Norse look to compete at the top of DC
Whitehall coach Tyler Bortle rode on the sled as his players took turns giving him a ride during practice last week. Bortle and the Norse officially begin their season this Friday. (Times photograph by Andrew Dannehy)
After taking a big step by making the playoffs last year, the Whitehall football team has its sights set on the top of the Dairyland Conference.
Coach Tyler Bortle’s squad went 4-6 overall last season, including a 3-4 mark in DC play. That was enough for the Norse to qualify for the playoffs, where the team fell to top-ranked Spring Valley, 42-7 in Level One.
Whitehall graduated quite a few seniors, including several linemen and a couple of impact position players, but Bortle said is looking for his team to take another step.
“The first goal is always to chase the Dairyland Conference championship,” Bortle said. “That is no easy task with the teams at the top, but I think we can start clawing our way up the ladder. We can’t let each other forget the last few years have been about growing the team and surviving. Those things have made us better for the future.”
Now entering his fourth season, Bortle has seen participation grow from the low-20s to 38 players on the roster this year. He suspects the team will pick up a few more players once the school year starts. The seniors have been playing varsity for four years and Bortle hopes that experience pays off.
“This senior class is unique,” Bortle said. “Some started as freshmen even if they weren’t ready for varsity. We had a couple that missed out on JV because we didn’t have a JV schedule because of a lack of players. The bottom line is this whole senior class needs to give it everything they’ve got to contribute to this football team.”
One of the benefits Bortle saw last season was that he was returning the same offensive line group for the third straight season. That will change this year with four of the starters graduating.
Mason Bautch returns along the offensive line as a four-year starter. Other seniors include Jaxon Tollefson, Caden Hansche, Deacon Steig and Conner Stevens.
The team has several juniors who have also been playing since their freshman seasons, including Bo Killian, who was an all-conference selection as a sophomore. Killian ran for 1,342 yards and 16 touchdowns last season, leading the team in both. He already has nearly 2,000 rushing yards in his high school career.
“This year the entire junior class is ready to step up and assist the seniors as we start this season and that comes with good size and skill,” Bortle said. “They have been in the system and working great as a unit so I’m excited to see them on the field with their brothers on Friday nights.”
Another All-DC pick, Caydan Johnston, graduated after averaging 16.8 yards per carry, rushing for 690 yards last season. Johnston was also the team’s leading receiver, catching 32 passes for 405 yards and three touchdowns. The team could look to Devon Hutsell to help replace Johnston. Hutsell came on late last season and finished with 157 yards rushing.
The team also graduated quarterback Mason Pientok, who threw 59 passes last season and contributed in the team’s run-heavy offensive attack.
With Hutsell (43), Riley Herman (31), Przybylla (28), and Hansche (26) the team returns four of its top five tacklers. Herman (3) and Hansche (2.5) were the team’s leaders in quarterback sacks and tied for the team lead in tackles for loss.
Bortle expects Pepin/Alma and Cochrane-Fountain City to be the top teams in the conference, but he thinks Whitehall will be fighting with them or, perhaps, the top spot behind them.
Whitehall’s season begins this Friday with a non-conference game at Colfax. The team hosts Arcadia next week.
