Four Chargers to continue careers on the gridiron

by Cory Butzin

Normally, it’s a proud day for a high school football coach to have a player sign a letter of intent to play collegiate football.

Thursday wasn’t a normal day, though.

Midland Dow varsity football coach Kurt Faust was proud to announce the signing of not one, but four players who will continue their careers at the next level. Nate Merling, Sean Hartman, James Parmele, and Zach Riepma all signed letters of intent to play football for four more years.

“It’s exciting,” Faust said. “This adds to the two that we already signed and to have six kids go on to play college football is a phenomenal achievement on the kids’ part. They did a great job.”

After starting for two years on both the offensive and defensive lines for the Chargers, where he garnered Saginaw Valley League Honorable Mention, Merling will take his game to Albion College of the MIAA.

“Nate Merling’s been a steady player all along,” Faust said. “He’s very quiet, but he’s very, very intense about what he does. He’s been able to really anchor us the last two years at the tackle position, and take a leadership role, as well.”

Merling said one of the deciding factors in his decision to attend Albion was the quality education he will be receiving, while continuing his playing career.

Dual-sport star Sean Hartman signed on the dotted line with Adrian College where he will continue his playing days, not only as a punter for the Bulldog football team, but as a pitcher for their baseball team.

“I think it’s a good opportunity for me to keep going and see which one I like,” he said. “If I like both of them, I’ll keep playing both. If not, then I’ll pick the one that I really like and see how it goes.”

Hartman earned second team all-conference as a punter in 2006-2007, and was named Dow High Special Teams Player of the Year. For the baseball team, he has a record of 5-2 with a 2.31 ERA and 54 strikeouts.

James Parmele said he is excited to join Olivet College next year, which finished with the top-ranked defense in the MIAA. After two years as a starter on the offensive and defensive lines, Parmele seems well suited to contribute for the Comets.

“He loves the game,” Faust said. “He plays very relaxed and very loose. His explosiveness coming off the ball is good. He just plays so aggressive I think his style is going to fit the college style.”

Meanwhile, Zach Riepma will be leaving the state, going to North Central College near Chicago to help the Cardinals try for a third straight league championship.

“It came down to the location,” he said. “Being in Naperville, a half hour outside of Chicago was really appealing to me. I’ll be able to get away from home and be out on my own, and that had a big draw to it.”

Riepma leaves the Chargers after being voted the team’s Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the year, as well as Honorable Mention honors in the Saginaw Valley.

“Zach is one of those kids who has football speed,” Faust said. “Not real fast in terms of running straight ahead, but when he has a uniform on and likes to play football he has a way to get open.”

Merling, Hartman, Parmele, and Riepma join Chad Archer and Alex Faust, who committed to Saginaw Valley State, making six Chargers who will join the ranks of the NCAA next year.

“I think it’s nice to show that we have kids that work very hard,” Faust said. “That work ethic, if anything, sets the bar high for other kids. If it makes them think, hey this is something I want to do, and they work hard to get it, then they’ll get it.”