox, Tonganoxie; Cody Godshall and Jesse Bahner, Santa Fe Trail; Mark Stewart and Ryan Smith, McLouth; Matthew Abel and Travis Clarke, Eudora; Michael Kay Veritas Christian.