Trent Tanking

Offensive performances usually are the ones that get the most herald when it comes to football games but it takes great defense for a team to succeed, also. The Holton Wildcats have had a great offensive rushing attack this season, but have also played great defense, too and maybe no game better showed that more than the Wichita-Collegiate game most recently in the playoffs.

It took a team effort on defense for the Wildcats but one player, did his best to try and make sure Collegiate got nothing or next to nothing on each play and that was senior, Trent Tanking. Trent registered 23 total tackles, 16 of which were solo tackles in the game that coming on a total of 66 plays ran by Wichita-Collegiate, meaning Tanking was in on 35% of the stops on defense for Holton on the night. Tanking and his gang of Wildcat brothers pitched their third shutout on the season and held Collegiate to 183 total yards of offense.

Not only was Trent seemingly everywhere on the field on defense, he managed to find the endzone on offense, barreling his way through Collegiate's defense for two rushing scores on only three carries and 35 yards.

This season Trent as built a solid resume for multiple postseason honors, as he's rushed for 418 yards on 47 carries (8.89 ypc) and 10 scores. His best rushing performances came against Sabetha and Hiawatha this year, when he ran for 113 yards against the Bluejays and ran for four TD's against the Redhawks.

Tanking's true impact is felt on the defense where he leads the team in tackles with 127 on the year, 57 more than the second leading tackler on the team and good for an 11.5 tackles per game average. His impact doesn't stop their as he has two sacks, two interceptions and has forced and recovered three fumbles this season.

Trent has been ripping up offense's his entire Wildcat career as he averaged 12 tackles per game last year (108 total tackles) and 9.8 tackles per game as a sophomore (127 total tackles). He's looking like he has a football future ahead of him after graduation this year, but he has one thing more importantly on his mind with his teammates that's to capture a state title and go out on top.

Tanking and the Wildcats are the only unbeaten team left in Class 4A this season and look to keep that record unblemished all the way to a state title this year.