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ELKTON, S.D. — The Elkton school district has officially named Kaleb Haas as the Elks’ new head football coach.
Haas replaces Ethan Pearson, who resigned and moved to North Dakota. Pearson is now a middle school physical education teacher and assistant coach with Central Cass in Casselton, N.D.
“We’ve focused on building the program from the ground up,” said Haas, who worked with Pearson since 2020. “We’ve built a culture, and the kids have bought in to the sport.”
“We’re excited to promote Kaleb to the head football coach position,” ELB athletic director Steve Erickson said in an email. “He’s shown tremendous dedication to our student-athletes, both on and off the field. He understands our program’s values, knows our kids and has the proven ability to develop players.”
In related moves, Jared Beck was promoted from junior high to high school assistant and Hunter Van Nieuwenhuyse was hired at the junior high level.
Beck, father of quarterback/safety combo Colt Beck, will be the new offensive coordinator, Haas reported.
Van Nieuwenhuyse is a former Mount Marty quarterback, who played scholastically at both Burke and Miller.
The South Dakota Football Coaches Association honored both Pearson and Haas last November as Class 9AA head coach and assistant of the year, respectively.
ELB is coming off a 9-2 season, with both losses to eventual state champion Hamlin. The Chargers narrowly escaped the Elks twice with victories by less than one possession in each contest.
Haas attended and played for Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, S.D., for two seasons. He then transferred to South Dakota State University, a double major graduate in biology and education.
For the ELB school district, Haas teaches middle school and high school science, primarily biology, chemistry and a unique course offering (zoology).
Elkton-Lake Benton’s Kaleb Haas (right) was named South Dakota Football Football Coaches Association Class 9AA assistant coach of the year during the 2024 season. Haas is shown with then Elks’ head coach Ethan Pearson and SDFCA president Kent Van Overschelde. Haas was recently promoted to ELB head coach. (Contributed photo from South Dakota Public Broadcasting)
Haas also will continue serving other roles as head powerlifting coach and an assistant with the track and field program.
While at Howard High School, Haas was on the Tigers’ 2014 Class 9A championship team defeating Wolsey-Wessington 32-20.
Haas was named an all-state linebacker, and finished his Howard career with a pair of 100-plus solo tackle seasons.
He hopes to sustain ELB’s recent gridiron success, which resulted in advancing to the 9AA semifinals last year.
New Elkton-Lake Benton head coach Kaleb Haas was an all-state linebacker at Howard. (Contributed photo from the Elkton school district)
Combining the past three years, the Elks are 27-5.
“I think we’re in a good spot,” Haas said.
The Elks officially opened practice this past Thursday, Aug. 7, with several key returners.
Those notable players are offensive and defensive lineman Tait Boersma — who also shined in powerlifting last year — offensive/defensive lineman Quintin Westley, running back/defensive back Eliot Erickson, wide receiver/linebacker Savion Stephens and Beck.
As a means of betterment, the Elks attended three camps this summer at Dell Rapids-St. Mary’s, Lennox and SDSU. Players also participated in an acceleration program to improve speed, agility and strength.
Haas is married to wife, Isabelle, a secondary school counselor in the Russell-Tyler-Ruthton school district. The couple has a son named Reginald, who will turn two years old in November.
Season opens Aug. 22
ELB opens the regular season on Friday, Aug. 22, at Waubay-Summit, a team the Elks blanked last year, 42-0.