The Best Defensive Anchors in Class 2A

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The saying always goes, "Offense wins games, defense wins championships." While that has rang true over the years, it is safe to say that defense will win you games as well. Every year there are guys who step up and become the heart and soul of their units. The energy of the squad runs through them and everyone plays better because of them. These anchors also play at an elite level, inspiring their guys and helping even further. This past fall, Class 2A was home to several of these defenses that trotted out some of Kansas' finest. Here are five of the best defensive anchors throughout the state in 2A.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Loden West","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2411","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Ellsworth","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Loden West is a type of player that would make Knute Rockne and Ron Heisman happy. These coaches loved downhill running and putting your entire body into tackling ball carriers. West thrives between the tackles. His speed is incredible as he will occasionally beat ball carriers to the hole. He may not have many pass coverage assignments, but that doesn't mean he's not afraid to put his hands into passing lanes. He runs hard from sideline to sideline and shadows backs well. Loden is also strong, being able to bull rush and pancake linemen as he's blitzing. He will pass rush, but that is not his game. It is no surprise that Ellsworth only allowed 6 points in the first 5 weeks of the season.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"Marcus Bauman","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2411","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Sabetha","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Sabetha has an excellent lid over the top of their defense. Bauman is a key contributor to both sides of the ball, but was a key contributor to the Bluejay defense that allowed 14 points in 5 weeks, including 3 shut-outs. Bauman does not hesitate to cover the run while being lined up 10-12 yards off the line of scrimmage. He is also a master of disguise in the medium passing game. Keeping a low pad level but staying on his man, Quarterbacks will throw right at him and allow him a chance to take it the distance. You don't see him running stride for stride with receivers, but that does not appear to be the game plan that Sabetha plans to run with their defensive backs. Bauman has the speed and skill to do so, but instead he uses it to reek havoc on the front end of the sticks.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"Dalton Barber","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Kingman","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"5.5 points. That is all this Eagles team allowed per game through their first eleven games! It was not until deep into the playoffs that this squad began to bend. This was in large part to their utility piece on the front line: Dalton Barber. Barber is a strong player that does his best work at he is putting linemen on their backs. He plays all over the line, but it looks like he is most comfortable on the interior. He does not get pushed back, and makes big traffic jams when he is getting double teamed. He covers the run great, and shadows plays all the way to the sideline and will make plays while there. He is athletic enough to put his hands up into passing lanes while on the line as well. With a few mechanical fixes such as getting his hands out and denying tackles access to his chest, he can be a monster at other levels of football.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["146106"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"It is plain and simple that they do not build many athletes like [player_tooltip player_id='146106' first='Holden' last='Bass']. The easiest way to prove my point is to ask one question: How many guys are 6'4u0022, 270 pounds, and screaming off the edge blocking punts? Bass is a big body, but is constantly one of the most athletic players on the field at all times. When he is in the zone, he can single-handedly remove half of the field from running the ball. Double teams, triple teams, it does not matter. He is also smart, knowing to stay home to cover his assignments on triple options and screen passes. He may ease up meeting a blocker occasionally, but that does not stop him from keeping his defense anchored down through the middle.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["544747"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"It would be incredibly easy to cry out that having [player_tooltip player_id='146106' first='Holden' last='Bass'] and [player_tooltip player_id='544747' first='Abe' last='Hilbert'] on the same defensive unit is unfair. To an extent I agree. Hilbert is a 6 foot 6 monster that compliments the game of Bass perfectly. He is most comfortable bringing up the rear of plays and covering any chance of a back side cut. He runs with most of the quarterbacks he played against last year and can keep a scrambler in check from taking off down field. He has been seen not leading with his hands as he fires off into a blocker, but that does not stop him from terrorizing quarterbacks and running backs alike. To have the best defensive you must have the best players, and the Nemaha Central Thunder has just that with Hilbert up front.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63dc397cb3f95"} /-->