All-State Teams: 8-Man Defense

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the&nbsp;<a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/11/prep-redzone-iowa-2025-mr-football-elite-all-state/">Elite All-State Team</a>&nbsp;taken care of, we'll spend the month of December handing out Class All-State awards. Now, we move to the defensive side of the ball in 8-Man.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In writing these articles, we want to cast a wider net, expanding on the names that have already been established as the best of the best across classes, so we won't repeat names that were already listed on the Elite Team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DEFENSIVE LINE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2080047' first='Cael' last='Dop'], JR, Southeast Warren</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of two Warhawks that made the cut, Dop led 8-Man in tackles-for-loss (TFLs), finishing with 26. In total, he posted 70 tackles, including 8.5 sacks. He also recovered a fumble for Southeast Warren. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kael Blohm, SR, Gladbrook-Rieinbeck</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The only defensive linemen in 8-man to finish with double-digit TFLs and sacks, Blohm was a key piece to the Rebels' run to the state semifinals, finishing with 20.5 TFLs and 10.5 sacks, the most by a DL in 8-man. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Devon Ehlers, SR, Ar-We-Va</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another senior DL that was all over opposing offenses this season, Ehlers finished the season with 22 TFLs, and a whopping 89 tackles for the Rockets. His 89 tackles placed him second in 8-Man in total stops. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>LINEBACKER</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1242818' first='Conlin' last='Rouse'], SR, Springville </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now to the 8-Man leader in tackles, Rouse earned the spot as a key reason the Orioles turned their season around, despite an 0-4 start. Bouncing back and rallying five-straight wins to end the regular season, Rouse helped propel Springville with 91 tackles, 12 TFLs and seven sacks. He also recovered two fumbles, one of which he returned for a touchdown. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Callon Spurgeon, SR, Seymour</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Toward the top of the class in TFLs, Spurgeon was another player that helped his team rally from a slow, 1-4 start to finish on a high note, winning four of their last five. Spurgeon finished the year with 23 TFLs, finishing with 69.5 total tackles. He also grabbed three interceptions, including a pick-six. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DEFENSIVE BACK</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1242287' first='Tate' last='Foertsch'], SR, Bishop Garrigan</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The state leader in interceptions and state quarterback, to boot, Foertsch did a little bit of everything for the Golden Bears this fall. En route to a come back victory over Woodbine in the state championship game, Foertsch was the only player in all classes to rack up double-digit interceptions, snagging 10 picks this season, including two pick-sixes. He added 45.5 tackles. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1352445' first='Ashton' last='Nally'], SR, Bedford</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From the state leader in interceptions to the state leader in pick-sixes. Nally grabbed the most interceptions returned for touchdowns in the state of Iowa this season, finishing with four pick-sixes, while five players tied for second with three. Finishing with a total of seven interceptions, Nally was a prospect all quarterbacks had to be prepared for this season. He added 60.5 tackles, eight TFLs and two sacks. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1242821' first='Jamison' last='Ewing'], SR, Southeast Warren</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A player that, in most seasons, would have ended up an All-Stater on offense <em>and </em>defense, Ewing will have to settle for just one spot at defensive back. Finishing with seven interceptions and two pick-sixes, Ewing impacted the game on both sides of the ball for the WarHawks. On offense, he ran the ball for 2,327 yards and 34 touchdowns, also passing for ten scores. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->