Published: May 30, 2009 01:28 am      

Berries head to college

5 Logan seniors to take grid careers to next level

Logansport’s football program has five recently-graduated seniors who will be playing the game at the next level.

Derek Rowe has signed with Wabash College, Joel Konkle has signed with the University of Indianapolis and Bailey Allen, Matt Ervin and Dustin Brook have each signed with Manchester College.

“Obviously we’re proud of the kids,” Logansport coach Bucky Kramer said. “They’ve worked hard and have done the things we expect them to do. They want to keep playing, and that’s exciting for these guys.

“All these guys are college-level material. They’re student-athletes, and they understand they’re students first and athletes second. They’ve proven that at Logansport. They’re good kids from good families, and I appreciate what they’ve done for our program. And we’re going to continue to follow these guys, like all the guys we have playing college football. We’ve got a large group playing at the college level, and we appreciate what they’ve all done for us.”

Rowe, the Berries’ 5-foot-9, 185-pound starting quarterback this past season, rushed for 828 yards and 11 touchdowns and passed for 483 yards and eight TDs his senior season despite missing nearly two full games with a hip flexor injury.

“They have recruited Derek as an athlete,” Kramer said. “He’s an impact player and he’ll make an impact wherever he plays, whether it’s at receiver or maybe a little tailback or maybe as a returner.”

Konkle, a 6-5, 260-pound offensive tackle for the Berries, will play on the offensive line at U of I.

“Joel’s a great kid, a great program kid,” Kramer said. “He’s a big, strong kid with a great work ethic.”

Manchester is bringing in three Logan products in Allen, Ervin and Brook.

“Manchester got the steal of the century with those three,” Kramer said.

Allen, a 6-5, 250-pound defensive lineman for the Berries, was second on the team in tackles (62), tackles for a loss (5) and sacks (1) and was first in quarterback hurries (17).

“I know they were looking at Bailey earlier as an offensive lineman-type,” Kramer said. “He played defense for us the past couple years and his senior year he split as both. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on either side of the ball at Manchester.”

Ervin, a 5-10, 180-pound linebacker for Logan, was third on the team in tackles (65). He added three tackles for a loss and an interception.

“Matt Ervin will be looking at playing at defensive back, maybe outside linebacker once he’s in college,” Kramer said.

Brook, a 5-10, 165-pound starting linebacker for the Berries, had 27 tackles and an interception this past season.

“Dustin will be a utility athlete for them,” Kramer said. “He doesn’t have the size to play linebacker yet, but he does have speed and strength.

“I think all those guys will develop into good college football players.”

Beau Wicker is the sports editor of the Pharos-Tribune. He can be reached at (574) 732-5113 or beau.wicker@pharostribune.com