Class 3A Top DL/LB Performances of Week 7

As we make our return to Class 3A this week, we got to see some very impressive performances from the defenders playing in the box, disrupting the offense, and contributing to statement wins as we are closing in on the finish line for the 2024 high school football regular season. We take a look at 4 defensive-linemen and 4 Linebackers that stood out this week in Class 3A!    One of the most dominant defenders this season in Class 3A has been Kael Riniker, and he gave another impressive performance in a blowout win over Fort Madison. Riniker recorded 5 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, and 2 sacks in the win. Riniker has been effective playing the interior gaps, showing great hand placement to be able to gain leverage on his blockers, and he once again proved to be difficult to contain en route to another productive performance for the senior. Riniker leads all Class 3A players currently in sacks (9.5), and should continue pushing the charge for Mount Vernon's stellar defense this season.     Algona holds the best QB in Iowa for the class of 2025 as well as the top DL prospect for the same class. [player_tooltip player_id='252334' first='Jack' last='Limbaugh'] has been enjoying an excellent senior campaign, and while Algona lost on Friday to Humboldt, Limbaugh had his best night of the season with 10 tackles, 3 TFLs, and a sack. Limbaugh was relentless, giving Humboldt everything he had to force as much pressure on the QB as he could, and was successful through most of the night in forcing the ball to be thrown too soon. Limbaugh will look to help Algona rebound after suffering their first loss of the season and regain their momentum before the postseason.     Freshman [player_tooltip player_id='1849099' first='Isaiah' last='Lange'] has began to see more playing time over the last few weeks, and he had his breakout performance this week in a close win over Keokuk. Lange finished with 4.5 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, and 2.5 sacks in the win. Lange ran hard through contact, proving to be a blocking mismatch against RBs, and was aggressive in the pass-rush, which proved to be a difference-maker as Lange helped Mount Pleasant completely shut out Keokuk during the second half. This key performance could see Lange's stock rise greatly and we should expect more of him over the next few weeks.     Fort Madison struggled against a #10 ranked Mount Vernon team in week 7, but among the few bright spots in the embattled loss was senior Aaron Warner, who's been a solid contributor for the Bloodhounds' defense this season. Warner recorded 5 tackles, 2 TFLs, and a sack in the loss. Warner's short and stout stature made him more difficult to contain than Mount Vernon expected, proving to be an effective run stopper and being able to force the QB out of the pocket. Warner's efforts on a struggling team should not be undermined.     Fairfield snapped a 4 game losing streak with a close win over South Tama at hom in week 7. Leading the defense was senior [player_tooltip player_id='1279852' first='Luke' last='Konczal'], whose presence was felt all around the field as he helped fend off South Tama, finishing the night with a team-high 16 tackles. He also carried the ball 11 times for 151 yards and 2 touchdowns in the win. Konczal does a great job translating his speed, lateral movement, and his ability to attack open lanes as a runner into stopping RBs from breaking through open lanes ,and it showed throughout the night. Konczal leads the team with 76.5 tackles through 7 games and with his efforts, that number could see considerable growth over the next few weeks.     Jake Wailes holds down the middle of the defense for Atlantic, and in a strong road win this week, Wailes had a huge role in shutting down Perry's offense. Wailes finished with a team high 11.5 tackles (11 solo), 1 TFL, and a sack. Wailes did a great job understanding when to attack the ball-carrier when sitting in a zone, as well as when to force pressure on the scrambling QB to force the ball to be thrown away. Wailes should continue to lead the defense heading into the postseason as Atlantic looks to make a potentially deep playoff run.     Creston's defense was completely unbreakable on Friday night, shutting out Knoxville at home, and senior Tyson Looney enjoyed a busy night, proving to be the Achilles heel toward Knoxville's offense. Looney had 4 tackles, 2 TFLs, 2 sacks, and 2 interceptions in the win. Looney has been utilized in the middle, at outside-linebacker, and lined out wide in a zone coverage. Looney showed an equal blend of blitzing and dropping into coverage, and he did a great job understanding when to do so, and he looked particularly strong in coverage, which resulted in 2 picks on Creston. Looney should remain as a vital contributor as Creston continues their ascent following an 0-4 start, countering with 3 straight wins.     Wahlert Catholic now sits at 7-0 after a close win on Friday night, in which Golden Eagles' standout [player_tooltip player_id='1286448' first='Michael' last='Bormann'] played a big part in the team holding off West Delaware on the road. Bormann finished with 12.5 tackles and 1.5 TFLs, while also adding 19 carries for 147 yards on offense. Bormann's is an impressive athlete, with a great upper-body frame, quickness, and hard tackling, and he had a big role leading the defense in keeping West Delaware out of the endzone for much of the game. Bormann has been an effective leader for this Wahlert Catholic defense, and that leadership should remain visible heading into the postseason.

As we make our return to Class 3A this week, we got to see some very impressive performances from the defenders playing in the box, disrupting the offense, and contributing to statement wins as we are closing in on the finish line for the 2024 high school football regular season. We take a look at 4 defensive-linemen and 4 Linebackers that stood out this week in Class 3A!