Top Defensive Performers from Week 8 – IL

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is the list of 5 standout performances from week of the IHSA season:</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":"Nicolas Matejka","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"University (Normal) High ","_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":"Nicolas Matejka made life difficult for for Lincoln all night long this past Friday. His performance helped carry his team to a 49-28 victory. The Junior EDGE was able to use his length and strength to shed blocks, living in the backfield all night. He ended up with 13 total tackles, 2 sacks and 2 pass break-ups. Matejka has been unblock-able the last 2 weeks putting up big stats in back to back weeks.rnrnhttps://twitter.com/cole_matejka/status/1713720865714553288","_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":"Cale Kimbro","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Mattoon High School","_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":"It is not often you find yourself on this list after a loss but Cale Kimbro was a bright a spot on Friday for Mattoon. Regardless of the score, Kimbro was able to standout against a talented Mahomet-Seymour team. He was able to fill holes and slow down the run of the bulldogs from his middle linebacker position. He ended up with an impressive 16 tackles on the night.rnrnhttps://twitter.com/kimbro_cale/status/1713652109940240884","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["832146"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='832146' first='Brock' last='Sperling'] was all over the field for Chicago Christian in week 8 on defense. They love to move him around the defense either playing off the ball as a linebacker or lined up on the edge. He has the talent to affect the game at whatever position he is playing. He did just that against Christ the King were he had 12 tackles, 4.5 sacks, a forced fumble and interception. Posting a season worth of stats in one game is a heck of a night.rnrnhttps://twitter.com/BrockSperling/status/1713682013918531781","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1292097' first='Bryce' last='Griffin']","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Yorkville High School","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Yorkville had a close defensive battle this past weekend with Oswego East. They ended up coming away with the victory winning 13-8. [player_tooltip player_id='1292097' first='Bryce' last='Griffin'] had a major impact on the game with 5 TFLs, once again proving to college coaches he is one of the top rising 2025 edge rushers in Illinois. His first step is one of the fastest I've seen coming off the ball with great twitch. As he keeps hitting the weight room and filling out his 6'4 frame he should be considered a top priority for schools next year.rnrnhttps://twitter.com/_brycegriffin/status/1713203786901004647","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["522599"],"_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":"Tim Wessel's performance was too impressive not make this list. With the rain coming down on Friday, it turned Harlem's game against Belvidere North into a mud bowl. Wessel was a tackling machine from his linebacker position with 18 tackles, 4 of them being for a loss. His most memorable tackle was on a fourth down when he went airborne over the line of scrimmage to stop the ball carrier in his tracks.rnrnhttps://twitter.com/Twessels045/status/1713563079525507165","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-652dedf895809"} /-->