Iowa Class 2A-2 Top Sophomore Offensive Threats

This year Class 2A District 2 football was filled with ranked teams. At one time, 4 of the teams were ranked in the top 10 at one time or another. The talent level of upperclassmen was deep, but there were a handful of sophomores that stood out and shone when the lights were the brightest!    Higgins helmed a Spirit Lake squad that finished 3-6 and made the playoffs. Ty was 88/145 for 985 yards and 8 touchdowns. He also rushed for 660 yards on 109 carries with 8 touchdowns. On film, he is a dangerous dual-threat QB who is not afraid to tuck it and run when he needs to. Higgins gained a ton of experience this past year against very good teams, which will bode well for his future development.     Wright got meaningful playing time on a 7-2 squad that made the playoffs. His stats were not huge, but when he touched the ball, he found the endzone. Wright averaged 43 yds on his kickoff returns. He found the endzone on 2 of the 5 he returned. He also accounted for 1 receiving TD and 4 rushing TD's. On the limited film he has up, Wright shows an explosive first step when he gets the chance to go vertical. He looks to play a big part in what Okoboji does over the next few years.     Alford did not see much varsity time this year, backing up the Class 2A Player of the Year [player_tooltip player_id='1242935' first='Brock' last='Badding'], but when called on, he made the most of his opportunity. When 1st Team All-State running back [player_tooltip player_id='1621099' first='Jarin' last='Hoffman'] was out with an injury, Alford stepped in as the RB, and the State Champion Knights did not miss a beat. Taylen had 159 yards on 39 carries and a TD in the playoff win vs OABCIG. Alford projects as a dual-threat QB, giving the Knights a run/pass option next year.     Gifford earned a starting spot on the Knights' defense this year but was also a dangerous kick returner. He did not play much offense this past year as he was backing up a very talented receiving core for the Knights, but when he touched the ball, he was dynamic. He averaged 18.5 yards per punt return and 23.1 yards per kick return with 2 touchdowns, including a 60-yard punt return and a 90-yard kickoff return for touchdowns. He is fast and look for him to provide the Knights a dangerous vertical threat next year.     Being a 2-year starter for the State Champion Knights, Lucas has continued to develop into a dangerous possession-type receiver. He averaged 7.5 ypc and caught 37 passes for 338 yards and 3 touchdowns. Lucas has gotten quicker and stronger since last year, and that trend looks to continue. He has the ability to play RB, FB, TE, and WR, and possesses a solid grasp of the offense, as well as the ability to modify routes to take advantage of what the defense is giving him. As his blocking improves with reps, the Kuemper offense will continue to be dangerous for the next couple of years.

This year Class 2A District 2 football was filled with ranked teams. At one time, 4 of the teams were ranked in the top 10 at one time or another. The talent level of upperclassmen was deep, but there were a handful of sophomores that stood out and shone when the lights were the brightest!