Class A, District 7: 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>Luke DeMeulenaere - Belle Plaine</strong> The DeMeulenaere family is a key one for Belle Plaine, and it starts with Class of 2021 prospect Luke DeMeulenaere. Last year, DeMeulenaere ran for 1,044 yards with 12 touchdowns, posting almost seven yards per carry. Trevin Straight, who led the team with 1,585 yards and 21 scores, has graduated, leaving plenty of carries for DeMeulenaere. DeMeulenaere was also key in the passing game, catching 13 balls for 174 yards. He made 36.5 tackles on defense with two sacks and five stops for loss, adding three fumble recoveries and three interceptions. On special teams, DeMeulenaere averaged nearly 21 yards per kickoff return including an 85-yard touchdown. <strong>Zach Opheim - Grundy Center</strong> Grundy Center overcame a tough loss to North Tama to reach the Class A state championship game last year. The Spartans fell just short vs. West Hancock, but are definitely a contender this season. One of the premier backs in the state calls Grundy Center home in Zach Opheim, as the Class of 2021 prospect ran 252 times for 1,461 yards with 18 touchdowns. He averaged almost six yards per carry and also had a touchdown in the passing game. Opheim made 57.5 tackles on defense including nine for loss with five forced turnovers. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="23873" first="Nick" last="Ascher"] - Grundy Center</strong> Class of 2022 quarterback prospect [player_tooltip player_id="23982" first="Logan" last="Knaack"] has some high-level receivers to work with including Class of 2021’s [player_tooltip player_id="23873" first="Nick" last="Ascher"]. Ascher led the team with 31 receptions for 503 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019. He averaged over 16 yards per reception. On the other side of the ball, Ascher was in on 26 tackles with 6.5 being for loss and two sacks. <strong>Dylan Klinker - North Mahaska</strong> Whatever North Mahaska needed in 2019, Dylan Klinker willingly did. Klinker lined up all over the field, but had his greatest success at wide receiver. The Class of 2021 player caught a team-high 23 passes for 478 yards with four touchdowns, averaging almost 21 yards per catch. He also ran for 247 yards with two scores and completed 10 passes for 181 yards with a touchdown. On defense, Klinker made 45 tackles and also averaged 21 yards per punt return and 12 yards per kickoff return. <strong>Noah Weber - North Tama</strong> The North Tama offense last year had plenty of firepower, racking up almost 1,000 yards passing and over 2,100 yards rushing. Several of those key figures have graduated, but Noah Weber returns. The Class of 2021 prospect ran for 768 yards and scored a team-high 12 touchdowns. He posted nearly six yards per rush last year. In the passing game, Weber added six receptions for 90 yards. He also made 27.5 tackles and picked off a pass on defense.