Class 2A: Top 10 Returning Shot Blockers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>1.) 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1945853' first='Austin' last='Taylor'] (Woodward-Granger) - 80 blocks</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Taylor has found himself on quite a few of these top 10 returnee lists, a testament to how dominant a season he had on both ends of the floor. He has great size and is an active big man who can switch onto smaller ball handlers and block shots on the perimeter. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2.) 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1751224' first='Karic' last='Stout'] (Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont) - 62</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stout was a role player on the offensive end for the Rockets last season, averaging 7.2 points and 7.7 rebounds, but provided them with a lot of value as an interior defender. He's a good athlete with great size at 6-7 who does a good job contesting without fouling (just 2.0 fouls per game last season).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3.) 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2325346' first='Tate' last='Jirovsky'] (Grundy Center) - 40</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Jirovsky's 40 blocks is that he started just three games last season for the Spartans, so his shot blocking prowess was on full display in fewer minutes than most of the other players on this list. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>4.) 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1751187' first='Jack' last='Vanfossan'] (Underwood) - 40</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An active player on both ends of the floor, Vanfossan pounds the glass hard, can pass it (led the team in assists in addition to scoring and rebounding), and is a good shot blocker with great timing. He plays hard on every possession and is a good athlete. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>5.) 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1725069' first='Dayson' last='Leerhoff'] (Pleasantville) - 38</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Leerhoff is a really good help defender who rotates well and uses his size and athleticism to contest shots. He accounted for two-thirds of the Trojans blocks last season and looks primed to have a massive senior season on both ends of the floor. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>6.) 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2721688' first='Finnegan' last='Cline'] (Louisa-Muscatine) - 31</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cline averaged just 5.8 points as a sophomore, but gave the Falcons good minutes as an interior defender and rebounder. He's a strong forward who does a good job staying vertical.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>7.) 2024 Logan Rosauer (Union) - 31</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On a team with a few talented guards who took up a huge chunk of the available shots last season, Rosauer found other ways to make an impact, pulling down 9.7 rebounds a game and playing strong defense. With his ability to contest shots behind them, the Knight guards are able to play a little more aggressively on the perimeter. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>8.) 2024 Kole McCormick (Waukon) - 30</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Waukon had a rough year, winning just three games, but McCormick, a 6-3 forward, was a standout, leading the team in scoring (11.6) and rebounding (7.0). He has good size, soft hands, and is a mobile big man who does a good job protecting the paint.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>9.) 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1951832' first='Cael' last='Reichter'] (North Fayette Valley) - 30</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Reichter is coming off a good sophomore season with the TigerHawks, averaging 15.9 points and 9.3 rebounds, and then put together a strong summer with [program_tooltip program_id='2075572' first='Iowa' last='Prep']. He's a long, agile 6-5 forward who runs the floor hard and can come out of nowhere to turn away shots on the defensive end. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>10.) 2024 Leo Christensen (Columbus Catholic) - 26</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A skilled 6-4 wing who can play inside and out, Christensen provides the Sailors with some versatility on the defensive end of the floor. He can hold his own on the perimeter and contest shots against smaller players, or bump down into the paint and block shots against the bigger bodies. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->