Rothhaar embraces target role in 2024

NORWALK — The feeling is not unfamiliar. But this is about to be different. Last season, Ben Rothhaar was the obvious first name to write down on the opposing team scouting report when game planning for Norwalk. But in 2024, the opposing team's coaching staff will write his name down first, then circle it in red permanent marker or pen. And with good reason. On July 26, Rothhaar committed to Rutgers University. The Piscataway, N.J. school is a member of the Big Ten, which is one of the five Power Five conferences in Division I NCAA football. "Yeah, I love that," Rothhaar said. "It gives me even more of a challenge for the season." Norwalk, which opens on Friday at Toledo Start, already knows what it has in Rothhaar. The four-sport athlete is on pace to finish with 16 varsity letters, and played a huge role in last season's success. The Truckers were 1-9 in 2021 and 0-10 in 2022, but improved to 3-7 in 2023. Norwalk entered the final week of the season still in the hunt for a playoff appearance in Division III. Last season, Rothhaar caught 32 passes for 451 yards with three touchdowns, good for 14.1 yards per catch. He also returned five kickoffs for 132 yards and a TD. On defense, he made 73.5 tackles with an interception from the safety position. He is a dream to coach for second-year NHS coach Keith Mora. And, that top of the list game plan target for the opposition. "He is someone who gives us an absolute threat," Mora said. "Some teams who might have an athlete that can match up may attempt to play him one-on-one. But there might be some teams who have to put two out there, or one, and then half of one, based on alignment." Mora noted that while that is a challenge for Rothhaar and his teammates, it also helps. "Our best run game will be when Ben can catch the ball out in space," he said. "Defensively, we can move him around different spots. "I know he's going Big Ten on offense, but he's a good safety who likes to come up and be physical. It's nice when you have someone with that much range who is 6-foot-4, but can also close on you fast." Prior to last season, Rothhaar has been a consistent presence on both sides of the ball for the Truckers. As a sophomore in 2022, Rothhaar caught 37 passes for 344 yards with a TD; and returned 14 kickoffs for 357 yards with a TD. On defense, he made 116 tackles and recovered two fumbles. In limited time as a freshman, he caught 13 passes for 127 yards with a TD and made 31 tackles. Now, his goal is to help the Truckers climb the ladder in the Sandusky Bay Conference Lake Division. That is no easy task, given the league typically has teams with deep playoff runs or state title game aspirations almost yearly. That is no different in 2024 with a league slate that will include Perkins, Clyde, Tiffin Columbian and Sandusky. All were playoff teams a year ago, on top of crossover opponents and steady winners, Bellevue and Edison. "I know my team has been working pretty hard," Rothhaar said. "I think we can really stir up some chaos in the SBC Lake this year. "We have to keep coming in every day working as hard as we can. Ultimately we have to execute on the field and be comfortable with being a little bit uncomfortable." Rothhaar will be looking to complete 16 varsity letters at the end of this 2024-25 school year. On the basketball court, Rothhaar has averaged 9.5 points and 8.6 rebounds — just under a double-double every game — in 46 games. He has 478 points and 435 rebounds in 70 career games. In baseball, he hit .295 this past spring with two doubles, 19 RBIs and 11 runs scored. In 2023, Rothhaar batted .353 with a double, a triple, nine RBIs, 11 runs scored and 11 stolen bases to earn SBC Lake second team. On the track, Rothhaar has qualified for the Div. I regional meet three times, and has been an SBC Lake Division champion in sprints. As a sophomore, he reached the Div. I state championships in the 400-meter dash. "I love sports in general, and I'm always active," he said. "I want to be moving around and getting better in some way, somehow. That's just how I grew up, and four sports is right up my alley because I'm always busy and always doing stuff." After high school, Rothhaar will join a Rutgers program — members of the Big Ten since 2014 — that should have made its 13th all-time bowl game this winter. The school is considered an academic powerhouse, ranking No. 1 in public national universities by the U.S. News & World Report. It was most recently ranked 40th among all national universities. But before any of that happens, Rothhaar wants to leave his mark. "I'm just out here doing what I love and having fun," he said. "The thing I really hope I leave behind (at Norwalk) is some sort of impact on someone. "Either someone saw me working after practice, or after a baseball game when I go out and train for track. For kids now and in the future, I hope they see that and they want to chase what I was chasing." His head coach hopes for the same. "Ben does so many things right, he's so respectful, and cares about the game and his teammates," Mora said. "That makes it that much more fun to coach him. He's a great kid to have around our program as someone our younger kids can look up to and want to be like him. "As a coach, you can nod your head in approval and say, 'I hope you become like him, because he's a great kid.'"