Small School Sack Artists Making Noise Across Illinois

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Getting after the quarterback can completely change the complexion of a game. Through the opening weeks of the Illinois high school football season, several defenders from smaller programs have been making their presence felt in opposing backfields.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are six small-school pass rushers who have been piling up sacks early this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1570788' first='Micah' last='Welch'] — Johnsburg</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Welch has been one of the most productive pass rushers in the state through the early portion of the season. In just three games, the Johnsburg defender has already recorded <strong>6.0 sacks</strong>, an impressive average of <strong>2.0 sacks per game</strong>. That production currently has Welch among the statewide leaders in the category.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Liam Koetting — Breese Central</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Koetting has been a major presence along the Breese Central defensive front. Through four games, he has totaled <strong>5.0 sacks for 40 yards lost</strong>, averaging 1.2 sacks per game. Koetting currently leads the Cougars in sacks and has been an important piece of a Breese Central defense that has helped the program climb to No. 5 in the MaxPreps 4A rankings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Charlie Matthews — Calhoun/Brussels</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Matthews has been getting after quarterbacks consistently for Calhoun/Brussels. Through four games, he has accumulated <strong>5.0 sacks</strong>, giving him an average of 1.2 per game. Matthews leads the Warriors in sacks and has been one of the defensive standouts for a program currently ranked No. 2 in MaxPreps' Illinois 1A rankings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Aiden King — Fairfield</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>King has been a problem for opposing offensive lines early this season. Through three games, the Fairfield defender has recorded <strong>4.5 sacks for 31 yards lost</strong>, averaging <strong>1.5 sacks per game</strong>. His ability to consistently find his way into the backfield has made him one of the more productive pass rushers among Illinois' smaller-school programs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Drake Rhodes — TMCV</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rhodes' production jumps off the page when you consider how few games it has taken him to get there. Through two games, Rhodes has totaled <strong>4.5 sacks for 21 yards lost</strong>, an outstanding average of <strong>2.2 sacks per game</strong>. If he can maintain anything close to that pace as the season continues, his sack total should climb quickly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2056954' first='Kalvin' last='Becker'] — Mt. Zion</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Becker rounds out the group after an impressive start for Mt. Zion. Through three games, he has collected <strong>4.0 sacks for 45 yards lost</strong>, averaging 1.3 sacks per game. The <strong>45 yards lost</strong> is especially notable, showing that Becker isn't simply getting quarterbacks down — he's creating significant negative plays when he gets home. He currently leads Mt. Zion in sacks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->