2016 Rushing Leaders Among the State's Best

By Ryan Stonebraker
Sports Editor, Tipton Conservative

  TIPTON — The 2016 football season has come to an end.  The final statistics are tallied and the some of the state's best running backs this season are out of the two districts we cover at the Tipton Conservative.  Listed below are the top-10 leaders in class 1A, followed by the top-10 rushers in districts 3 and 4.  As noted, some of the top running backs in the state are from these two districts.  Here are the totals:

Peter Kilburg, Senior - BELLEVUE HIGH SCHOOL 

Peter Kilburg, center #5, led class 1A in rushing this season with 2,141 yards on 291 carries with 29 touchdowns and a 7.4-yard average per carry.  Photo by Darren Miller.

Kilburg was one of the toughest backs to bring down this season in helping the Comets to a 9-0 regular season and top-10 ranking.  The Comets beat South Winneshiek 26-8 at home in the first round of the playoffs.  The Comets lost 34-6 to Denver, a 1A semifinalist to end their season 10-1.

2016 Kilburg's game-by-game stats:

8/26 - @ Camanche - 18 carries 102 yards 2 TD's, 5.7-yard ave.

9/2 - NE Goose Lake - 28 carries 217 yards 3 TD's, 7.8-yard ave.

9/9 - @ North Cedar - 22 carries 211 yards 4 TD's, 9.6-yard ave.
9/16 - Durant - 16 carries 258 yards 3 TD's, 16.1-yard ave.
9/23 - West Branch - 41 carries 270 yards 1 TD, 6.6-yard ave.
9/30 - @ Tipton - 31 carries 160 yards 2 TD's, 5.2-yard ave.
10/7 - Clayton Ridge - 37 carries 291 yards 5 TD's, 7.9-yard ave.
10/14 - @ Jesup - 43 carries 214 yards 3 TD's, 5.0-yard ave.
10/21 - @ Maquoketa Valley - 17 carries 220 yards 4 TD's, 12.9-yard ave.
10/28 - South Winneshiek - 17 carries 123 yards 1 TD, 7.2-yard ave.
11/4 - @ Denver - 21 carries 75 yards 1 TD, 3.6-yard ave.

Luke Lenoch, Senior - WEST BRANCH HIGH SCHOOL

West Branch senior Luke Lenoch had the 5th most rushing yards in class 1A and was second in rushing in district 3 behind Bellevue's Peter Kilburg.  Lenoch topped the 6,000-yard mark for his career this season.  Photo by Darren Miller.

Lenoch was one of the best running backs in 1A the past four seasons topped the 6,000-yard rushing mark for the season and set many, many school records this season.  Lenoch had an outstanding senior season rushing for Bears helping West Branch reach the class 1A playoffs.

2016 Lenoch's game-by-game stats:

8/26 - @ West Liberty - 23 carries 178 yards 2 TD's, 7.7-yard ave.

9/2 - West Burlington - 23 carries 78 yards 0 TD's, 3.4-yard ave.

9/9 - @ Jesup - 39 carries 226 yards, 4 TD's, 5.8-yard ave.
9/16 - Maquoketa Valley - 40 carries 285 yards 6 TD's, 7.1-yard ave.
9/23 - @ Bellevue - 21 carries 156 yards 2 TD's, 7.4-yard ave.
9/30 - Durant - 19 carries 158 yards 4 TD's, 8.3-yard ave.
10/7 - North Cedar - 42 carries 226 yards 4 TD's, 5.4-yard ave.
10/14 - @ Tipton - 31 carries 194 yards 3 TD's, 6.3-yard ave.
10/21 - Clayton Ridge - 32 carries 221 yards 4 TD's, 6.9-yard ave.
10/28 - @ Iowa City Regina - 21 carries 116 yards 1 TD, 5.5-yard ave.