After early struggles, defense has delivered in big way for Holt football

For Isaiah Foster and the rest of the Holt football team it's a pride thing.

Keeping opponents out of the end zone has become the Rams' identity.

And that stifling defense over the past several weeks has been the biggest reason the Rams (7-3) emerged as CAAC Blue champions and earned a home date with rival and co-Blue champion Grand Ledge (8-2) in a Division 1 district final Friday.

Foster, a senior defensive back, has been the backbone of a Holt defense that has held four of its past five opponents to eight points or less. Foster and lineman Carloes Speed were the only returning defensive starters for the Rams and have been key performers on a unit that has surrendered just 10.6 points per game the past eight weeks.

"Coming in we knew we were going to have to take the onus and lead these young guys," Foster said. "Throughout the season they made great strides. It's just a great feeling."

Grand Ledge, East Lansing, Hartland and Waverly were held to their lowest point totals of the season by the Rams, who have limited six opponents to eight points or less on the season.

What Holt has done has impressed head coach Chad Fulk – especially with the defense having so many pieces to replace. But he also believes the unit's growth is a testament to defensive coordinator Sean Carmody.

Holt started the season by giving up 35 points each in losses to CAAC Red champion Mason and Caledonia. Things changed in Week 3 for the Rams when they held Grand Ledge to six points in a victory that started a stretch of seven wins in eight games.

"Our school starts school so early where everybody else gets two weeks of two-a-days, we had two days," Fulk said. ."We knew we were going to be really behind everybody else scheme-wise and then plus having such a really young team. We had to be super basic when we're playing against some of the best teams in the state right off the get-go.

"We knew we would struggle those first two weeks. it was just how were we going to rebound. They were able to do it."

Foster believes camaraderie and familiarity from playing together in the past have helped make defense Holt's strong suit.

"We've all been playing with each other since seventh grade," Foster said. "It's just great. we know what everyone is going to do and we just feed off of that and just make big plays to win games."

Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @brian_calloway.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: High school football: Stingy defense driving Holt