Five Surprise Iowa Standouts: Class A

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Taking a look at some of the new faces on the block in A that have surprised on the gridiron this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/10/five-surprise-iowa-standouts-class-5a/">Five Surprise Iowa Standouts: Class 5A</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/10/five-surprise-iowa-standouts-class-4a/">Five Surprise Iowa Standouts: Class 4A</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/10/five-surprise-iowa-standouts-class-3a/">Five Surprise Iowa Standouts: Class 3A</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/10/five-surprise-iowa-standouts-class-2a/">Five Surprise Iowa Standouts: Class 2A</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/10/five-surprise-iowa-standouts-class-1a/">Five Surprise Iowa Standouts: Class 1A</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1941234"],"_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-68e845dc30cba"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1941234' first='Brady' last='Abbas'] finished 2024 with .5 tackles. That was it -- no carries, no receptions, no punt returns -- nothing else other than .5 tackles. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This season, the 135-pound defensive back out of AGWSR leads all of Class A with 55 tackles. So, when a player increases their defensive output by <strong><em>10,900% </em></strong>with two games left in the season, they qualify to make the list of Surprise Standouts so far in 2025. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Of those 55 tackles, 6.5 have been tackles-for-loss (TFLs) and two have come as sacks. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1941235"],"_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-68e845dc30d6f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">With 93 carries for 478 and four scores to go with six catches for 68 yards and a touchdown last season, [player_tooltip player_id='1941235' first='Kyle' last='Irwin'] had a solid impact for St. Albert in 2024.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 has been a different story.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On just eight more carries through six games, Irwin has put together 991 yards and 11 touchdowns, more than doubling his yards and touchdown numbers on the ground and carrying the Falcon offense this season. He currently ranks fourth in total rushing yards and fifth in rushing touchdowns in Class A. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He's also added 26 tackles defensively. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1941237"],"_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-68e845dc30e0a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A somewhat similar story to Abbas, [player_tooltip player_id='1941237' first='Caleb' last='Puderbaugh'] didn't make much of an impact for Martensdale-St. Mary's during his freshman campaign, finishing the season with just seven tackles, including one TFL. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With a year of varsity ball under his belt with the Blue Devils, Puderbaugh took his game up a level over the offseason, and he now leads Class A in sacks with 8.5. With 20 total tackles to his name, nearly half of his production has come in the form of a sack this season, making QBs the MSM defense faces shake in their boots.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1941236"],"_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-68e845dc30e8b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A northwest Iowa quarterback with a big time turn around this season, [player_tooltip player_id='1941236' first='Ben' last='Ramsey'] was under center for IKM-Manning last year, too, but he's been much more efficient this time around.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>During his junior campaign, Ramsey completed 84-of-159 passes (52.8%), for 1,040 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions. He also took 30 carries for 104 yards and four scores, while adding 43 tackles on defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This season, he's been much more of a handful for opposing defenses. So far, he's completed 84-of-140 passes (60%) for 1,211 yards, 12 touchdowns and just three picks. He's a tough player to prepare for, as he can also take off and run -- this year, he's taken 35 carries for 139 yards and three scores. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defensively, he's up to 23 tackles and two interceptions. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1941233"],"_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-68e845dc30f16"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">No, I wouldn't have guessed that there would be a player smaller than Abbas on this list, let alone a player 5-foot-6 and 130-pounds that I'd ever write about. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Thanks to [player_tooltip player_id='1941233' first='Crosby' last='Yoder'] of Logan-Magnolia, here we are.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In 2024, Yoder -- a year younger and ten pounds lighter at 120 -- caught three passes for 53 yards and a score. He also put together 30 tackles and two picks. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In year three, Yoder exploded as a receiver. Increasing his production by 13 times in the way of receptions, the junior has caught 39 passes for 513 yards and six touchdowns. Throw in 20 carries for 156 yards and a score, a 64-yard pass for a touchdown, 22.5 tackles and three fumbles recovered, and the Panthers have a 130-pound star on their hands -- er, paws. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->