Football: Hansen claims co-defensive MVP honors as GC lands eight on all-district 1st team

By Brandon Hurley

Sports Editor
sports@beeherald.com

@BrandonJHurley

 Defensively, Greene County absolutely owns Class 2A, District 9.
For the second straight year, the Rams have secured a piece of defensive MVP honors.
Greene County’s Will Hansen was named the 2019 Class 2A, District 9 co-defensive Most Valuable Player, following in the foot steps of Bryce Hoyle, who won the same award last fall.
Hansen recorded 76 total tackles in 11 games this year, which was the fifth-best total in the district to go with seven solo tackles for loss (T-3rd) and 10 assisted tackles for loss (T-3rd). Hansen recorded a pair of sacks to go with a single interception. The senior helped anchor a defense that was continually one of the best in the state, recording a trio of shutouts while forcing 23 total turnovers, including 15 interceptions, which ranked sixth in the state.
Greene County, as a whole, enjoyed a banner season, securing a school-record nine wins (9-2) in addition to the program’s first-ever playoff victory, a 35-21 victory over Des Moines Christian. The Rams got off to an 8-0 start, the best eight-week run in GCHS history, while yet again finishing second in District 9 with a 4-1 record. District 9 champion OA-BCIG (13-0) captured the Class 2A state title Friday, Nov. 22, blowing past previously undefeated and top-rated Waukon, 37-12.
Falcons quarterback Cooper DeJean won offensive MVP honors after tallying some remarkable numbers while leading his team to the school’s first-ever state championship. The junior threw for 3,546 yards (the most in 2A) in addition to tossing a state-best 42 touchdowns. DeJean also ran for 1,292 yards and 25 touchdowns, pushing his yards from scrimmage totals to a remarkable 4,838 yards and 66 touchdowns.
Hansen also earned a spot on the District 9 elite team, joined by fellow Greene County teammates Carter Morton as wide receiver, Tyler Miller on the offensive line and Xavier Hayes, at defensive back. Morton was also honored as an elite specialist after five return touchdowns. Greene County produced the most elite team members with four while OA-BCIG was second with a trio of honorees. Additionally, Greene County placed the most athletes on the first team with eight. OA-BCIG was second with seven honorees. Those eight first team honorees include: Hansen, Morton, Miller, quarterback Brent Riley, running back Colby Kafer, placekicker Cael Fisher, linebacker/wide receiver Nick Breon and Hayes. The Rams also second a pair of second teamers, led by defensive lineman Gage Michaelsen and linebacker Bradyn Smith.
Riley threw for a Greene County school-record 2,333 yards (second in District 9) while tossing a record 31 touchdowns (second in the district). The senior completed 58.6 percent of his passes, averaging 212 yards per game to go with a career-low five interceptions. Riley also ran for a pair of touchdowns. He tallied a career-high 388 passing yards (the third best total in 2A this fall) and five touchdowns in a dominating 45-22 win over Kuemper Catholic on October 4.
Running back Colby Kafer was the epitome of toughness this fall, fighting through a handful of injuries to break the single-season Greene County rushing record with 1,484 yards (6.4 ypc), the second best total in the district to go with 12 rushing touchdowns. Kafer was only behind Atlantic’s Tyler Moen, who ran for a state-best 1,909 yards. Kafer broke the Greene County single-game rushing record (which he set back in 2017) during a win over Nevada by compiling 361 yards and four touchdowns, which was the second-highest single game total in all of 2A this year.
Senior Carter Morton was Greene County’s most versatile offensive weapon this fall. The wide receiver wrapped set a Greene County single-season record  with 1,008 receiving yards (third in 2A and third in the district) to go with 12 receiving touchdowns (also a school record) and 52 receptions. He also scored three rushing touchdowns in addition to a school record five return touchdowns (4 punt, 1 kick return), which led the state and pushed his season total to 20 scores. Morton hauled in a school-record 201 receiving yards and three touchdowns on eight catches in the Rams’ win over Kuemper Catholic.
OA-BCIG’ Jake Nieman led the district with 73 receptions, 1304 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Breon played a heavy role this fall both offensively and on defense. As a wide receiver and tailback combo, the senior hauled in 38 catches for 405 yards and six touchdowns while also carrying the rock 32 times for 168 yards (5.3 yards per carry). Breon also recorded 44 tackles (second on the team) while securing seven tackles for loss, which tied him for third in the district, in addition to four sacks and a team-leading three fumble recoveries. Red Oak’s Justin McCunn led the district with 111 tackles, which was the second-best total in the state.
Offensive lineman Tyler Miller paved the way for a Greene County offense that ranked near the top of the state in almost every category. The Rams averaged a record 37.7 points per game, scoring 416 points in 11 games, just a shade ahead of last year’s 37.5 points per game mark. The Rams, as a whole, compiled a school-record 4,188 yards to go with a record 2,403 passing yards and 1,785 rushing yards, eclipsing last year’s mark of 1,738.
Cael Fisher set a kicking mark as well, drilling a GCHS record 45 PATs on 52 attempts (86.5 percent), the second-best mark in the district and fourth most in 2A. Fisher also connected on nine touchbacks, which were third-most in the district.  OA-BCIG’s Caden Wareham drilled a district-best 49 PATs.
Xavier Hayes made an immense impact defensively in limited action this fall. Before the senior went down with a severe leg injury midway through the season, he picked off a pair of passes, which he returned both for touchdowns in a dominating win over Shenandoah.
Second team members Bradyn Smith and Gage Michaelsen played pivotal roles for a Greene County defense that held opponents to 17.8 points per game, including a trio of shutouts. Smith was third on the team with 42.5 tackles to go with four tackles for loss, an interception and a fumble recover. Michaelsen recorded 17 tackles, three tackles for loss and nine assisted tackles for loss in addition to a fumble recover. He also tallied four total sacks.