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‘Charlie Jr.’ leading Fort Loramie
Matt Burgbacher’s family members have watched his father, Charlie, coach the Tippecanoe High School football team for 21 years.
Now that they’ve watched Matt coach his first season at Fort Loramie, they’ve come up with a nickname for the 32-year-old who has led the Redskins to their first-ever playoff appearance (in their fifth season with a team).
“They call me ‘Charlie Jr.,’ ” Burgbacher said Tuesday afternoon just before practice.
After playing quarterback and defensive back for his father at Tipp and and then serving as an assistant coach there for five years, Burgbacher is making the most of his first season as a head coach. Fort Loramie is 8-2 and a a No. 7 seed in Division VI, Region 24.
Tipp, meanwhile, is 8-2 as Charlie Burgbacher prepares to face 9-1 Sandusky Perkins in the first round in D-III, Region 10.
Fort Loramie’s first-round opponent, 9-1 Lockland, provides a major test, but the Redskins can be dangerous offensively behind running back Mitch Raterman, who has gained 1,400 yards and scored 24 touchdowns this season.
The Fort Loramie defense — led by senior inside linebackers Brad Frilling and Alex Wolf — has allowed a touchdown or less in seven games this season, and the Wing-T offense, led by Raterman, has been effective, scoring 35 points a game.
It was curious, though, that when describing Raterman, Burgbacher switched from using “Mitch” to “Mitchell.”
I asked which Raterman preferred.
“I call him Mitchell when I’m mad at him,” Burgbacher said.
And how often is that?
“Not very often,” Burgbacher said with a laugh.
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment | Categories: Football

Comments
By old dude
November 5, 2009 9:37 AM | Link to this
Lockland??? they have to play Lockland in the first round? Will be the last round for them. I have seen lockland play. It’s a big, fast, strong team. Congratulatons Ft. Loramine on making the playoff’s. Hope you can stick around. It does not look good..
By Mailman
November 5, 2009 10:15 AM | Link to this
Metro buckeye conf? That’s the best you could do? If you ever finish second in that league something will be bad wrong. This weekend your level of competiton will up by ten fold. Those two linebackers better be ready. If Lockland cant run around you, they just run through you. Good Luck…..
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