North Central Iowa: Week 3 Running Back Standouts

While much of prep football has made a push to the passing game, there are still those programs here in northcentral Iowa that prefer to get the job done on the ground. Winning the war in the trenches can make all the difference in the final outcome. But, it also helps having someone with good vision, speed, quickness and an ability to get both that much-needed first down and punch one in that can lead to greatness. Here is a look at some of the top running back performances from Week 3: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="148744" first="Tate" last="Bianchi"] - Manson NW - RB/DB - 5-7 - 160</strong> Marty Hart and Manson Northwest Webster finally got into the win column in Week 3, and a large part of that was due to [player_tooltip player_id="148744" first="Tate" last="Bianchi"]. Bianchi, a senior, stepped into the lead back role this fall and delivered vs. Okoboji. He carried the ball 38 times for 226 yards, including a pair of touchdowns as the Cougars won, 30-28. Last year, Bianchi was more of a receiving threat. He continues to find success that way as evident by his five receptions for 32 yards, but if he can continue to run the ball like he did last Friday, Manson NW could be headed for more success as a team. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="148364" first="Blake" last="McAlister"] - South Central Calhoun - RB/LB - 6-1 - 175</strong> Over the past few years, South Central Calhoun has become a well-balanced offense. That includes the ability of the skill players to be both excellent runners and catchers out of the backfield. Senior [player_tooltip player_id="148364" first="Blake" last="McAlister"] is the latest in that line. McAlister had team-highs in rushing yards (62), receptions (four) and receiving yards (107) in a win over Emmetsburg. McAlister is also a constant threat to find the end zone, scoring four times, including three in the air with sophomore quarterback Gavin Batta. <strong>Lathe Muench - Southeast Valley - RB/LB - 5-11 - 180</strong> Southeast Valley has started off 2021 red-hot, and so has Lathe Muench. The senior running back racked up 118 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-15 victory over Hampton-Dumont/CAL. Muench, who has both size and speed to carry the load, sits at 263 yards and four touchdowns, adding another four receptions for 53 yards. The Jaguars will need all of Muench this week as they take on defending state champion OABCIG on their home field. <strong>Kaden Moorman - Ogden - RB/LB - 5-11 - 165</strong> Ogden just continues to find suitable backs to lean on. Last year, they balanced it out with Kolby Moorman and Kaden Moorman. With Kolby moving on, the focus has been on Kaden - and he has delivered. In a thrilling 27-21 victory over Madrid, Moorman showed his skills, averaging 6.4 yards per carry and scoring a touchdown. He finished with 128 yards on 20 attempts to lead the Bulldogs, who are now 3-0. Moorman has 249 yards on 50 attempts this season, adding a couple of catches to show his dual-threat abilities. He is also the leading tackle for Ogden with 17 stops. <strong>Taron Green - Spencer - RB/LB - 6-1 - 190</strong> <strong>Calvin Tighe - Spencer - FB/S - 5-9 - 190</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="152885" first="Cadence" last="Hofmeyer"] - Spencer - FB/LB - 5-10 - 187</strong> You can’t talk about just one member of the vaunted Spencer backfield without talking about all of them. In a one-sided win over Sioux City Heelan last Friday, seniors Taron Green, Calvin Tighe and [player_tooltip player_id="152885" first="Cadence" last="Hofmeyer"] each went over the 100-yard mark. Green needed just six carries to rack up 132 yards, scoring twice, while Tighe had 106 yards on nine touches with two scores. Hofmeyer added 106 yards and a score as the Tigers recorded 424 yards on the ground as a team. All three are important pieces to the offense, and with the kind of line Spencer has and talent out of the backfield, it is easy to see why they are a strong playoff contender.