Top Five Rushing Leaders Returning in 1A

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Taking a look at each of the top five rushing leaders in yards that return in Class 1A this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/top-five-rushing-leaders-returning-in-5a/">Top Five Rushing Leaders Returning in 5A</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/top-five-rushing-leaders-returning-in-4a/">Top Five Rushing Leaders Returning in 4A</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/top-five-rushing-leaders-returning-in-3a/">Top Five Rushing Leaders Returning in 3A</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/top-five-rushing-leaders-returning-in-2a/">Top Five Rushing Leaders Returning in 2A</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/08/top-five-returning-passers-in-2a-2/">Top Five Returning Passers in 1A</a></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":"[player_tooltip player_id='1901425' first='Laken' last='Caves']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"175","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2411","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Alburnett","_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68a510e591a4e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The top returning rusher in 1A this fall is junior out of Alburnett, [player_tooltip player_id='1901425' first='Laken' last='Caves'], who took 173 carries for 1,251 yards (7.2 yards per carry) and 16 touchdowns last fall. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Earning First-Team All-District as well as team MVP awards, Caves has some "wow" plays on <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/19822875/67f1c071956e7e329a57e7cc">his tape from last season</a>. With a long 5'11" frame, Caves has a mean stiff arm with the ability to stay balanced despite taking hits. That, plus 10.79 100-meter dash track speed allows him to break away from opposing defenses for big plays, making him the leader in this group in yards per carry, as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Poised for an even bigger breakout junior season, Caves also led the Pirates in receiving during his sophomore campaign, grabbing 22 passes for 406 yards and five scores. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- 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":"Jett Sornson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"150","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Treynor","_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68a510e591b04"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">After taking 215 carries for 1,144 yards and 13 scores last season, Jett Sornson is the definition of bell-cow running back -- and he did it all at just 5'5" and 150 pounds. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A stout speedster with a low center of gravity, Sornson uses his size to stay upright and fight through arm tackles. Despite his small stature, Sornson isn't easy to bring down, is quick in and out of cuts and can take off for the endzone thanks to his foot speed. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1221929"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68a510e591b5e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Moving down after taking the 2A state championship last season by a score of 42-7 over Spirit Lake, [player_tooltip player_id='1221929' first='Evan' last='Hildring'] is back to carry the load on the ground for West Lyon. In 2024, he took 151 carries for 1,023 yards and 15 scores and added 46 tackles defensively. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The leading rusher despite sharing the majority of the carries with three seniors last season, Hildring will once again be the main workhorse in the run game for the Wildcats this fall. Also losing starting quarterback, Bryson Childress, West Lyon will rely heavily on Hildring and his ability to breakaway from defenses in the open field. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- 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":"Brayden Yates","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"185","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Emmetsburg","_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68a510e591bf4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Part of a two-headed monster running attack in 2024, Brayden Yates led Emmetsburg with 154 carries for 985 yards and 15 touchdowns last fall. Not far behind him was senior, Carson Baak, who took 140 carries for 981 yards and 15 scores in 2024.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now expected to take the brunt of the carries this season, Yates, like Hildring, could be in a line for a major uptick in the workload in 2025. Also the No. 2 tackler for the E-Hawks with 34 tackles and 8.5 tackles-for-loss, Yates will be expected to do almost everything for his team over the coming months. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1197445"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68a510e591c41"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The lone Power 4 prospect of the bunch, [player_tooltip player_id='1197445' first='Savion' last='Miller'] returns after a big-time sophomore campaign that resulted in 160 carries for 922 yards and eight touchdowns last fall. Part of one of the more talented teams in the state with fellow P4 prospects [player_tooltip player_id='466364' first='Tate' last='Wallace'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1605331' first='Gabriel' last='Hegelheimer'], Miller should only improve off his stats from last season and the fact that senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1657101' first='Kyle' last='Tracy'] is also back to lead the passing attack.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The No. 1 RB in the class of 2027, Miller is incredibly smooth in and out of cuts, navigates space better than most, if not all backs in the state, possesses breakaway speed, leads with his pads to absorb contact, is patient behind his offensive line, and is purely fun to watch operate out of the Regina backfield. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">One of the fastest-rising juniors recruits in the state, Miller holds offers from Iowa State, Missouri and Miami (FL). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->