H-M-S 'achieves greatness' during 2021 football season

The 2021 football season at Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn will rank with some of the best in the history of the program.

Records of 8-3 overall and 6-0 in Class A District 1, including two playoff wins, offer some measure the Hawks' accomplishments this fall. But Hawk coach Jay Eilers feels there was more to a successful season than just results on the field.

"Greatness is not about record, it is about people," he said. "We accomplished greatness this year."

There were some oddities about the season. In the same year in which the Hawks scored a record 436 points – including six games with at least 40 – they also surrendered 276. H-M-S allowed a record 73 points to West Sioux and a playoff record 54 to Tri-Center.

Eilers was pleased with how the Hawks performed offensively in light of the fact they were learning a new system.

"I think they exceeded my expectations on how much these young men can take in," he noted. "It was amazing to me the football knowledge they have. That's what we need to continue with our program."

Although they were not a large group, nine seniors played prominent roles in H-M-S's success. Eilers said he appreciates more than just the on-field contributions of Wyatt Borden, Mason Brinkman, Nick Bronstad, Keith DeBoer, Connor Dodd, Jesse Garcia, Keaton Graves, Jordan Ortega and Brenton Thomas.

"Our seniors are great leaders by example. Those kids are amazing," Eilers said. "They are irreplaceable. I'm just thankful for what they've done."

Individual and team statistics through 10 games follow.

• Passing: Kooper Ebel – 27-64, 532 yards, 7 TD, 1 INT; Connor Dodd – 0/1. Team: 27-65, 532, 7 TD, 1 INT.

• Rushing: Dodd – 194-1,636, 23 TD; Ebel – 119-1,216, 18 TD; Travis Kamradt – 28-140; Ryan Borden – 20-123, 1 TD; Ethan Diehm – 16-104, 4 TD; Aiden Espeland – 10-101; James Gellerman – 13-63, 2 TD; Zach Pearson – 2-13. Team: 404-3,374, 49 TD.

• Receiving: Kamradt – 6-150, 2 TD; Mason Brinkman – 6-111, TD; Dodd – 7-107, 4 TD; Borden – 2-88; Keevyn Jacobsma – 5-70; Keaton Graves – 1-6. Team: 27-532, 7 TD.

• Tackles (total/solo, tackles for loss): Ebel – 82.0/61; Kamradt – 80.5/61, 3; Lance Berends – 57.5/43, 10.5; Dodd – 41.5/33; Jacobsma – 36.0/25, 2; Graves – 32.0/23, 1; Gellerman – 26.5/22; Jordan Ortega – 20.5/12, 1; Brenton Thomas – 19.5/14; Landon Elwood – 17.5/14, 1; Brinkman – 17.5/13; Elijah Groeneweg – 16.5/11, 3; Adam Schierholz – 6.0/3; Nick Bronstad – 4.0/4, 1; Diehm – 4.0/4; Evan Eilers – 3.5/3; Keith DeBoer, Spencer McCarter 2.0/2; Ethan Wiersma, Ethan Baker – 1.0/1. Team: 489/376, 67.5 TFL.

• Fumble Recoveries: Ebel – 2; Elwood, Jacobsma – 1.

• Interceptions/Return Yards: Ebel – 4-76; Gellerman – 3-54, TD; Dodd – 2-17; Kamradt – 2-0; Groeneweg – 1-54, TD; Ortega – 1-24, TD; Wiersma – 1-3; Tyson Tessum – 1-0. Team: 15-228, 3 TD.

• Kick Returns: Ebel – 13-433, 3 TD; Dodd – 11-178; Diehm – 2-93, TD; Gellerman – 1-12; McCarter – 1-10; Pearson – 1-5. Team: 29-731, 4 TD.

• Punt Returns: Dodd – 10-217.

• Kicking: Diehm – 31-1,068; Bronstad – 27-1,169; Ortega – 11-252; Gellerman – 1-25. Team: 70-2,514.

• Punting/Avg.: Ortega – 22-835, 38.0; Jacobsma – 2-81, 40.5.

• Conversions-Points: Dodd – 12-24; Ebel – 9-18; Borden, Espeland – 2-4; Gellerman, Jacobsma, Kamradt – 1-2. Team: 28-56.