Class 1A, District 1: Class Of 2021 Offensive Skill Players

As we move closer and closer to the start of the football season, it is important that we highlight as many players as possible. With that said, we are going to take a look at the top skill position players from as many districts as possible in the state before fall camps begin. Some of these players are already receiving college interest, while others are looking to catch the eye of that right coach. <strong>Ben Dunlap - Emmetsburg</strong> Just how far Emmetsburg goes this coming season will depend largely on the play of Ben Dunlap. Dunlap, who is receiving college interest, completed 42 of 88 passes for 510 yards with four touchdowns a year ago. He also ran for another 109 yards and scored three times. On defense, Dunlap was all over the field, making 45 tackles and picking off three passes. <strong>Cole Shirk - Emmetsburg</strong> The line of talented running backs to come out of Emmetsburg is lengthy, and Cole Shirk would like nothing more than to be the next one. As a junior Shirk ran for a team-high 708 yards with six touchdowns, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. He also hauled in a handful of passes and made 16.5 tackles on defense. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="23924" first="Derek" last="Anderson"] - Hinton</strong> Hinton experienced a strong season a year ago, finishing 6-3, which included a 5-1 mark down the stretch. During that run, the Blackhawks scored over 40 points three times. The leader of that attack was Class of 2021 quarterback [player_tooltip player_id="23924" first="Derek" last="Anderson"], who is back for another go-round. Anderson completed 77 of 157 passes for 1,054 yards with 10 touchdowns and just two interceptions. He averaged almost 14 yards per completion and had a quarterback rating of 105.4. With his legs, Anderson added another 154 yards and three scores while making 21.5 tackles on defense with three forced turnovers. <strong>Kade Hoefling - Hinton</strong> Providing a sound ground attack to the passing of Hinton’s [player_tooltip player_id="23924" first="Derek" last="Anderson"] is classmate Kade Hoefling. Last year, Hoefling carried the ball 92 times for 635 yards, scoring five times and averaging almost seven yards an attempt. He also caught seven passes for 99 yards and a score. On defense, Hoefling made 19.5 tackles with two sacks. <strong>Beau Jenness - Sibley-Ocheyedan</strong> Sibley-Ocheyedan’s offense was directed by Class of 2021’s Beau Jenness last year. Jenness led the Generals, throwing for 474 yards with three touchdowns while adding a team-high 554 yards and four scores on the ground. He also made 43.5 tackles including 30 solo stops on the defensive side of the ball, picking off two passes and recovering a fumble. <strong>Jayden Harder - Sioux Central</strong> Of all the Class of 2021 running backs last year, nobody carried the ball more than Sioux Central’s Jayden Harder. Harder, more of an old-school type of back, had 264 carries for 1,180 yards with 10 touchdowns for the Rebels. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry and was just as effective on defense. On that side of the ball, Harder recorded 68.5 tackles including 49 solos with 7.5 stops for loss. In a 37-18 win over St. Edmond, Harder ran for 242 yards on 46 carries, scoring four times. <strong>Tyler Boer - Hull Western Christian</strong> As a junior, Tyler Boer completed 102 of 213 passes for 1,508 yards with 15 touchdowns and a quarterback rating over 107. Now, a year older, expect even bigger numbers out of the Hull Western Christian Class of 2021 prospect. Boer averaged almost 15 yards per completion, adding 95 yards and two scores on the ground. The Wolfpack went 8-1, advancing to the Class 1A state playoffs.