Central advances in D-III playoffs
West Hancock connection alive and well for the Dutch
PELLA - With a strong contingent of players and coaches from the West Hancock area, Central College is having another banner football season - one that continues Saturday in the NCAA Division III playoffs.
Former West Hancock players Aaron Rasmussen, a senior stinger; Chad Eisenman, a junior defensive back; and Justin Johnson, a junior slot back and fullback are all on the roster of the Dutch, who will take a 12-0 record into Saturday's home quarterfinal game against Bethel.
Four Central coaches also have West Hancock ties. They include:
€ Defensive coordinator Don DeWaard, a Kanawha High School graduate who has coached at Central for the past 25 years.
€ Receivers and special teams coach Kevin Sanger, a Britt High School graduate who is in his 14th year on the Central staff.
€ Stingers coach Jeff Sanger, a West Hancock High School graduate who is in his fifth year with the program.
€ Student assistant coach Dan Krull, a West Hancock graduate who is in his second year working with the Dutch linebackers.
Central finished the regular season with a 10-0 record and extended its Iowa Conference winning streak to 27 games with a win at Wartburg. The Dutch opened the playoffs with a 38-17 victory over Olivet College of Michigan.
Last weekend, the Dutch exacted revenge over St. John's, the Minnesota school that knocked Central out of the playoffs in 2006, with a 37-7 victory over the Johnnies.
Central was ranked third in the final D3 Coaches Poll while Bethel, which has an 11-1 record, was ranked 10th.
Story created Nov 28, 2007 - 15:51:58 CST.
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