East’s Hertler again takes up reins his father once held

Sunday, February 8, 2004

By Jim Thomas, Canton Repository

Don Hertler Jr. is proud to be following in the footsteps of his father as head football coach at North Canton Hoover High School.

Now, 14 years after Don Hertler Sr. coached the East team to a 38-0 victory in the inaugural Repository East-West High School All-Star Football Game, Hertler Jr. is walking down that path as well.

“I got a chance to be an assistant coach in the (East-West) game a few years ago,” the younger Hertler said. “It’s a fun game. You want to make it fun for the kids. It’s a reward for them and for their high school careers.”

But the younger Hertler might be even happier because nine of his Hoover players are joining him for one last game. Like his father, Hertler will head up the East squad in the 15th annual Stark County high school football contest. Kickoff is 6 p.m. July 24 at Fawcett Stadium.

Vikings who will be wearing their black and orange helmets one more time under Hertler include Alex Ramsey, Kyle Watts, Jon Andrews, Sam Cerreta, Chad Coyle, Chaz Keeney, Mark Rose, Tom Santelle and Matt Wiley.

“I’m excited to get to coach those guys again,” Hertler said. “And I’m looking forward to working with the other kids too. You coach and compete against (those) kids, and then you find out that they are good kids and good players.”

Hertler knows good players when he sees them. Five of those aforementioned Vikings — Ramsey, Watts, Andrews, Cerreta and Coyle — received All-Ohio mention for their 2003 contributions to one of the greatest seasons in North Canton’s storied gridiron history.

Hertler’s Vikings went 10-0 in the regular season, including 4-0 in winning the revamped Federal League. Hoover had an unblemished league mark for the second straight year.

Hoover beat Hudson, 49-0, in the first round of the Division I state playoffs before falling 45-33 to Wadsworth in the second round.

This fall, the Viking seniors will go their own ways to colleges across the nation — as will all the members of both the East and West squads.

Hertler and his staff will be back. But for a few weeks this summer, Hertler will coach the county’s best along with Vikings assistant Doug Burwell, Marlington head coach Steve Miller and Dukes assistant Dan Pallante.

“It is a reward for the coaches, too,” said Hertler of getting to head the East team. “I remember (as an assistant) that we had a lot of really good players.

“The best part was the week of practice before the game. The kids get to develop relationships with each other, instead of against each other.”

NETWORK

Hoover Vikings Football

2004 Repository East-West All-Star Football Game