Irishknight1023
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Is it really possible to get the best TE's every single year? not to mention getting Fauria this year who's reaal good if you watch his tape.
'08 OH TE Kyle Rudolph (Signed LOI to ND)
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Jason Pham
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It really is almost unbelievable the amount of talent we are getting on the field on the offensive side of the ball. We are more than set at QB, TE, RB. A few more Olinemen and one or two more recievers to complement newly rated 4-star Goodman and we'll have one of the most versatile and electric offenses in the nation. I don't know what he's doing, but Charlie is doing something extremely right to pull in the top guys at these positions who aren't afraid to compete for playing time.
D
Doomsday Device
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There's still almost 10 months until the final recruiting rankings come out but here's some context for where Rudolph is ranked by both Rivals and Scout so far.
I've listed all the TE who were ranked top 30 overall by both Rivals and Scout since 2002.
Rivals (Rudolph #22)
2005 - Martellus Bennett #8
2003 - Tony Hills Jr. #7
2003 - Greg Olsen #10
Scout (Rudolph #25)
2006 - Nate Byham #25
2005 - Tony Moeaki #20
2005 - Martellus Bennett #26
2004 - Zach Miller #23
2003 - Greg Olsen #20
2002 - Mercedes Lewis #22
As you can see, only 2 other players are ranked top 30 on both lists. And only 1 player over the last 6 years is ranked higher than Rudolph on both (and he signed with ND initially anyways).
Just a little info to help appreciate what an elite recruit we picked up here.
I've listed all the TE who were ranked top 30 overall by both Rivals and Scout since 2002.
Rivals (Rudolph #22)
2005 - Martellus Bennett #8
2003 - Tony Hills Jr. #7
2003 - Greg Olsen #10
Scout (Rudolph #25)
2006 - Nate Byham #25
2005 - Tony Moeaki #20
2005 - Martellus Bennett #26
2004 - Zach Miller #23
2003 - Greg Olsen #20
2002 - Mercedes Lewis #22
As you can see, only 2 other players are ranked top 30 on both lists. And only 1 player over the last 6 years is ranked higher than Rudolph on both (and he signed with ND initially anyways).
Just a little info to help appreciate what an elite recruit we picked up here.
Jason Pham
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Great stuff Doomsday.
I just watched more film on Rudolph and he is just a freak. Everyone is quick to praise his catching ability and rightly so. He runs good routes, makes the incredibly tough catches, and gives his team as sure of a shot you can get to move downfield. Few seem to mention his blocking ability which, from the film I've seen on him, is just freakish. Kyle just dominates and humiliates the linemen he comes up against pushing them around up to 10 yards letting his runningback or quarterback make the play. I highly recommend watching some of his clips if you get the chance to.
Irishknight1023
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Yeah his blocking looks above average. Just wait till he puts some weight on, he'll be a force on the line and in coverage.
irishfan81
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Kyle will be one of the finest TE's ever to come out of Notre Dame I think he's better than Ragone. But Reuland he's got a ways before he's at his level. Needa to refine his blocking skills. But he's a threat to catch the ball every time. He needs to get bigger but he's 6-7 245 needs to be 260 or so. Then your talking one fine TE.
Irishknight1023
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A 6-7 245 TE is an absolute monster on the line. I think it's a little early to compare Rudolph and Ragone because they are two different types of TE IMO. Rudolph is a redzone threat and can go up and get any ball and move the chains, but Ragone is a field stretching LB mismatch nightmare and a threat in the open field. I think them being so different will make us that much more of a complete offense. We usually use two TE's at a time so the defense will never know how to play us. Oh yeah and did I mention most likely Jimmy Clausen is the man throwing them the ball where they can catch it and nobody else? It's an exciting time to be an ND fan i'll tell you that. I'm 20 and full of piss and vinegar after a night of partying so i'm taking it out on the 2000 threads on IE tonight.
:djparty:
:djparty:Hold on there irishfan81, I'm TE guy when it comes to football you know like with women some of us are leg guys other as guys and so on and the TE is my thing and I'm extremely excited about ND getting Rudolph, the kid is a stud and I think he has a chance to be very, very special but IMO as talented as he is I wouldn't say he's a better talent than Ragone. Ragone IMO is at a whole another level then anyone I've seen at the HS level and he would've been a 5 star if that matters if he played his SR year. Don't get me wrong Rudolph is close and IMO they both more talented than Reuland and that says alot because he damn good and special and in his own right and IMO all have been the best TE in there class. Thats a helluva recruiting haul.
I
IrishCalves
Guest
So we're clear, he's not quite that big. If he came in at 245, then bulking up probably wouldn't be an issue whatsoever. But it probably will be, since he's a hoops player for sure, and... well, just read about his playing weight.
And that wasn't more than a month ago when I asked about it, so unless he's on HGH, and gained a pound a day or so, Rudolph is in the 230 range - and will probably come into Notre Dame at a # close to it. Nothing is set in stone, but he's a star for their hoops team, and will probably drop to a lower weight come senior year again, only to build it back up for ND.
stonebreakerwasgod
LMI steals vbucks
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A 6-7 245 TE is an absolute monster on the line. I think it's a little early to compare Rudolph and Ragone because they are two different types of TE IMO. Rudolph is a redzone threat and can go up and get any ball and move the chains, but Ragone is a field stretching LB mismatch nightmare and a threat in the open field. I think them being so different will make us that much more of a complete offense. We usually use two TE's at a time so the defense will never know how to play us. Oh yeah and did I mention most likely Jimmy Clausen is the man throwing them the ball where they can catch it and nobody else? It's an exciting time to be an ND fan i'll tell you that. I'm 20 and full of piss and vinegar after a night of partying so i'm taking it out on the 2000 threads on IE tonight.
Classic!
Irishknight1023
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http://notredame.rivals.com/viewrank.asp?ra_key=1824
Rivals has Rudolph as the #1 TE in the country which is what we already knew. They have Baldwin and Stoneburner both as TE's well even though they are recruit by mostly everybody as WR's.
Rivals has Rudolph as the #1 TE in the country which is what we already knew. They have Baldwin and Stoneburner both as TE's well even though they are recruit by mostly everybody as WR's.
Irishknight1023
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Two random clips of Rudolph catching balls on two plays. It's video and it's YouTube so here it is....
http://youtube.com/watch?v=FmlpJWAUjZA&mode=related&search=
and
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ygk3dAT9Ed0&mode=related&search=
http://youtube.com/watch?v=FmlpJWAUjZA&mode=related&search=
and
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ygk3dAT9Ed0&mode=related&search=
G
GhostSpirit
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johnnd05
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This Rudy no underdog
Kyle Rudolph's legend built at Elder, at least for now
BY TOM GROESCHEN | TGROESCHEN@ENQUIRER.COM
Elder football star Kyle Rudolph is nicknamed Rudy.
Rudolph's favorite movie is, of course, the tearjerking "Rudy."
The common thread is Notre Dame football, but Kyle "Rudy" Rudolph and cinema legend Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger could not be more different. The former is a superstar bound for the Irish in 2008, the latter an underdog whose story was so lovably hokey it became a famous motion picture.
"I don't know how many times I've seen it," Kyle Rudolph said of the 1993 movie. "It's so inspirational."
What could the two Rudys possibly have in common?
Nothing, except that both are beloved. Ruettiger, for being an everyman hero. Rudolph, for a rare teenage trifecta of talent, maturity and humility.
"Kyle is the total package, something I don't think we've seen since I've been here," said Elder athletic director Dave Dabbelt, who enters his 38th year at the school. "Along with him being such a great kid and a good student, he's just a rare athlete and works really hard. Little kids love him, and it's not something he's phony about. It's just who he is."
Rudolph is the No. 1-rated tight end in America by Rivals.com. Great hands, runs well, blocks well, great strength. All incidental to those who know him.
"He just has a good heart," said Jamie Rudolph, Kyle's mother. "He's a better kid than he is an athlete."
A STAR AT 17
Rudolph, a 17-year-old Elder senior, is worshiped by West Side youngsters and admired by adults. He has it all, with size (6-foot-7, 230 pounds), athletic status (also the reigning Enquirer Division I basketball player of the year) and academic achievement (3.4 GPA).
Yet, those who know Rudolph are impressed more by his character than his trophies. As a youngster Rudolph always looked out for those less gifted and less fortunate, and that continues to this day.
At Elder football camp this summer, the elementary school kids got a chance to meet Panthers varsity players, put on Elder jerseys and get their pictures taken. Most every boy wanted to be photographed in Rudolph's No. 9 jersey.
"My son Danny is going into first grade," said Sarah Ginn, a Rudolph family friend. "He got a No. 9 picture, of course, and he went around the neighborhood shouting, 'Look! I'm Rudy! I'm Rudy.' Kyle will stop by the house and throw a football with Danny, and Danny's just in heaven."
Elder coach Doug Ramsey said Rudolph is the most heavily recruited player in Ramsey's 20 years at the school, 11 as head coach. When asked about Rudolph, Ramsey mentions the person.
"He's great with the little kids, and he's great with his teammates," Ramsey said. "You should see him working our football camps . . . the kids just love him. He's everything you'd want your son to be."
Notre Dame had the original Golden Boy in Paul Hornung, the 1956 Heisman Trophy winner known for his fair-haired good looks and football prowess. Rudolph did dye his hair yellowish on a whim last summer, but now is back to his customary light brown hair.
"Danny won't get his hair cut," Sarah Ginn said of her son, "because Kyle has been letting his grow out."
Rudolph would rather talk about the kids than himself. He remembers idolizing Elder players, too, when he was growing up first at Our Lady of Victory parish in Delhi (grades 1-3) and then Our Lady of Visitation in Green Township.
"When I was little, I looked up to the Elder players like Kyle Koester, and now I'm able to be that for the little kids," Rudolph said. "They kind of look up to me a lot, and it kind of makes their day when you say hi to them or hang out with them."
Rudolph talks about this in a manner that says this is part of his job, to be a role model. He welcomes his status as someone who can make a difference.
Ramsey said he was struck by a recent interlude where Rudolph counseled a junior teammate.
"This kid is struggling a little bit, and Kyle took him off to the side and talked to him for about two hours," Ramsey said. "There were no coaches around. Kyle just took it upon himself to help the kid, talk about what to do to be successful."
In the 1990s, there was a tongue-in-cheek rock song by Morrissey entitled, "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful." In Rudolph's case, good luck finding an envious peer.
"You can walk through this whole school," Ramsey said, "and you'd be hard-pressed to find somebody that would say something bad about him. That's rare with athletes today. The kid that's the best athlete in the school, you obviously might find some jealousy. It's not that way here because he treats people right."
Steve Hengehold, an Elder senior center/linebacker, has been playing football and basketball with Rudolph since fourth grade. Hengehold said Rudolph has not changed one iota.
"He's always been real team-oriented," Hengehold said. "He's never tried to stand out and show everybody how great he is."
CONSIDERS HIMSELF LUCKY
Jamie Rudolph said Kyle is grounded by the fact that his younger brother Casey, who will be an Elder sophomore, was born with cancer. Casey had a kidney and an adrenal gland removed when he was an infant, but today plays football, hockey and lacrosse for Elder. The third sibling is a girl, Kori, who is in third grade.
"I think Kyle knows what Casey went through, and he considers himself lucky," Jamie said. "He never takes anything for granted."
Rudolph demurs when the term "Golden Boy" is mentioned. The closest he'll come is that yes, it certainly seems like a movie that his grandparents were Notre Dame fans and his paternal grandmother was Irish. Yet, he was not an especially big Notre Dame fan growing up.
The place kind of grew on him, especially when he went up for a recruiting visit last November.
"You go to a Catholic school and Notre Dame's a Catholic university, it just seemed like the right fit," Rudolph said.
A PERSONAL OFFER
Last November, Rudolph and his mom and dad (Dan) visited Notre Dame on a football weekend with about 45 other potential recruits. It was early on a game day, and Irish coach Charlie Weis got up in front of the group and made his spiel. He wished he could meet individually with each one of them but time didn't permit it ... you're all great athletes ... thanks again for coming.
The Rudolphs got up to leave with the rest of the group, but then-Notre Dame assistant coach Rick Minter - the former University of Cincinnati head coach - tapped Jamie on the shoulder.
"Can I talk to Kyle a minute?" Minter said.
The Rudolph clan was ushered to Weis' office. This was shortly before a game, remember. Weis smiled and handed Kyle Rudolph a big, gold envelope.
"It was his offer letter," Jamie Rudolph said. "I was like, 'This is not happening.' Charlie Weis said he didn't want to be rude in front of the other recruits, but he wanted to meet with Kyle individually and tell him how much Notre Dame wanted him."
Mom was ready to sign on the spot. Kyle smiled politely and said thanks, he'd think about it.
Kyle Rudolph's paternal grandmother, the late Sharon Rudolph, was a big Irish fan. Her maiden name was O'Leary, which is as Irish as it gets.
"Kyle said to me, 'Mom, Nanna is up in heaven pushing me to Notre Dame,' "Jamie Rudolph said.
Kyle announced for Notre Dame a few months later. A few other big-time suitors were disappointed, such as Ohio State and Michigan and Tennessee, but the Golden Dome had worked its magic.
LEGENDARY HISTORY
Notre Dame lore includes books, movies and a famous documentary by NFL Films. The story of "Rudy" has taken its place along with the Four Horsemen, the Gipper and the Golden Boy.
Ruettiger, after being banged around as a practice player, finally got to dress for Notre Dame's final home game of 1975 against Georgia Tech. Ruettiger got into the game briefly in the final moments as a defensive end, and famously sacked the quarterback on the final play.
The movie depicts Ruettiger being carried off the field and teammates chanting, "Rudy, Rudy." According to the Notre Dame football media guide, those things actually did happen.
Rudolph, who was not quite 4 years old when "Rudy" was in movie theaters, will be the 12th Elder player to play for Notre Dame.
The ghosts of Gipp, Rockne, Leahy and, yes, Rudy will be waiting.
"Kyle is hoping that when he gets onto the field, that's what they will chant," Jamie Rudolph said. "He said, 'Mom, how cool would that be if they were chanting Rudy, Rudy for me?' "
Too cool to be true.
Kyle Rudolph's legend built at Elder, at least for now
BY TOM GROESCHEN | TGROESCHEN@ENQUIRER.COM
Elder football star Kyle Rudolph is nicknamed Rudy.
Rudolph's favorite movie is, of course, the tearjerking "Rudy."
The common thread is Notre Dame football, but Kyle "Rudy" Rudolph and cinema legend Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger could not be more different. The former is a superstar bound for the Irish in 2008, the latter an underdog whose story was so lovably hokey it became a famous motion picture.
"I don't know how many times I've seen it," Kyle Rudolph said of the 1993 movie. "It's so inspirational."
What could the two Rudys possibly have in common?
Nothing, except that both are beloved. Ruettiger, for being an everyman hero. Rudolph, for a rare teenage trifecta of talent, maturity and humility.
"Kyle is the total package, something I don't think we've seen since I've been here," said Elder athletic director Dave Dabbelt, who enters his 38th year at the school. "Along with him being such a great kid and a good student, he's just a rare athlete and works really hard. Little kids love him, and it's not something he's phony about. It's just who he is."
Rudolph is the No. 1-rated tight end in America by Rivals.com. Great hands, runs well, blocks well, great strength. All incidental to those who know him.
"He just has a good heart," said Jamie Rudolph, Kyle's mother. "He's a better kid than he is an athlete."
A STAR AT 17
Rudolph, a 17-year-old Elder senior, is worshiped by West Side youngsters and admired by adults. He has it all, with size (6-foot-7, 230 pounds), athletic status (also the reigning Enquirer Division I basketball player of the year) and academic achievement (3.4 GPA).
Yet, those who know Rudolph are impressed more by his character than his trophies. As a youngster Rudolph always looked out for those less gifted and less fortunate, and that continues to this day.
At Elder football camp this summer, the elementary school kids got a chance to meet Panthers varsity players, put on Elder jerseys and get their pictures taken. Most every boy wanted to be photographed in Rudolph's No. 9 jersey.
"My son Danny is going into first grade," said Sarah Ginn, a Rudolph family friend. "He got a No. 9 picture, of course, and he went around the neighborhood shouting, 'Look! I'm Rudy! I'm Rudy.' Kyle will stop by the house and throw a football with Danny, and Danny's just in heaven."
Elder coach Doug Ramsey said Rudolph is the most heavily recruited player in Ramsey's 20 years at the school, 11 as head coach. When asked about Rudolph, Ramsey mentions the person.
"He's great with the little kids, and he's great with his teammates," Ramsey said. "You should see him working our football camps . . . the kids just love him. He's everything you'd want your son to be."
Notre Dame had the original Golden Boy in Paul Hornung, the 1956 Heisman Trophy winner known for his fair-haired good looks and football prowess. Rudolph did dye his hair yellowish on a whim last summer, but now is back to his customary light brown hair.
"Danny won't get his hair cut," Sarah Ginn said of her son, "because Kyle has been letting his grow out."
Rudolph would rather talk about the kids than himself. He remembers idolizing Elder players, too, when he was growing up first at Our Lady of Victory parish in Delhi (grades 1-3) and then Our Lady of Visitation in Green Township.
"When I was little, I looked up to the Elder players like Kyle Koester, and now I'm able to be that for the little kids," Rudolph said. "They kind of look up to me a lot, and it kind of makes their day when you say hi to them or hang out with them."
Rudolph talks about this in a manner that says this is part of his job, to be a role model. He welcomes his status as someone who can make a difference.
Ramsey said he was struck by a recent interlude where Rudolph counseled a junior teammate.
"This kid is struggling a little bit, and Kyle took him off to the side and talked to him for about two hours," Ramsey said. "There were no coaches around. Kyle just took it upon himself to help the kid, talk about what to do to be successful."
In the 1990s, there was a tongue-in-cheek rock song by Morrissey entitled, "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful." In Rudolph's case, good luck finding an envious peer.
"You can walk through this whole school," Ramsey said, "and you'd be hard-pressed to find somebody that would say something bad about him. That's rare with athletes today. The kid that's the best athlete in the school, you obviously might find some jealousy. It's not that way here because he treats people right."
Steve Hengehold, an Elder senior center/linebacker, has been playing football and basketball with Rudolph since fourth grade. Hengehold said Rudolph has not changed one iota.
"He's always been real team-oriented," Hengehold said. "He's never tried to stand out and show everybody how great he is."
CONSIDERS HIMSELF LUCKY
Jamie Rudolph said Kyle is grounded by the fact that his younger brother Casey, who will be an Elder sophomore, was born with cancer. Casey had a kidney and an adrenal gland removed when he was an infant, but today plays football, hockey and lacrosse for Elder. The third sibling is a girl, Kori, who is in third grade.
"I think Kyle knows what Casey went through, and he considers himself lucky," Jamie said. "He never takes anything for granted."
Rudolph demurs when the term "Golden Boy" is mentioned. The closest he'll come is that yes, it certainly seems like a movie that his grandparents were Notre Dame fans and his paternal grandmother was Irish. Yet, he was not an especially big Notre Dame fan growing up.
The place kind of grew on him, especially when he went up for a recruiting visit last November.
"You go to a Catholic school and Notre Dame's a Catholic university, it just seemed like the right fit," Rudolph said.
A PERSONAL OFFER
Last November, Rudolph and his mom and dad (Dan) visited Notre Dame on a football weekend with about 45 other potential recruits. It was early on a game day, and Irish coach Charlie Weis got up in front of the group and made his spiel. He wished he could meet individually with each one of them but time didn't permit it ... you're all great athletes ... thanks again for coming.
The Rudolphs got up to leave with the rest of the group, but then-Notre Dame assistant coach Rick Minter - the former University of Cincinnati head coach - tapped Jamie on the shoulder.
"Can I talk to Kyle a minute?" Minter said.
The Rudolph clan was ushered to Weis' office. This was shortly before a game, remember. Weis smiled and handed Kyle Rudolph a big, gold envelope.
"It was his offer letter," Jamie Rudolph said. "I was like, 'This is not happening.' Charlie Weis said he didn't want to be rude in front of the other recruits, but he wanted to meet with Kyle individually and tell him how much Notre Dame wanted him."
Mom was ready to sign on the spot. Kyle smiled politely and said thanks, he'd think about it.
Kyle Rudolph's paternal grandmother, the late Sharon Rudolph, was a big Irish fan. Her maiden name was O'Leary, which is as Irish as it gets.
"Kyle said to me, 'Mom, Nanna is up in heaven pushing me to Notre Dame,' "Jamie Rudolph said.
Kyle announced for Notre Dame a few months later. A few other big-time suitors were disappointed, such as Ohio State and Michigan and Tennessee, but the Golden Dome had worked its magic.
LEGENDARY HISTORY
Notre Dame lore includes books, movies and a famous documentary by NFL Films. The story of "Rudy" has taken its place along with the Four Horsemen, the Gipper and the Golden Boy.
Ruettiger, after being banged around as a practice player, finally got to dress for Notre Dame's final home game of 1975 against Georgia Tech. Ruettiger got into the game briefly in the final moments as a defensive end, and famously sacked the quarterback on the final play.
The movie depicts Ruettiger being carried off the field and teammates chanting, "Rudy, Rudy." According to the Notre Dame football media guide, those things actually did happen.
Rudolph, who was not quite 4 years old when "Rudy" was in movie theaters, will be the 12th Elder player to play for Notre Dame.
The ghosts of Gipp, Rockne, Leahy and, yes, Rudy will be waiting.
"Kyle is hoping that when he gets onto the field, that's what they will chant," Jamie Rudolph said. "He said, 'Mom, how cool would that be if they were chanting Rudy, Rudy for me?' "
Too cool to be true.
johnnd05
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Cool - make sure to take photos and post them, if you can. I hope he smokes your sorry asses (no doubt he will).
johnnd05
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Nothing major. But just check through the recent threads to see.
GoshenGipper
Rest In Peace
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Herbie just mentioned that Elder beat Charlotte Charlotte Independence HS to end there win streak that was over 100 games.
johnnd05
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Epitome
Delany's Chamber Maid
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Elder tight end Kyle Rudolph, bound for Notre Dame next year, had four catches for 57 yards and two TDs, including a score that tied it 27-27 with 8:42 left. Elder had rallied from a 27-14 halftime deficit, and the 6-7 Rudolph’s TD grab was the spark that let the Panthers know for sure that they could win.
johnnd05
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Thanks! Do you have the link?
Epitome
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johnnd05
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Elder slays giant
Ramsey: 'This is something these guys will remember the rest of their lives'
BY TOM GROESCHEN | TGROESCHEN@ENQUIRER.COM
Elder snapped the 109-game winning streak of Charlotte Independence (N.C.) on Saturday night, with a dramatic 41-34 overtime win in the Kirk Herbstreit Challenge at UC’s Nippert Stadium.
The Panthers scored on their second play of overtime, a 14-yard TD pass from quarterback Johnny Groene to wideout Josh Jones. Anthony Miliano’s PAT made it 41-34.
Elder defensive back Keith Hamberg ended the game on an interception, with Independence facing a third-and-9 situation at the Elder 19-yard line. Hamberg snared the ball, which immediately ended the game, and then Hamberg and Elder players charged wildly and happily onto the field.
“This is something these guys will remember the rest of their lives,” an elated Elder coach Doug Ramsey said.
Someone asked Ramsey in the postgame press conference if he ever had a bigger victory.
“I’ve had two of them,” Ramsey said, referring to Elder’s consecutive Division I state titles in 2002 and 2003. “But as far as regular season, against a high-profile team with a streak like that … it’s huge.”
Independence (1-1 this year) is rated No. 3 nationally by USA Today, the highest rated team in the weekend Herbstreit event. The Patriots had not lost since exactly seven years before, on Sept. 1, 2000.
Elder (2-0) is ranked No. 3 in the Enquirer Division I area coaches’ poll.
Panthers fans recognized the moment, with the clock pushing 11:30 p.m. Saturday night, with a jumping-up-and-down standing ovation. Elder players also raced over to their student section afterward, with many players diving into the stands with their cheering classmates.
“When we found out last year that we’d be playing this team,” Groene said, “we said, ‘oh-oh.’ But coach Ramsey this week made us feel we could do it, and we did. It’s awesome.”
Independence has won seven consecutive North Carolina big-school championships.
Independence coach Tom Knotts credited Elder, while saying his team was devastated.
“I’ve told our team for the past year that we’ve been living dangerously,” Knotts said. “We’re everybody’s Super Bowl, and we’ve opened the door too many times. We had it coming.”
Knotts added, “We got outcoached, outplayed, the whole thing.”
Elder tight end Kyle Rudolph, bound for Notre Dame next year, had four catches for 57 yards and two TDs, including a score that tied it 27-27 with 8:42 left. Elder had rallied from a 27-14 halftime deficit, and the 6-7 Rudolph’s TD grab was the spark that let the Panthers know for sure that they could win.
“My teammates look up to me to make that play,” Rudolph said of his leaping catch. “If you want to say I’m the go-to guy, I accept that. We just kept it in the back of our minds all along that we could win.”
Elder fell behind again 34-27, but tied it 34-34 on a 1-yard run by Nick Gramke and PAT by Anthony Miliano with 35 seconds left in regulation. Gramke rushed 27 times for 129 yards and three TDs.
Independence quickly worked into position for a 48-yard field goal attempt with three seconds left, but Robbie Ward’s attempt fell short and the game went to overtime.
In overtime, each team gets a set of four downs starting at the opponent’s 20-yard line. If one team scores, the opposing team then gets its chance. The game continues until someone outscores the other in that given OT period.
Elder’s leaders also included Groene’s 17 for 25 passing for 232 yards and three TDs, Jones’ four catches for 70 yards and a TD, and Nick Olthaus with six catches for 72 yards.
Independence sophomore QB Anthony Carruthers was a 5-foot-7 dynamo, throwing for 346 yards on 25 of 37 passes with two TDs. But, he also was picked off twice.
Independence entered with a 109-game winning streak, second best all-time to De La Salle (Calif.), which won 151 straight from 1991-2004.
Independence was playing Saturday on the seventh anniversary of its last defeat, 34-31 to Shelby Crest on Sept. 1, 2000.
In the third quarter, Elder DB Eric Linneman electrified Panthers’ fans with a 50-yard interception return to the Independence 1-yard line. Gramke then scored from 1 yard out, and Elder had cut its deficit to 27-21 with 6:44 left in the third period.
The Panthers tied it 27-27 on a 10-yard TD pass from Groene to Rudolph with 8:42 left. The PAT kick attempt was low, short and may have been partially blocked. That left the score at 27-27.
Ramsey: 'This is something these guys will remember the rest of their lives'
BY TOM GROESCHEN | TGROESCHEN@ENQUIRER.COM
Elder snapped the 109-game winning streak of Charlotte Independence (N.C.) on Saturday night, with a dramatic 41-34 overtime win in the Kirk Herbstreit Challenge at UC’s Nippert Stadium.
The Panthers scored on their second play of overtime, a 14-yard TD pass from quarterback Johnny Groene to wideout Josh Jones. Anthony Miliano’s PAT made it 41-34.
Elder defensive back Keith Hamberg ended the game on an interception, with Independence facing a third-and-9 situation at the Elder 19-yard line. Hamberg snared the ball, which immediately ended the game, and then Hamberg and Elder players charged wildly and happily onto the field.
“This is something these guys will remember the rest of their lives,” an elated Elder coach Doug Ramsey said.
Someone asked Ramsey in the postgame press conference if he ever had a bigger victory.
“I’ve had two of them,” Ramsey said, referring to Elder’s consecutive Division I state titles in 2002 and 2003. “But as far as regular season, against a high-profile team with a streak like that … it’s huge.”
Independence (1-1 this year) is rated No. 3 nationally by USA Today, the highest rated team in the weekend Herbstreit event. The Patriots had not lost since exactly seven years before, on Sept. 1, 2000.
Elder (2-0) is ranked No. 3 in the Enquirer Division I area coaches’ poll.
Panthers fans recognized the moment, with the clock pushing 11:30 p.m. Saturday night, with a jumping-up-and-down standing ovation. Elder players also raced over to their student section afterward, with many players diving into the stands with their cheering classmates.
“When we found out last year that we’d be playing this team,” Groene said, “we said, ‘oh-oh.’ But coach Ramsey this week made us feel we could do it, and we did. It’s awesome.”
Independence has won seven consecutive North Carolina big-school championships.
Independence coach Tom Knotts credited Elder, while saying his team was devastated.
“I’ve told our team for the past year that we’ve been living dangerously,” Knotts said. “We’re everybody’s Super Bowl, and we’ve opened the door too many times. We had it coming.”
Knotts added, “We got outcoached, outplayed, the whole thing.”
Elder tight end Kyle Rudolph, bound for Notre Dame next year, had four catches for 57 yards and two TDs, including a score that tied it 27-27 with 8:42 left. Elder had rallied from a 27-14 halftime deficit, and the 6-7 Rudolph’s TD grab was the spark that let the Panthers know for sure that they could win.
“My teammates look up to me to make that play,” Rudolph said of his leaping catch. “If you want to say I’m the go-to guy, I accept that. We just kept it in the back of our minds all along that we could win.”
Elder fell behind again 34-27, but tied it 34-34 on a 1-yard run by Nick Gramke and PAT by Anthony Miliano with 35 seconds left in regulation. Gramke rushed 27 times for 129 yards and three TDs.
Independence quickly worked into position for a 48-yard field goal attempt with three seconds left, but Robbie Ward’s attempt fell short and the game went to overtime.
In overtime, each team gets a set of four downs starting at the opponent’s 20-yard line. If one team scores, the opposing team then gets its chance. The game continues until someone outscores the other in that given OT period.
Elder’s leaders also included Groene’s 17 for 25 passing for 232 yards and three TDs, Jones’ four catches for 70 yards and a TD, and Nick Olthaus with six catches for 72 yards.
Independence sophomore QB Anthony Carruthers was a 5-foot-7 dynamo, throwing for 346 yards on 25 of 37 passes with two TDs. But, he also was picked off twice.
Independence entered with a 109-game winning streak, second best all-time to De La Salle (Calif.), which won 151 straight from 1991-2004.
Independence was playing Saturday on the seventh anniversary of its last defeat, 34-31 to Shelby Crest on Sept. 1, 2000.
In the third quarter, Elder DB Eric Linneman electrified Panthers’ fans with a 50-yard interception return to the Independence 1-yard line. Gramke then scored from 1 yard out, and Elder had cut its deficit to 27-21 with 6:44 left in the third period.
The Panthers tied it 27-27 on a 10-yard TD pass from Groene to Rudolph with 8:42 left. The PAT kick attempt was low, short and may have been partially blocked. That left the score at 27-27.
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Via MaxPreps, here's video from Elder's huge win last week: MaxPreps: - High School Sports.