Class 1A, District 2: Top Offensive, Defensive Players

A pair of 20-plus touchdown scorers highlight a look back at the top offensive and defensive players from the year in Class 1A, District 2. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="148364" first="Blake" last="McAlister"] - South Central Calhoun - RB/DB - 6-1 - 175</strong> Mr. Versatility for South Central Calhoun and head coach Bryan Case was [player_tooltip player_id="148364" first="Blake" last="McAlister"]. Offense, defense and special teams were areas that McAlister shined on, oh, and he’s also a returning state wrestling runner-up. McAlister ran for 758 yards and 11 TDs, caught 20 passes for 351 and six touchdowns, threw for a TD, had a pick-6 and returned a punt for a TD. The thing with McAlister is you can utilize him in so many different ways that it is hard to figure out just where he might be at his best. With his athleticism and skills, putting him at safety could be a game-changer for a college program. He is big, strong and has no trouble taking on a player 1-on-1. <strong>Carter Moran - Woodward-Granger - QB/S - 6-1 - 175</strong> The other member of the 20-TD club, Woodward-Granger quarterback Carter Moran showed off his skills both with his arm and legs. Morgan threw for 1,549 yards with 15 touchdowns, while running for another 294 and nine TDs. Just a junior, Moran will have another offseason and in-season to improve his overall skills. Much like the aforementioned [player_tooltip player_id="148364" first="Blake" last="McAlister"], he has great size and could also be a future safety at the college level with his abilities. Moran throws a very nice, easily-catchable ball. It gets out of his hand quickly and has good zip behind it. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="148744" first="Tate" last="Bianchi"] - Manson Northwest Webster - RB/CB - 5-7 - 160</strong> In the same mold as his Twin Lakes Conference rival, [player_tooltip player_id="148364" first="Blake" last="McAlister"], [player_tooltip player_id="148744" first="Tate" last="Bianchi"] took on the do-it-all role for Manson Northwest Webster. A year after leading the Cougars at wide receiver, he moved to the backfield and carried the ball 225 times for 1,163 yards and 10 touchdowns. But Bianchi also remained a key piece of the passing game, catching 17 passes for 227 yards and two scores. He showed off his excellent speed on 80 and 91 yard scores. Bianchi could make an immediate impact at the next level on special teams. He averaged 19 yards on eight kickoff returns and almost seven yards on 12 punt returns. <strong>Alex Evans - Woodward-Granger - OT - 5-10 - 230</strong> Paving the way for almost 3,000 yards of total offense was Alex Evans. The powerful 230-pounder was an anchor for the unit and made sure there were plenty of holes for the skill players to get through. Evans was a big-time factor on defense, recording 45.5 tackles including 27 solo stops, eight for loss and two sacks. He also was in the right place at the right time, recovering five fumbles. <strong>Cayden Schultz - Eagle Grove - RB/CB - 5-10 - 120</strong> Teams definitely did not learn their lesson game planning to face Eagle Grove. You do not pick on Cayden Schultz. The junior picked off six passes this season while also displaying his skills on offense with 15 touches for over 100 yards and a TD. While he might not look the part, you cannot ignore the ball-hawking skills of Schultz.