Ferch Brothers to reunite in Ames

STATE CENTER — Dalton Ferch is leaving one brother and rejoining another on the gridiron.

The West Marshall senior has accepted a preferred walk-on opportunity with the Iowa State football team.

“I go over in June, start working out with them,” said Ferch after helping the Class 2A No. 1 and undefeated Trojans basketball team to a victory Friday over Gladbrook-Reinbeck. “I’m just going to go there, work hard and see what happens.”

Ferch will be joining big brother Drake, who took a preferred walk-on spot with ISU earlier this month.

Dalton was the T-R All-Area Player of the Year in both 2010 and 2011.

During his career as a Trojan, Ferch played defensive back all four years, primarily at wideout during his freshman and sophomore campaign (which coincided with Drake tearing things up from the tailback position in State Center) and mostly at running back during his junior and senior seasons while also being a special teams threat all four years.

He’s played with younger brother Duncan, a sophomore a tight end and defensive end, the past two years.

Dalton finished his career with 98 touchdowns, 21 interceptions and 7,802 all-purpose yards.

He will start his career as a Cyclone returning punts and kicks while also working in as a slot receiver with a redshirt year likely this season.

“They said they have a plan for me to take over when Josh Lenz leaves,” said Dalton, mentioning the ISU senior receiver/returner who shares the similar smaller stature as Ferch.

Defensive tackles coach Shane Burnham headed up Ferch’s recruitment, the duration of which helped sway him Cyclone.

“(Northern Iowa) kind of came in late, too. They were talking like half-(scholarship),” Ferch said, “but they didn’t start talking to me until the second week of January and Iowa State’s been talking to me for two years. That factor played a role, too.”

The goal now becomes playing his way into a scholarship. It’s a goal Drake, who played safety at Iowa Western CC for two years, shares as well.

“I love him,” laughed Dalton, “but I hope I get (it) first.”

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