2012 News Archive

Rampage to play 4 home games this season
Local minor league football team ranked in top 50 nationally by two polling outlets
By Troy Banning, DFJ Sports Editor
March 2, 2012
WEBSTER CITY - Spring and summer football is coming back to Webster
City, as the Midwest Rampage recently
released its schedule for the upcoming
2012 season.
The Rampage will kick off its minor
league football campaign on Saturday,
May 5 against the Polk County Pulse in
Des Moines. The black and orange will
make its first home appearance on Saturday, May 12 when it hosts the Minnesota Spartans at 4 p.m.
Other home games will be against the
Quad City Wolfpack on Saturday, June
2; the defending Midwest Football Alliance champion Des Moines Blaze on
Saturday, July 7; and a week later on
Saturday, July 14 against the Pella Knights.
The Rampage dropped the MFA championship game to the Blaze, 41-10, last August at Valley Stadium in West
Des Moines, and both teams enter the 2012 season ranked in the top 50 nationally. The Minor League Football
News computer rankings have the Blaze at No. 4 and the Rampage at No. 48 in the country, while the National
Coaches Poll have the Blaze No. 6 and the Rampage No. 50.
There are a total of 488 minor league football teams in the country that play in summer and fall leagues.
The MFA will expand to two divisions this season. The Rampage and Blaze will be housed in the East Division
alongside the Quad City Raiders, the Pella Knights and the Minnesota Spartans (Minneapolis).
The West Division will be comprised of the Iowa Sharks (Sutherland), the Capital City Crush (Lincoln, Neb.), the
Dakota Warriors (Sioux Falls, S.D.), the Sioux Falls Stallions, and the Twin City Bulls (Omaha, Neb.)
Lawdawgs forfeit to Rampage, opener pushed back
Webster City team will now begin 2012 season at home on May 12
By Troy Banning, DFJ Sports Editor
May 1, 2012
WEBSTER CITY - The games will have to wait.
The Midwest Rampage, Webster City’s own minor league
football franchise, announced on Sunday that its scheduled
season-opener against the Nebraska Lawdawgs in Norfolk
(NE), on the docket for Saturday, has been cancelled due to
conflicts with facilities at the home base of the Lawdawgs.
Consequently, the Lawdawgs have forfeited to the Rampage who their first win of the 2012 season, 2-0.
Rampage middle linebacker John Elkin, a 6-year veteran of minor league football, said of the the forfeit: “Well,
it first started off by the Lawdawgs owner, Jordan Taylor, telling us to ‘take it easy on us because I have a young
team that’s only practiced for two weeks.’ Then it progressed to him saying they were going to move the field to
another location that didn’t have goal posts--ironic because in the previous conversation I had with him he was
talking about how good our kicker, Chuck Tack, was.” Elkin then continued, “Then, Taylor called back two days
later to say he wouldn’t have referrees at the game and the while we could call the contest a game, he was considering it only a scrimmage. When I questioned him about the no goal posts, no refs, and no official standing issues,
he basically said he knew we were going to win and then backed out of the game.”
Phone calls to Lawdawgs owner Jordan Taylor were not returned.
The Rampage will now hold an intrasquad scrimmage at Stampede Stadium on Saturday, beginning at 2 p.m. Fans
are invited to come out and get a first-hand look at what the Rampage has to offer this season.
The orange and black will officially open the season at home on Saturday, May 12, against the Minnesota Spartans
at 4 p.m.
It’s all the Rage
Rampage return, focused on winning MFA title
By Troy Banning, DFJ Sports Editor
May 10, 2012
WEBSTER CITY - At 41 years of age, John Elkin should have football out of
his system. But the harder he tries to put it in his past, the more the game drags
him back to the present.
Besides, he wants to finish what he and his teammates started.
After announcing he was retiring from the game following the Midwest Football
Alliance championship game last August, the veteran middle linebacker of the
Midwest Rampage had a change of heart over the winter months. Yes, he’s back
for the black and orange, as are 28 other players and a total of 18 starters off last
year’s 7-4 team that fell one win short of its ultimate goal of winning a league
title.
The Rampage will open their 2012 season on Saturday at Stampede Stadium in
Webster City against the Minnesota Spartans. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m.
“There’s the nostalgia factor of finishing what we started, and that means bringing home a championship,” Elkin, who was the top tackler in the MFA a season
ago, said. “We have the talent to beat anybody this year, and our goal is to beat
everybody.” That includes the reigning league champion Des Moines Blaze, who is yearly one of the premier minor league football organizations in the country.
But first-year Rampage head coach Marty Hart has plenty of talent on his roster. Running back Monterio Poe, the team’s leading
rusher a season ago, returns as does the bulk of his offensive line. Wide receiver Andy Goeb the second-leading receiver in the
MFA in 2011 is back as well, as is former UNI Panther Alonzo Clayton.
The Rampage will turn the quarterback duties over to first-year player Erik Ingelin, who played college football at Minnesota
Duluth.
Ben Wolford will take over the duties as the offensive coordinator. He is a former Drake signal caller. “First and foremost, we
would like to establish the run and go from there,” Wolford said. “It’s that simple.”
The defense was the strength of the team last summer, and that unit returns eight starters, including defensive backs Andy Sowle
and Dirk Timm, linebacker Ross Haren and defensive tackle Brian Miller all veterans of the organization. One new face that is
sure to make waves is outside linebacker Terrance Freeney, a former All-American running back at UNI. He was a finalist for the
Walter Payton Award - the FCS equivalent of the Heisman Trophy - during his days in a Panthers’ uniform.
“Freeney is a big acquisition because he’s another guy on the team with pro experience,” Elkin said. “He’s got a lot of enthusiasm
and he can hit like a truck.” Andrew Crenshaw is another offseason pickup that will play a vital role in the secondary. The free
safety played collegiately at Iowa State.
“Freeney and Crenshaw make our defense a lot better,” Elkin said.
Veteran kicker/punter Chuck Tack will also make his return to the field for the Rampage, and Elkin says his value cannot be
quantified. He has the ability to connect from beyond 50 yards, and his kicking and punting abilities will play a major role in field
position.
The Rampage will also play at home on June 2 against the Quad City Wolfpack; June 30 against the Des Moines Blaze; July 7
against the Quad City Raiders; and July 14 against the Pella KnightsThe MFA playoffs will begin on Aug. 4, with the championship game scheduled for Aug. 18.
Rookie QB tosses 2 TDs as Rampage win season
opener over Spartans
McNiel, Schaa reach end zone; Black Plague Defense does the rest
By Troy Banning, DFJ Sports Editor
May 15, 2012
WEBSTER CITY - Marty Hart’s debut at the helm of the Midwest Rampage featured a ball control offense and a
stingy defense, as the black and orange opened its season with a victory on Saturday at Stampede Stadium.
Despite facing a team with three games already under its belt, the Rampage (2-0) controlled the Midwest Football
Alliance contest from the opening kick en route to a 14-7 win over the Minnesota Spartans (0-4).
First-year quarterback Eric Ingelin threw for a pair of touchdowns and finished 13 of 21 for 201 yards. The Rampage out-gained the Spartans 302 to 223, and only 33 of the Spartans’ yards came on the ground. The Rampage
defense - which calls itself the Black Plague Defense - rolled up seven tackles for loss and only 12 of the Spartans’
24 rushing attempts went for positive yards.
The Rampage did all the scoring it would need in the second quarter. Early in the period, Ingelin found wide receiver Chris McNiel open on a short route, and the veteran wide out did the rest as he out-ran the defense down
the sideline for a 67-yard touchdown.
The Rampage got the ball back with 1:45 remaining in the quarter and proceeded to drive 65 yards, capped off by
an 11-yard touchdown toss from Ingelin to Dan Schaa.
Chuck Tack added the extra points to send the Rampage into
the break ahead 14-0.
An 11-minute third quarter drive by the Rampage netted no
points, but it kept the Spartans’ offense on the sideline. The
visitors finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter.
Schaa lumbered for 58 ground yards on 11 carries to pace the
Rampage, which finished with 101 yards rushing.
McNiel caught a team-high seven passes for 145 yards, and
Andy Goeb added five receptions for 61 yards.
As it was all of last season, the Rampage defense was salty.
The unit held up on two goal-line stands and the Spartans also
came up empty on two other occasions when they had short
fields.
Longtime middle linebacker John Elkin and newcomer Terrance Freeny led the defense with nine tackles each.
Defensive back Andy Sowle had five tackles.
The Rampage - last year’s MFA runner-up - will head to Pella on Saturday to take on the Pella Knights at 7 p.m.
Rampage blanked in Pella
Uncharacteristic turnovers, season-ending injury befall Black and Orange on road
By Troy Banning, DFJ Sports Editor
May 22, 2012
PELLA- A sub-par night on the field and a season-ending injury to one of its stars made for a painful evening for
the Midwest Rampage Saturday in Pella.
The host Knights reached the end zone twice in the first half and forced three turnovers en route to a 20-0 victory
over the Rampage in Midwest Football Alliance play.
The Rampage (2-1) lost former UNI All-American and linebacker Terrance Freeney for the season when he suffered a broken leg while trying to make a tackle.
Quarterback Ben Wolford, whose primary servers as the Rampage’s offensive coordinator, came off the bench in
an emergency capacity after an injury to starter Yance Childs and completed 12 of 22 passes for 133 yards to lead
the Rampage aerial assault. Chris McNiel had nine catches for 106 yards; Andy Goeb hauled in seven receptions
for 68 yards.
Dan Schaa carried the ball 10 times and lumbered for 52 yards. Rampage kicker Chuck Tack, who drives from
Omaha (NE) to play for the black and orange, barely missed field goal attempts of 51, 55, and 61 yards.
Linebackers Ross Haren and John Elkin both had seven tackles, and Herb Bolden was in on six stops. Andy Sowle
forced a fumble that was recovered by Brian Miller.
The Rampage return home in two weeks to take on the River City Warriors who will travel from Burlington, Iowa.
Kickoff is at 4:00 pm.
Rampage sends Warriors home beaten down,
improves to 3-1
Five different rushers score at least one TD, black and orange finishes with 355 yards of offense
By Troy Banning, DFJ Sports Editor
May 5, 2012
WEBSTER CITY - The players had two weeks to stew
on a miserable night of football, and it finally boiled
over Saturday.
On the field for the first time since a 20-0 loss to the
Pella Knights on May 19, the Midwest Rampage exorcised their frustrations at the expense of the winless
River City Warriors at Stampede Stadium. Webster
City’s minor league football organization rolled up 355
yards of total offense and scored on nine of its 10 possessions in a 64-0 thumping of the Warriors (0-3), who
made the long trip from Burlington.
The win propelled the Rampage to 3-1 in the Midwest
Football Alliance, and its record will expand to 4-1 on
Saturday after the organization picks up a forfeit win
over the now-defunct Minnesota Spartans.
“We played well and we have a lot of respect for (the Warriors) because they drove four hours with 20 guys,” Rampage
middle linebacker John Elkin said. “They could have easily said we’re not going to show up and play, but they played tough
the entire game.”
The Rampage chewed up 310 yards on the ground; Louis Taylor led the five-back charge with 108 yards and two touchdowns
on five carries. Monterio Poe and Dan Schaa churned out 67 and 66 yards, respectively, and both scored one time; Marcus
Hilliard gained 52 yards while reaching the end zone three times; and RJ Higgins added 17 yards and one touchdown.
The ground game was so strong that the Rampage attempted just four passes. Starter Erik Ingelin competed one throw to
Chris McNiel for 45 yards.
The Rampage built a 21-0 lead after one quarter and a 41-0 cushion at the half. Taylor scored on runs of 30 and 23 yards
during the initial 30 minutes. Schaa broke free on a 17-yard touchdown, Hilliard celebrated after sprints of 7 and 21 yards,
and Poe added a 3-yard rumble to the house.
Higgins scored twice in the second half from 14 and 2 yards out.
The Rampage defense joined in the fun as well. Veteran cornerback Andy Sowle recorded a safety early in the third quarter,
and linebacker Ross Haren picked off a pass and went 37 yards the other way.
Kicker Chuck Tack was 8 for 8 on extra points, breaking his franchise record of seven PATs in a game.
Haren led the Black Plague defense with 6 tackles, including two sacks. Elkin had 5 stops and he recovered a fumble. Brian
Miller also had a sack and Herb Bolden had in interception.
The Rampage will return to the field on Saturday, June 9 when it faces the Minnesota Spartans in Minnesota with a scheduled kickoff of 7:00 pm. The Rampage beat the Spartans 14-7 earlier this year.
Spartans forfeit to Rampage
Minnesota jumps ship to another league after 0-4 start as members of the MFA
By Troy Banning, DFJ Sports Editor
June 11, 2012
WEBSTER CITY - Rampage linebacker John Elkin wasn’t the only one who had an inkling after their 14-7 seasonopening victory on May 12 against the Minnesota Spartans that a second meeting between the two teams wouldn’t
happen.
“In regards to being teammates to one another and acting as a unit, they were one of the worst teams I’ve ever played
against,” the veteran linebacker said. “They yelled at each other constantly and at halftime a few of them almost got
into a fight. I just had this feeling we wouldn’t be seeing them again.”
Elkin’s premonition, along with the reality of the Spartans losing their first four games by a combined score of 149-28,
made it so the Spartans not only backed out of their upcoming game with the Rampage, but also then withdrew from
the Midwest Football Alliance and immediately joined a league based in Minnesota.
“It’s unfortunate,” said MFA League Liason Roscoe Lewis, “that the Spartans aren’t going to honor both their membership and schedule commitment to the MFA... other teams and organizations are counting on them showing up to games
and the fact that they are quitting the MFA because they started 0-3 in the league is a very poor excuse to quit.”
The Rampage now improve to 4-1 and next play the Quad City Raiders at Pleasant Valley High School in Bettendorf,
Iowa, with a scheduled kickoff of 7 pm.
Rampage dig 18-point hole early, can’t climb out
against Raiders
Elkin returns to hometown and leads defense with 16 tackles including QB sack, fumble recovery
By Troy Banning, DFJ Sports Editor
June 20, 2012
BETTENDORF - The Midwest Rampage would love to have the
first 5 minutes, 16 seconds of the first quarter back. Then, just maybe, the players would have been celebrating on their long drive
home rather than licking their wounds. A disastrous start in rainy
conditions was too much for the Rampage to overcome on Saturday, as the black and orange tumbled to the Quad City Raiders,
18-6, at Pleasant Valley High School.
The Raiders notched a safety and two touchdowns in the first 5
minutes of play to build an 18-0 lead - one they never came close
to relinquishing. “We came out flat and allowed the first 6 minutes
to doom us for the next 54 (minutes),” Rampage head coach Marty
Hart said. “I’m proud of the team for playing tough the last 3 quarters, but it takes four full quarters to win a game.”
Quad City (2-2) took advantage of a botched kickoff return in the game’s opening seconds to record a safety, and the Raiders immediately went on the attack on the ensuing kick. Quarterback Rob Jones hooked up with Marcus Terry on a 36-yard
touchdown toss, and Jones ran in the 2-point conversion to extend the Raiders’ lead to 10-0.
The Rampage (4-2) went three and out on its next possession, and a botched punt again but the Raiders in business in enemy
territory. Jones went to Terry once again, this time on an 18-yard pass to the house, and after Jourdan Coley rumbled in
on the 2-point conversion it was Quad City feeling confident with an 18-0 cushion with 9:44 remaining in the first quarter.
Jones completed 9 of 17 passes in the game for 151 yards. Terry hauled in three catches for 65 yards, and Terrance Reid was
the favored target; he caught four balls for 74 yards.
Following a 1-hour, 10-minute rain delay, the Rampage defense dug in and held the Raiders at bay throughout the rest of the
contest. But the offense continued to sputter until the fourth quarter when the visitors attempted to rally.
The Rampage moved the ball inside the Raiders’ 20-yard line midway through the final period, but quarterback Erik Ingelin
was picked off, and it allowed Quad City to chew valuable minutes off the clock. Ingelin finally got the Rampage on the
board later in the quarter on a 20-yard strike to Chris McNiel. Ingelin completed 7 of 16 passes for 96 yards overall. McNiel
reeled in four catches for 51 yards and Alonzo Clayton caught three passes that covered 31 yards.
The Rampage ground game was limited to just 30 total yards, 21 coming from Marcus Hilliard on seven carries. The team
played without leading rusher Dan Schaa, and wide receiver Andy Goeb was also absent.
Veteran linebacker John Elkin - making his return to Bettendorf, where he was an all-state player for the Bulldogs during his
prep days - made a game-high 16 tackles. He had 10 solo stops, a sack and a fumble recovery.
DJ Erkenbrack was in on 8 tackles, and Herb Bolden collected eight. Ross Haren and Brian Miller both had six, and Miller
sacked Jones three times.
The Rampage will take this weekend off, as it prepares for its toughest test of the season on Saturday, June 30 against the
reigning Midwest Football Alliance champion Des Moines Blaze. It will start a three-week homestand for the black and
orange.
Rampage unable to extinguish Blaze
Top-ranked team in country reels off 26 points in final quarter to pull away
By Troy Banning, DFJ Sports Editor
June 30, 2012
WEBSTER CITY -The heat - 94 degrees at kickoff - was bad
enough. The Blaze, well, that was simply destructive.
The Des Moines Blaze - the top-ranked minor league football
team in the country, according to various publications - entered Stampede Stadium on Saturday and took Webster City’s
own Midwest Rampage behind the woodshed for an old-fashioned spanking, 47-0, in a rematch of the inaugural Midwest
Football Alliance championship game won by the Blaze last
August.
With all-league quarterback DeMareo Darrah doing what he
wanted, when he wanted, the Blaze (9-0) piled up a teamrecord 611 yards against the usually stout Rampage defense.
Darrah completed 20 of 27 passes for 395 yards and five
touchdowns - tying his own franchise record for TD tosses in
a game. He would have had six, but Rampage defender Herb
Bolden stepped in front of a pass in the end zone for a secondquarter interception.
Randy Blackford - another all-league talent - was on the receiving end of eight balls from Darrah for 213 yards which
was, yes, another team record. Blackford capped off a 26point fourth quarter with a 90-yard touchdown reception from
Darrah to add a little fresh salt to the already gaping wound on
the Rampage (4-3) psyche.
Blaze rookie running back Larry Taylor churned out a franchise-best 169 yards on the ground, scoring once from 15 yards
out. He also caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from Darrah.
Rampage linebackers D.J. Erkenbrack and John Elkin led the defensive unit with 10.5 and seven tackles, respectively. The
black and orange lost three defensive stalwarts in the second half to injury - Tyler Mosbach and Brian Miller suffered concussions, and Tierre Pettigrew limped off with a hamstring injury - and Elkin says the combination of injuries and chasing
Darrah for four quarters eventually took a toll.
“(Darrah) is built like a linebacker, he’s as fast as a receiver, and he’s a pretty darned good quarterback, too,” Elkin said.
“DeMareo is what drives that team ... he’s that good.
“We played with them in the first half (it was 14-0 at the intermission), but they made good adjustments in the fourth quarter
and we were a skeleton crew by then.”
The Rampage offense was also hit hard by injuries. Veteran center Jay Smith suffered a torn ACL on the first play from
scrimmage - an injury that will sideline him for the season - and quarterback Erik Ingelin was forced off the field in the third
quarter, leaving the signal caller duties to offensive coordinator and part-time player Ben Wolford.
Ingelin completed 7-of-13 passes for 82 yards before his exit, and Wolford was 2-of-6 passing for 12 yards. Wolford was
also picked off twice.
Rampage playoff spot dwindles with loss to Raiders
QC Raiders score winning touchdown with 1:33 left, spoil 4th-quarter comeback
By Troy Banning, DFJ Sports Editor
July 7, 2012
WEBSTER CITY - Any hope the Midwest Rampage had of returning
to the Midwest Football Alliance championship game this season dissolved into thin air last Saturday at Stampede Stadium.
Truth be told, simply reaching the playoffs doesn’t appear to be in
the cards. After clawing back to take a 25-20 lead midway through
the fourth quarter, the Rampage were unable to stop the Quad City
Raiders, who notched a safety and then a late touchdown to secure a
30-25 victory. The loss dropped the Rampage to 4-4 overall and team
members know that it would now take a miracle to claim one of the
six playoff positions.
“It’s disappointing for the Rampage to go from playing in the championship game last season to not being in the playoffs this year,” Rampage veteran middle linebacker John Elkin said. “A large part of having success is getting lucky and having things bounce your way. Last
year we didn’t have a single season-ending injury to any player, but
this year we’ve had a multitude of them. Also, teams were gunning for
us and oftentimes the ball bounced their way when last year it went
our way. That’s why we play the game.”
Elkin suffered a separated shoulder and AC sprain in the middle of the
third quarter and after playing two more series, took himself out of
the game. “At that point because we were doing so well, I personally
didn’t want to hurt the team and jeopardize a victory if I wasn’t able to
play at a certain level.” Elkin said he expects to return to the field next
week and keep his 55-consecutive games played streak alive.
Injuries have hurt the Rampage all season as they lost linebacker Terrance Freeney and center Jay Smith to debilitating injuries
earlier in the season. On Saturday, the team played without running backs Monterio Poe, Marcus Hilliard and Louis Taylor, as well
as quarterback Erik Ingelin, who suffered cracked ribs and a concussion a week earlier.
So depleted were the Rampage that linebacker Ross Haren was forced to play in the backfield for the first time since his prep days
in a Webster City uniform. He churned out 36 yards on 14 carries, while Dan Schaa picked up 69 yards on 12 totes.
Back-up quarterback Yance Childs completed 6 of 15 passes for 64 yards, but he was picked off twice. Offensive coordinator and
emergency signal caller Ben Wolford was again called into duty in the second half; he connected on 2 of 5 passes for 52 yards,
including a 25-yard touchdown pass to Alonzo Clayton early in the fourth quarter.
Haren reached the end zone from 5 yards out a little later in the fourth to put the Rampage ahead. But Raiders’ quarterback Rob
Jones snuck across the goal line - also from 5 yards away - with 1:33 remaining to give the visitors the final margin of victory.
Veteran kicker Chuck Tack kept the Rampage within striking distance with four field goals in the second and third quarters. He
connected from 41, 47, 42 and 35 yards; he just missed from 65 yards out when his boot sailed wide left. Clayton led the receiving
crew with four catches for 49 yards. Chris McNiel made two grabs that covered 45 yards.
The Rampage will play its final home game of the season this Saturday when it welcomes the Pella Knights to Webster City for a
4 p.m. kickoff. The Knights beat the Rampage, 20-0, back on May 19 in Pella.
The Rampage will finish up the season with a pair of road games - first against the River City Warriors in Burlington on July 21,
followed by a trip to Des Moines to again take on the No. 1-ranked nationally Des Moines Blaze on July 28.
Never Say Never: Rampage blank Knights, stay in
playoff hunt
Postseason still a long shot, but black and orange still with plenty to play for
By Troy Banning, DFJ Sports Editor
July 14, 2012
WEBSTER CITY - So you’re saying there’s a chance?
Yep, there’s a chance.
A week after thinking the playoffs were nothing but a pipe dream, the
Midwest Rampage breathed new life into a potential postseason run last
Saturday by blanking the Pella Knights, 17-0, at Stampede Stadium.
The black and orange improved to 5-4 overall and 3-4 in the Midwest
Football Alliance, and avenged a 20-0 loss to the Knights earlier this season.
Most importantly, the Rampage stayed in the conversation for that sixth
and final MFA playoff position alongside the Knights. It’s a long shot
though, as the Rampage would need to pull off the biggest upset in the
history of the league and franchise by beating the Des Moines Blaze later
this month.
The unbeaten and league-leading Blaze - ranked No. 1 nationally by several minor league football publications - abused the Rampage, 47-0, when
the two teams met in Webster City on June 30.
On Saturday, the Rampage took the lead in the opening quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run by fill-in tailback Ross Haren, and it
never looked back. Haren - normally a linebacker who was again called into offensive duty due to a slew of injuries in the backfield - set up the score by jumping on top of a Pella fumble while on defense, and six plays later he reached the end zone.
Haren picked up just 10 yards on 10 carries, but defensively he made four tackles, including three solo stops. Fullback Dan Schaa
rolled up 86 ground yards on 14 totes.
The score remained 7-0 Rampage until the third quarter when third-string quarterback Ben Wolford lofted a pass into the hands
of Chris McNiel, who took it the rest of the way to the house for a 34-yard touchdown connection.
Chuck Tack added a 35-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to finish off the Knights.
Wolford, the team’s offensive coordinator, was forced into duty because of injuries to starter Erik Ingelin and back-up Yance
Childs. He completed 2-of-12 passes for 41 yards. Alonzo Clayton reeled in the other completion that covered seven yards.
The Rampage defense did the rest, forcing three turnovers and fending off two Pella drives in the red zone. Herb Bolden eliminated two drives with a pair of interceptions.
Linebacker DJ Erkenbrack made a team-best 6 stops, while end Caleb Bonjour was in on 5 tackles.
Saturday marked the final home game of the season for the Rampage, which has gone 8-2 over the last two seasons on the familiar
gridiron. It’s 10-5 at home since its inception.
The Rampage will travel to Burlington on Saturday to take on the River City Warriors in a non-league tussle that is scheduled to
begin at 4 p.m. And then it’s on to the return date with the Blaze on July 28.
Warriors forfeit to Rampage
64-0 beatdown earlier in the season was enough for River City, Rampage now 6-4
By Troy Banning, DFJ Sports Editor
July 23, 2012
BURLINGTON - No mas! No mas!
Back on June 2, the Midwest Rampage weren’t very good hosts as they abused, beatdown, and simply did whatever they desired to the River City Warriors in a 64-0 victory. In that contest, the Rampage only threw two passes
- both incomplete - en route to racking up 310 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns.
Now, with the Rampage set to make the 5 hour trek to southeast Iowa, it was supposed to be River City’s turn to
be a bad host... perhaps even their chance to give it as bad as they got it.
However, after careful consideration, the Warriors decided they didn’t have a snowball’s chance in you-knowwhere and they certainly didn’t want to get pummeled again, so instead of wasting everyone’s time, they simply
said, “You win!” ala a forfeit.
“To be honest,” said Rampage veteran linebacker John Elkin, “none of us really want to make a 5-hour drive
to Burlington to play a game that we know we were going to win but we all were willing to do it. I suppose it
doesn’t matter if we win 49-0 or 2-0, a win is a win and it was the Warriors decision not to play us.”
The Rampage now improve to 6-4 and with a victory over the No. 1-ranked nationally Des Moines Blaze next
week will earn a MFA playoff berth.
Rampage wilt in second half, lose season finale to No. 1 Blaze
Sowle returns fumble 91 yards for TD to keep Rampage close in first half
By Troy Banning, DFJ Sports Editor
July 31, 2012
DES MOINES - It was the end of
the season for most and the end of
the line for others here Saturday as
the Midwest Rampage closed up
shop on the 2012 season against
the No. 1 nationally ranked Des
Moines Blaze.
With the playoffs out of the question and a depleted roster, the Rampage (6-5) fought tough for a half
before bowing down to the loaded
and still unbeaten Blaze, 48-13.
The Blaze (11-0) - the reigning
Midwest Football Alliance champion and the odds on favorite to
hoist the hardware yet again next
month - turned a 7-6 lead with 2
minutes left in the first half into
an insurmountable 27-6 advantage
early in the third quarter en route to the runaway victory.
The Rampage (6-5) stayed close in the first half thanks it its opportunistic defense that included a strip, fumble recovery and
91-yard touchdown return by veteran defensive back Andy Sowle.
Wide receiver Andy Goeb hauled in a 2-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ben Wolford in the second half to account
for the rest of the Rampage scoring.
Wolford completed 9 of 25 passes for 102 yards in the contest, but he was intercepted three times. Linebacker turned running
back DJ Erkenbrack rumbled 11 times for 36 ground yards, and defensive tackle turned relief running back in the second
half Cory Simpson lumbered four times for 24 yards.
Goeb caught four balls for 47 yards, while Chris McNiel made two catches that covered 30 yards.
The Blaze were again led by the running and passing exploits of do-everything quarterback DeMareo Darrah. He made good
on 13 of 24 passes for 258 yards and three scores, and he also rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown on 11 totes.
Running back Larry Taylor churned out a game-high 146 yards on 17 carries, and he reached the end zone once. Wide receiver Randy Blackford caught three balls for 67 yards and a touchdown.
Erkenbrack made a team-high 10 1/2 tackles, and he picked off a Darrah pass and returned it 14 yards, for the Rampage
defense. Fellow linebacker John Elkin - making his final appearance in a Rampage uniform - had ten stops, including six
solo tackles and two near-interceptions. Sowle finished with five solo tackles, including two sacks of Darrah.
Defensive tackle Brian Miller, who has also announced his plan to retire from competitive football, had three tackles.
6 Rampage players earn All-MFA honors
By Troy Banning, DFJ Sports Editor
August 9, 2012
WEBSTER CITY - A year ago after falling short of the
MFA championship, the Rampage placed 13 players
on the All-MFA squad., but this season - one marred
by injuries, lack commitment, and perhaps an unlucky
bounce or three - saw the Rampage go 6-5 and fail
to qualify for the playoffs. However, the black and
orange still placed 6 players on the 2012 All-MFA
squad..
The Des Moines Blaze, which again finished the season unbeaten and claimed its second league championship, racked up 12 all-MFA accolades. Eight Blaze
players were named to the first team, while four earned
second-team honors.
Webster City’s own Midwest Rampage, last year’s MFA runner-up, in secured a total of 6 honors as well - two
first-team picks and four on the second team.
Earning first-team all-league honors for the Rampage was defensive tackle Brian Miller and free safety Andy
Sowle. While Miller led the team in quarterback sacks with 6 1/2 and finished sixth on the team with 33 tackles,
Sowle finished third with 54 total stops. Sowle also recorded two quarterback sacks, two forced fumbles, and two
fumble recoveries--the last one in the final game of the season in which he returned it 91 yards for a touchdown.
Rampage players named to the second team included wide receiver Chris McNiel, running back Dan Schaa,
middle linebacker John Elkin, and defensive back Herb Bolden.
McNiel hauled in 29 passes for 479 yards for 3 touchdowns this year while Schaa rumbled for 331 yards and a
touchdown on 53 carries; Schaa, a former NEH Trojan, missed several games this past season due to other committments.
Elkin, the 2011 MFA Defensive Player of the Year who also led the MFA in tackles with 94, finished this season
with 66 stops which ranked third in the league. The 41-year old also forced had two quarterback sacks and both
forced and recovered two fumbles. Bolden, a newcomer to the Rampage this year, accumulated 39 tackles - good
enough for fifth on the squad - while collecting a team-high 5 interceptions.
Noticibly absent from either the first or second team squads was Rampage linebacker DJ Erkenbrack who led the
Rampage with 71 tackles and finished second in the MFA. “Very odd,” said Rampage head coach Marty Hart,
“that neither the #2 tackler in the MFA didn’t even make first or second team. The same goes for our punter,
Chuck Tack: he led the MFA in punting average yet no recognition?”
Fellow teammate Elkin added, “Hands down, Erkenbrack deserved to be a first team pick and if anything, he deserved a spot on the All-MFA squad. He played better than I did this season and can have my spot.”
Honors
ALL-
OFFENSE
2nd Team
2nd Team
Chris McNiel
Wide Receiver
Dan Schaa
Running Back
ALL-
DEFENSE
1st Team
1st Team
2nd Team
2nd Team
Brian Miller
Tackle
Andy Sowle
Free Safety
John Elkin
Linebacker
Herb Bolden
Cornerback
Rampage board of directors opts to dissolve franchise, 3-year run comes to an
end
Majority vote by seven-member board decides the organization’s fate
By Troy Banning, DFJ Sports Editor
August 23, 2012
WEBSTER CITY - The Midwest Rampage, a minor league football team located in Webster City for the past three
years, has decided to close its doors.
At a board meeting Tuesday night, the seven men who sit on the board of directors - Brian Miller, Darin Eklund, John
Elkin, Andy Sowle, Jay Smith, Chris McNiel and Cory Simpson - voted to dissolve the Midwest Rampage, LLC and
the team, the organization confirmed via e-mail on Wednesday.
According to the franchise bylaws, only a simple majority is needed to dissolve the organization. Sowle confirmed that
he, McNiel and Simpson voted against the dissolution.
“This decision is not an easy one and is not one that comes without significant consideration,” Miller, the board president, said in a press release sent to the Daily Freeman-Journal. “We sincerely appreciate all of the support everyone has
given the Rampage the past three seasons. Your patronage is what has made the Midwest Rampage a uniquely special
organization in all of minor league football.”
The Rampage - a member of the Midwest Football Alliance for the past two years and the 2011 MFA runner-up - compiled a 16-15 record in its three seasons. The team was comprised of a large group of players that began playing minor
league football for the Iowa Eagles before joining forces to create their own franchise.
But declining fan support this season, along with continued struggles to field a full team - this year and in the future played significant roles in the board’s actions.
“Everyone on the board could see a declining level of commitment from players and fans in 2012, (and) we feel that
the best course of action is to discontinue the operations of what has been a very positive, rewarding, and successful
venture over the past three years,” Miller said in the press release.
Miller continued: “We knew that if the time came that, as the ownership of the Rampage, we could not ensure a topnotch organization in all facets - considering everything from player to community involvement, along with the quality
of the concessions and apparel - that it would be better to close down operations rather than risk seeing the Rampage
become a shadow of our original intentions.”
Still, not everyone on the board agreed with the final decision.
“I was 100 percent against the decision, and I’m just sorry to our fans and to our sponsors because we tried to make
this work, but in the long run it just didn’t happen,” Sowle said. “In the end we have to go with what our bylaws say,
and they say the majority wins, so that’s what we’ve got to go with.”
Sowle went on to say he and McNiel have already entered talks about the possibility of bringing another minor league
football team to the community.
“Hopefully we can bring another team into town,” he said. “We’ve got to sit down and weigh some things out before
we decide if we’re going to create a new team.”
swept the two-game set with the Knights.