Le Mars football produced another collegiate athlete on Wednesday afternoon as three-year starter Elijah Dougherty signed to play football in the Great Plains Athletic Conference with Dordt University.
Football has always been Dougherty’s favorite of the sports going up the high school ranks. To continue that in college is something he is looking forward to.
Dougherty plans to continue his career on the defensive end with Dordt by playing linebacker for the Defenders. Dougherty is coming off a season in which he was named first team all-district after recording a team-best 55.5 tackles, six tackles for loss, and a sack. Dougherty says his experience at Le Mars taught him many things that will make him an asset in college.
Le Mars Head Coach Ken Vigdal says Dougherty impressed him just by the effort he poured into the game. Dougherty did not just play middle linebacker for the Bulldogs; he was also the running back on many occasions that got the bulk of the carries. He says Dougherty’s intangibles will make him stand out at the next level.
The Bulldog football program left a mark on Dougherty that will continue on into college. He says that mark came in showing him what it means to be a team player.
Coach Vigdal says getting to send kids off to college does not just speak well about the program. He says it really says a lot about the community that surrounds and supports the kids in the football program.
The next football season is roughly a half a year away from us yet at this point, but Dougherty is eager to get going. He says he wants to learn everything there is to know about the Dordt football program and how he can have an impact.
The Defenders finished last season ranked 25th in the NAIA with a record of 7-3.
