LaPorte: Leader by example

LaPorte Football defensive end and right tackle David Eldridge is seen at his home field in LaPorte Tuesday, August 2, 2011.. | Lisa Schreiber~For Sun-Times Media

Updated: May 9, 2012 9:42AM

Of the many positive attributes that David Eldridge brings to the LaPorte football team, perhaps his most important one is consistency.

In essence, 2010 wasn’t a typical season for the Slicers. True, injuries are always going to afflict teams in the world of contact sports, but the particular injury rate for LaPorte was staggering.

By the time that the Slicers reached the IHSAA tournament, 10 starters were out with various ailments.

In a sometimes perplexing situation, though, Eldridge offered a unique asset to the Slicers.

Last year, 19th-year coach Bob Schellinger decided to experiment with the then-junior’s capabilities. While Eldridge was accustomed to playing on defense (where he played since his sophomore year), he was also penciled in as a right tackle on the offense to go along with his usual spot at defensive end.

“I think I was kind of the experiment last year and it worked well,” said Eldridge of the iron-man role.

Playing so many minutes, the upperclassman was there for highs and the lows. Early in the campaign, before some of the injuries, he even saw the Slicers get agonizingly close to gaining major ground on the region football scene.

After Week 5, when LaPorte beat Duneland Conference rival Lake Central on the road to pick up its first conference win after dropping games to Valparaiso and Chesterton, LaPorte entered the following week’s home game against Merrillville with a 3-2 overall record.

It was a golden chance. Not only were the Pirates an area power, they were also on top of the DAC (entering the game undefeated in three conference games, with a 4-1 overall record). But after a wild back-and-forth affair with multiple ties and an eventual overtime, Merrillville prevailed 42-41.

Adding to the gut-wrenching situation was senior running back Nick Latchford (who ran in one of the scores) leaving in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury.

From there, the squad finished below .500 (at 4-6) and fell in its sectional opener to Elkhart Memorial.

Even though Eldridge considered that sixth week as his personal best, it’s also an example of what he doesn’t want for the team this season — regret over what could’ve been.

“I’m not going to allow us to lose a big game like that in the last few minutes and have to look back it at with regret and wonder, ‘What could our season have been if we would’ve won that game?’,” he said.

For Schellinger, Eldridge has helped pave the way for more of his players to play dual roles this season.

“They can see it can be done and it can be done with success,” he said of the senior’s 58 tackles in 2010 and three quarterback sacks.

With key graduation losses (including Latchford), that two-way consistency is big for the Slicers.

“He’s going to do what’s required of him and he’s going to do it to the best of his ability,” said Schellinger. “And those kind of athletes are fun to be around.”

Coach

Bob Schellinger

Record

At school: 97-91 (19th year)

Overall: 166-136 (36th year)

Last Season

Lost 21-7 to Elkhart Memorial in sectional semifinal.

Key returnees

RB Andrew Schuelke

OL David Eldridge

DE Nick Latham

LB Taylor James

QB Ian Price

WR/S Jared Ross

Key Losses

QB Kyle Hartson

WR/S Emmerson Cooper

WR/S Scott Vaughn

RB Nick Latchford

Season Outlook

While trying to avoid the injury bug that plagued the squad throughout 2010, coach Bob Schellinger also hopes for productivity in a retooling 2011 season.

The Slicers enter this fall without some key players due to graduation. On that list are two offensive cogs, QB Kyle Hartson (who holds a school record 60.1 completion percentage for a season) and RB Nick Latchford (1,411 yards last year). In order to be successful and improve upon last year’s 4-6 finish, it will require many players stepping up to the varsity level. Schellinger is especially looking for a strong replacement at QB, as the program has a history of strength in that department.

“We’ve got to have people step up to the varsity level … Duneland Conference varsity football, which is huge,” he said. “Hopefully we can stay free of injuries, that’s every coach’s wish. We just don’t have the depth chart.”

Postseason

Class 5A Sectional 2 (Fort Wayne Carroll, Elkhart Central, Elkhart Memorial, Goshen, LaPorte, Penn, South Bend Adams, Warsaw)

Schedule

Aug. 19 New Prairie

Aug. 26 at South Bend Clay

Sept. 2 Valparaiso

Sept. 9 at Chesterton

Sept. 16 Lake Central

Sept. 23 at Merrillville

Sept. 30 at Crown Point

Oct. 7 Michigan City

Oct. 14 Portage

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Pos.
2 Steve Bowser 5-9 162 12 WR/DB
3 Nick Latham 6-0 192 12 TE/DE
4 Jared Ross 5-11 153 12 WR/DB
5 Corbin Starks 5-7 132 10 WR/DB
6 Isaiah Owen 5-11 169 12 WR/DB
7 Justin Garrett 6-0 149 12 WR/DB
8 Mike Ash 5-11 136 10 QB
9 Ian Price 6-1 171 12 QB
10 Blake Arnett 5-10 145 10 WR/DB
12 Bronson Severs 5-8 143 11 WR/DB
13 Kyle Johnson 5-8 147 11 WR/DB
14 Chris Kribs 6-1 143 12 WR/DB
15 Taylor James 5-11 202 12 RB/LB
17 Jonah Mason 6-0 196 11 QB
18 John Shuble 5-10 155 10 QB/DB
19 Payton McCoy 6-1 182 12 WR
20 Andrew Schuelke 6-1 201 12 RB/LB
21 Paul Lloyd 5-8 155 12 WR/DB
22 Travon Foster 5-9 143 11 WR/DB
23 Devyn Gliva 5-9 132 11 WR/DB
24 Dillon Latchford 5-8 132 10 RB/DB
25 Matt Kazmierzak 5-9 155 10 WR/DB
26 Rob Collins 5-6 136 10 RB/DB
31 Tyler Smith 5-9 162 12 RB/LB
35 James O’Neal 5-11 167 12 RB/DB
36 Kole Lowery 6-0 161 10 RB/LB
37 Colby Cummins 5-10 180 10 RB/LB
38 Damon Thomas 6-0 172 12 RB/LB
39 Charlie Minich 5-10 180 11 TE/LB
41 Michael Bubalo 6-0 169 12 RB/LB
42 Troy Nelson 5-9 166 12 RB/DB
44 Drew Kessler 6-1 177 10 RB/LB
45 Miguel Barron 5-10 172 12 RB/LB
46 Kody Harlow 6-0 182 11 TE/LB
47 Will Burgess 5-10 171 12 RB/LB
48 Joe Maroney 5-10 174 11 RB/LB
52 Ben Standifer 6-2 203 11 OL/DL
53 Bobby Prather 5-7 183 11 OL/LB
54 Austin Epple 6-2 221 12 OL/DL
55 David Eldridge 6-2 197 12 OL/DL
57 Caleb Stewart 5-11 186 11 OL/DL
58 Jake Evans 6-0 208 12 OL/DL
60 Jake Ott 5-9 204 12 OL/DL
62 Mike Shuble 6-0 223 11 OL/DL
63 Jonah Carriveau 6-1 209 11 OL/DL
66 Brandt Niles 6-1 255 11 OL/DL
67 Eli Voelker 5-9 218 10 OL/DL
69 Brandon Rhodes 6-1 329 12 OL/DL
72 Devyn Favia 6-2 223 10 OL/DL
73 Shawn Skinner 6-0 266 11 OL/DL
75 Nick Romano 5-11 227 10 OL/DL
76 Nick Ackerman 6-0 245 12 OL/DL
79 Paul Gary 6-2 181 12 OL/DL
80 Jeromey Holmquist 6-0 156 10 TE/DB
81 Kasey Kozlowski 5-11 166 12 WR/DB
85 Pierce Lullenberg 6-2 137 10 WR/DB
86 Will Dykstra 6-3 182 11 TE/DE
87 Jacob Fargo 5-10 176 10 TE/LB
89 Ethan Norris 6-2 176 10 TE/DE
90 Markus Qualls 5-5 191 10 OL/DL
93 Austin Johnson 6-1 184 12 OL/DL
95 Joe Loera 5-7 205 12 OL/DL
97 Christian Terusiak 6-2 175 12 OL/DL

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