Warsaw's Reinholt Named Top Defensive Player
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Because of his talent and leadership, Warsaw football coach Troy Akers said senior Tommy Reinholt was the type of player he wouldn't want to go into a game without.
Over the past two seasons, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Reinholt was a fixture in Warsaw's defensive lineup, and a lot a times a fixture in the opposing teams' backfield.
"He's an unselfish leader," Akers said of Reinholt, who is giving up football to attend Indiana University in the fall in search of a business degree. "He would do anything for you and anything to help the team. I was really proud of him this year."
After a season in which he made 50 tackles, 30 assisted tackles, 14 tackles for loss, broke up five passes and forced one fumble, Reinholt has been named the Times-Union Defensive Player of the Year.
While his team didn't enjoy the success it would have liked to, posting a 2-8 overall record and an 0-7 mark in the Northern Lakes Conference, Reinholt made his presence felt.
He earned the respect of the other coaches in the conference, as he was named First-Team All-NLC.
He was also named to the South Bend Tribune's Dream Team as well as its Class 5A Team.
In a phone interview Friday afternoon, Reinholt said he was a Bears fan and if he modeled himself after a player it would be Pro-Bowl middle linebacker Brian Urlacher.
While Reinholt plays outside linebacker, his intensity on the field is like that of the Monsters of the Midway.
"I'm an intense person," Reinholt, the son of Keith and Cindy Reinholt, said when asked to describe himself. "I'll do what it takes to get things done. I work really hard toward a goal."
Not only did Reinholt, who also plays basketball for Doug Ogle's varsity squad, have to overcome blocking schemes thrown at him by opposing teams, he also had to play through the pain of an injured shoulder.
"At the beginning of the season, there were times we wondered if Tommy could get through the game, partly because of how hard he plays," said Akers, who said Reinholt had a tremendous work ethic. "Each week he appeared to get stronger. Not only did he play defense, but as we were more competitive, he got some carries in the backfield. In hindsight, if he had played more running back, who knows what would have happened. He's a great kid. He's as a good of a linebacker as we've had. He's an impact player who has the ability to make big plays. He's not going to play college football, but only because it was a personal choice."
Spending limited time in the backfield, Reinholt carried the ball 34 times for 159 yards, an average of 4.7 yards per carry. He rushed for two touchdowns and caught three passes for 50 yards and one touchdown.
Making his first start of the season in the offensive backfield, Reinholt carried the ball 11 times for 70 yards in the first half of Warsaw's sectional opener against Carroll.
He may have had a chance to go over the 100-yard mark but suffered a leg injury and was taken to the hospital.
Showing his toughness - both mental and physical - Reinholt started at linebacker the following week in a sectional semifinal loss at No. 8 Homestead. He caught his only touchdown pass of the season in that game.
"He's a tremendous leader," said Akers. "Everybody was hopeful he'd get on the field (against Homestead). I wouldn't want to go into a game without him." [[In-content Ad]]
Because of his talent and leadership, Warsaw football coach Troy Akers said senior Tommy Reinholt was the type of player he wouldn't want to go into a game without.
Over the past two seasons, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Reinholt was a fixture in Warsaw's defensive lineup, and a lot a times a fixture in the opposing teams' backfield.
"He's an unselfish leader," Akers said of Reinholt, who is giving up football to attend Indiana University in the fall in search of a business degree. "He would do anything for you and anything to help the team. I was really proud of him this year."
After a season in which he made 50 tackles, 30 assisted tackles, 14 tackles for loss, broke up five passes and forced one fumble, Reinholt has been named the Times-Union Defensive Player of the Year.
While his team didn't enjoy the success it would have liked to, posting a 2-8 overall record and an 0-7 mark in the Northern Lakes Conference, Reinholt made his presence felt.
He earned the respect of the other coaches in the conference, as he was named First-Team All-NLC.
He was also named to the South Bend Tribune's Dream Team as well as its Class 5A Team.
In a phone interview Friday afternoon, Reinholt said he was a Bears fan and if he modeled himself after a player it would be Pro-Bowl middle linebacker Brian Urlacher.
While Reinholt plays outside linebacker, his intensity on the field is like that of the Monsters of the Midway.
"I'm an intense person," Reinholt, the son of Keith and Cindy Reinholt, said when asked to describe himself. "I'll do what it takes to get things done. I work really hard toward a goal."
Not only did Reinholt, who also plays basketball for Doug Ogle's varsity squad, have to overcome blocking schemes thrown at him by opposing teams, he also had to play through the pain of an injured shoulder.
"At the beginning of the season, there were times we wondered if Tommy could get through the game, partly because of how hard he plays," said Akers, who said Reinholt had a tremendous work ethic. "Each week he appeared to get stronger. Not only did he play defense, but as we were more competitive, he got some carries in the backfield. In hindsight, if he had played more running back, who knows what would have happened. He's a great kid. He's as a good of a linebacker as we've had. He's an impact player who has the ability to make big plays. He's not going to play college football, but only because it was a personal choice."
Spending limited time in the backfield, Reinholt carried the ball 34 times for 159 yards, an average of 4.7 yards per carry. He rushed for two touchdowns and caught three passes for 50 yards and one touchdown.
Making his first start of the season in the offensive backfield, Reinholt carried the ball 11 times for 70 yards in the first half of Warsaw's sectional opener against Carroll.
He may have had a chance to go over the 100-yard mark but suffered a leg injury and was taken to the hospital.
Showing his toughness - both mental and physical - Reinholt started at linebacker the following week in a sectional semifinal loss at No. 8 Homestead. He caught his only touchdown pass of the season in that game.
"He's a tremendous leader," said Akers. "Everybody was hopeful he'd get on the field (against Homestead). I wouldn't want to go into a game without him." [[In-content Ad]]