Berkner (6-4, 4-3) was able to rely upon its defense to secure a berth in the postseason in District 9-5A despite missing five linebackers due to injury.
Senior defensive back Terry Gilbert returned two interceptions for touchdowns, and Berkner beat W. T. White, 42-19, to snag the second seed in Division I for 9-5A behind district champ Skyline.
"We just fed off that a little bit," Ledford said of the interceptions. "Any time you can jump on somebody early, it lets you breathe a little easier, and it helps you settle in and play. The kids were able to do that."
Injuries have terrorized the Rams throughout the 9-5A run. Senior linebacker/fullback Grant Nakwaasah, whom Ledford calls the team's best player, injured a hip pointer against Lake Highlands, tore his labrum the following week vs. Skyline and is out for the season.
The linebacking corps has been decimated, with Preston Wembley (plantar fasciitis), Elijah Green (high ankle sprain), Walter Alvara (stinger) and Max Olen (sprained knee) all joining Nakwaasah on the sidelines.
Ledford has had to turn to undersized sophomores Marcus Dove (5-9, 145) and Fred White (5-7, 150) along with more experienced junior Matt Cannon and senior Micah Taylor.
Berkner now must await the results of tonight's game between Richardson (6-3, 4-2) and Carrollton Creekview (4-5, 3-3) to find out how it finishes in the district. A Richardon win relegates Berkner to fourth place, while a Creekview victory lands it in a three-way tie with Richardson and Berkner for third.
While Berkner doesn't know how it will finish in district, the Rams already know whom they're playing in the bi-district playoffs. For the second year in a row, Berkner's triple option offense faces off against District 10-5A champion Garland (8-1) and its stout defense. That match-up did not bode well for Berkner in 2008, as the Rams fell 27-3 to the Owls. Ledford hopes it goes better this time around against his neighbors to the east.
"I think it breeds familiarity on both sides, from their perspective and our perspective," he said. "We're just down the street a couple of miles from each other. They know what to expect from us and us from them. Hopefully, it's a good ball game."
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Contributors
Jeff Andrews
Jeff Andrews covers north Metroplex high schools for ESPNDallas.com. He covered high school sports for four years at the Denton Record-Chronicle. Andrews is a graduate of UNT.
Randy Jennings
Randy Jennings covers south Metroplex high schools for ESPNDallas.com. His 34-year career as a sports writer includes eight years at the Dallas Morning News. Jennings is a graduate of UT-Arlington.
Mercedes Mayer
Mercedes Mayer covers west Metroplex high schools for ESPNDallas.com. Mercedes has covered DFW-area sports for the last six years, including a 5 1/2 year stint with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Mayer is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin.
Ethan Szatmary
Ethan B. Szatmary covers east Metroplex high schools for ESPNDallas.com. Ethan covered colleges and high schools for the Denton Record-Chronicle for eight years and graduated from Emory University.
