Tessmann makes most of opportunity

David Tessmann knows where his bread is buttered.

A sophomore running back, Tessmann has played four games for the Sterling varsity football team and has already scored eight touchdowns. A 5-foot-9, 145-pounder, he’s fast and shifty, yet strong and tough.

And he’s also smart enough to give credit for his success to an offensive line that includes center Adan Ramirez, guards Ryan Heffelfinger and Aidan Munoz-Ripley, and tackles Nate Beyer and Cameron Beasley – road graders that can clear quite a path.

“I knew the offensive line was really good,” Tessmann said. “They know what they’re doing. All props to them. I just had to keep my composure. I just had to know what I was doing.”

For the first 5 weeks of the season, Tessmann played at the sophomore level, then was moved up prior to a Week 6 game at Rock Island.

He had seven carries for 49 yards, including a 19-yard TD run, to help the Golden Warriors to a 49-26 victory.

When junior running back Jahshawn Howard got dinged up against Moline in Week 7, Tessmann was called upon for a larger role. He had 12 carries for 74 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown run, to help Sterling to a 53-26 win.

Tessmann’s signature moment came the following week, in a 49-13 victory at United Township. He had 11 carries for 98 yards, including TD runs of 6, 4, 25, 4 and 53 yards.

Tessman became the fifth Golden Warrior to score five touchdowns in a game, joining Jeff Sellers (1973), Dustin Arduini (1990), Graham Hall (2004) and Sterling Thornton (2015).

Again, Tessmann credited his blockers.

“There wasn’t any pressure,” Tessmann said. “You just run hard through the line and take your opportunity.”

Last week, in a Western Big 6-clinching, 54-28 win against Galesburg, Tessmann added 13 carries for 63 yards, including a 20-yard TD run.

One might think a sophomore stepping in and playing a prominent role for a team that is primed for an extended run in the Class 5A playoffs may cause some hurt feelings in the ranks, but the opposite has been true. A close-knit Golden Warriors team has welcomed Tessmann as one of their own.

“They’ve helped me feel like I’m part of the team,” Tessmann said. “They just tell me to run hard, don’t let the pressure get to you. It feels like I’m back at the sophomore level. I just play the game and have fun.”

Tessmann also singled out senior quarterback Cooper Willman as being especially helpful.

“He’s really helped me out,” Willman said. “If I’m struggling with one of the plays, he takes me aside and helps me and tells me what to do. He’s really influential, toward me and all of the guys. He’s a motivator.”

Head coach Jon Schlemmer needed another running back with Howard limited, and has been happy to see Tessmann step into that role.

“He had some success down at the lower level, and we had enough depth at the time that we could do that,” Schlemmer said. “I think it was really good for him to stay down there and learn and find his stride. We were always watching. Coach [Shad] Bailey, our offensive coordinator, and coach [Geoff] Devine, our running backs coach, they always had their eyes on him.

“He’s just a really hard worker. Once he got the opportunity, he made the most of it.”

Now Tessmann is a running back for the newly minted, top-ranked team in Class 5A. Sterling had been No. 2, but with East St. Louis Senior, the previous No. 1, being involved in the 6A playoffs, the Golden Warriors are the new No. 1 in 5A.

Sterling hosts Chicago Heights Marian in a first-round 5A playoff game on Friday night, and Roscoe Eades Stadium is sure to be rocking.

“I’m pretty sure it will be a different environment, but it will be fun playing against different teams,” Tessmann said. “It’s going to be a hard challenge, but I feel we’re ready for it.”

Chicago Heights Marian at Sterling

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Roscoe Eades Stadium

Radio: 105.5 M

Twitter: @DanWoessner