Citizen Staff/James Wold
BD's Hank Jacobs (77) was named LTC Lineman of the Year in 2008.
Beaver Dam right tackle Hank Jacobs' impact on the Golden Beavers this season was as big as his 6-foot-6, 285-pound frame.
In the six games he started and finished, BD averaged 259.2 yards of offense per game, including a season-high 452 yards against Watertown Luther Prep.
In the final three games of the season — Jacobs was hurt in the first quarter against Hartford — the Golden Beavers totaled 413 yards.
With that type of impact, it was no question why Jacobs was named the Little Ten's 2008 Lineman of the Year.
"When his injury hit at Hartford, our offense really struggled that night," BD head coach Tim White said. "He was the energy of our offense. He was a motivational leader for us."
A three-year starter on BD's offensive line, Jacobs embraced the team's change to a zone-blocking scheme.
"Hank's a real student of the game," White said. "He watched a lot of film and prepared himself for every opponent.
"He's a tenacious kid who wasn't afraid to challenge himself."
Jacobs' blocking helped fellow three-year varsity player Devin Kellenberger also pick up first-team LTC honors. The senior tailback rushed for 719 yards (102.7 yards per game) and had nine touchdowns in conference play.
His biggest conference games came at home against West Bend West and Slinger. Against the Spartans, Kellenberger scored five times while rushing for 193 yards in a 35-0 win. Two weeks later against the Owls, he piled up 224 yards and a pair of scores in a 28-12 victory.
"Devin's a real talent," White said. "He's a threat from anywhere on the field. He's got great vision and balance and he made a real difference for us."
Kellenberger carried the ball 70 fewer times than a season earlier — something White credits to the zone-blocking scheme.
"The new scheme was a big difference for him," White said. "Last year, we ran more of a power-I formation and he had to tough out yards.
"This year, we got him to play in space and make a guy miss. As a defense, you had to focus in on him."
BD's third first-team player was senior linebacker Craig Rossow. In a league with talented linebackers like Tyler Dippel of Hartford — the conference's Back of the Year — and Oconomowoc's Paul Swan, Rossow could hold his own. The three-year player shattered the school's tackles record, finishing with 287 in his career.
"He was the heart and soul of our defense," White said. "His overall athleticism really came to the forefront this year.
"In the Little Ten, he's been in the shadow of some really great linebackers like Dippel, Swan and (2007 AP Player of the Year) Damon Campbell from Wisconsin Lutheran. It's nice for him to be rewarded."
BD's lone second-team player was defensive back Mitch Aplin, who was the team's big hitter in the secondary. Aplin had two interceptions — taking one back for a touchdown.
"Mitch's become a real student of the game," White said. "He's got that natural instinct to find the football."
Honorable mentions went to Matt Haase, Nick Esquivel and Dusty Blanchard.
Little Ten Conference
All-LTC Football 2008
First team
Offense: Quarterback - Nick Makowski, Sr., West Bend East; Running backs - Devin Kellenberger, Sr., Beaver Dam; Frank Spath, Sr., Wisconsin Lutheran. Wide receivers - Trevor Marks, Sr., Oconomowoc; Brandon Jacobson, Sr., West Bend East; Tight end - Corey Henne, Sr., Wisconsin Lutheran; Linemen - Hank Jacobs, Sr., Beaver Dam; Dylan Druch, Sr., Hartford; Steven Kenitz, Jr., Hartford; Andrew Rumler, Sr., Wisconsin Lutheran; Eric Zeitler, Jr., Wisconsin Lutheran; Kicker - Nick Falkowski, Sr., Wisconsin Lutheran.
Defense: Linemen - Nicholas Broadway, Sr., Hartford; Beau Reuhlow, Sr., Watertown; Tyree Roberts, Sr., Wisconsin Lutheran; Ends - Jacob Vogt, Sr., Hartford; Luke Sebald, Jr., Wisconsin Lutheran; Linebacker - Craig Rossow, Sr., Beaver Dam; Tyler Dippel, Sr., Hartford; Paul Swan, Sr., Oconomowoc; Backs - Mark Cadena, Sr., Hartford; Nicholas Malinowski, Jr., Hartford; Tim Filter, Sr., Wisconsin Lutheran; Punter - Alex Burkel, Jr., Slinger.
Lineman of the Year - Hank Jacobs, Beaver Dam.
Back of the Year - Tyler Dippel, Hartford.
Second team
Offense: Quarterback - Jordan Stephens, Sr., Hartford; Running backs - Austin Krueger, Sr., Hartford; Bryan Webb, Jr., Wisconsin Lutheran; Wide receivers - David Johnson, Sr., Hartford; Nathan Apel, Sr., Hartford; Tight end - Des Smith, Sr., Watertown; Linemen - Jake Jungbluth, Sr., Oconomowoc; Shane Hicks, Sr., Oconomowoc; Jake Schall, Jr., Slinger; Beau Reuhlow, Sr., Watertown; Dylan Sincere, Sr., West Bend West.
Defense: Jake Jungbluth, Sr., Oconomowoc; Matt Guerndt, Sr., Slinger; Andy Kusch, Sr., West Bend East; Ends - Ken Boudwine, Sr., Slinger; Dylan Sincere, Sr., West Bend West; Ben Bissett, Sr., Hartford; Paul Klotz, Sr., West Bend East; Beau Becker, Sr., West Bend West; Jesse Stannard, Jr., Wisconsin Lutheran; Backs - Mitch Aplin, Jr., Beaver Dam; Jeremy Wiedmeyer, Sr., West Bend West; Ryan Berezowitz, Sr., Wisconsin Lutheran.
Area honorable mention: Beaver Dam - Matt Haase, Nick Esquivel, Dusty Blanchard.