Knoch’s Carter Beres celebrates played all over the middle of the Knights’ defense, producing 75 tackles as a junior and 16 for loss. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle

While their teammates on offense were busy providing blocks, gaining yards and scoring touchdowns, high school football defensive players were halting opposing drives with clutch tackles and creating turnovers. Some even managed to themselves contribute on the other side of the ball.

Butler County-area teams produced a number of stalwarts on defense this season. The following are the players named to the Butler Eagle’s Sweet 16 Defense first team and honorable mentions, listed alphabetically:

North Catholic’s Tom Arth (2) only had 33 tackles, but teams routinely tried to run plays away from him to mitigate his impact on defense. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle

Eddie Clancy

Tom Arth, sr., LB/TE, North Catholic: Opposing offenses made a point to not run his way, but Arth still tallied 33 tackles (six for a loss), three sacks, an interception and was credited with a safety. He added 302 receiving yards and nine TDs as a tight end.

Karns City’s Mason Bell, left, blew up plays in the backfield routinely, popping off for 12 sacks and 24 tackles for loss. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle

Eddie Clancy

Mason Bell, sr., DE/OT, Karns City: He spent a lot of time in opposing backfields, with 24 of his 58 tackles coming behind the line of scrimmage. Bell tallied 12 sacks and earned District 9 Region 1 honors. Also started on KC’s offensive line as a tackle.

Carter Beres, jr., LB/RB, Knoch: Sixteen of his 75 stops went for a loss, including four sacks, and he added three forced fumbles. Beres was named the team’s Defensive MVP. He began the season at middle linebacker, but his range made him most effective on the outside.

Mars' Zach Dentel (5) was among the area’s elite tacklers with 116 takedowns in the middle of the Planets’ defense. Submitted by Matt Durisko/Magnolia Media

Matt Durisko

Zach Dentel, sr., LB, Mars: He was the quarterback of the Planets’ defense, pacing the team with 116 tackles, including nine for a loss. A three-year starter, Dentel played well beyond his 6-foot, 200-pound frame.

Union/A-C Valley's Colbin Elliott earned District 9 Region 3 Defensive Lineman of the Year honors. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Colbin Elliott, sr., DT/OT, Union/A-C Valley: He was named District 9 Region 3 Defensive Lineman of the Year after tallying 75 tackles and five for a loss. Elliott was also a region all-star as an offensive tackle.

Karns City linebacker C.J. Emrick (51) was a destructive force on defense with 104 tackles. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

Matthew Brown

C.J. Emrick, sr., LB/C, Karns City: His 104 tackles led the Gremlins, 13 of his stops coming behind the sticks. Emrick tallied two sacks and two interceptions and earned District 9 Region 1 honors on defense and offense as a center.

Freeport linebacker Dawson Gaillot (23) hounded ball carriers, producing 102 tackles and 12 for loss. Chris Leisie/Special to the Eagle

Dawson Gaillot, sr., LB/RB, Freeport: A major presence on the Yellowjackets’ defense, Gaillot totaled 102 tackles (12 for a loss), three sacks, a pair of interceptions and two passes defensed. He scored a pair of TDs as a running back.

Karns City wide receiver Bryce Galan (25) had six interceptions and was created with four pass breakups. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

Matthew Brown

Bryce Galan, jr., S/WR, Karns City: Galan disrupted opposing passing attacks with six interceptions and four passes defensed. He finished with 33 tackles. And he led KC’s receiving corps with 14 catches worth 267 yards and three TDs.

Union/A-C Valley linebacker Max Gallagher (23) deserved a nod at running back as well as linebacker, the latter where he produced an incredible 123 tackles. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

Matthew Brown

Max Gallagher, sr., LB/RB, Union/A-C Valley: Gallagher was named District 9 Region 3 Defensive MVP with an effort that included 123 tackles, an interception and a blocked punt. He also rushed for 1,266 yards and 20 TDs as a running back.

Mars' Jameson Garvin had 75 tackles and was called one of the toughest players coach Eric Kasperowicz ever worked with. Submitted by Matt Durisko/Magnolia Media

Matt Durisko

Jameson Garvin, jr., LB/RB, Mars: Garvin teamed with Zach Dentel to give the Planets an all-star duo at linebacker. He made 75 tackles (nine for a loss) and had 2½ sacks and an interception. Mars coach Eric Kasperowicz said he is one of the toughest players he has ever coached.

Butler’s Mark Klemz (2) was most known for his offensive exploits, with 1,039 rushing yards, but he was an anchor on the Tornado defense. Josh Rizzo/Special to the Eagle

Mark Klemz, sr., S/RB, Butler: Klemz tallied 52 tackles, two interceptions, a fumble recovery and scored a defensive touchdown. He tallied 1,039 yards from scrimmage as a running back and scored 15 offensive TDs.

Mars' Ethan Kresinski (7) had an impressive 13 tackles for loss and four sacks for a defense that was among the best in WPIAL Class 4A. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle

Ethan Kresinski, sr., DE/HB, Mars: The leader of Mars’ defensive front, he made 52 tackles, 13 of them going for a loss and four coming as sacks. Kresinski was often unblockable at the line of scrimmage. He added an interception and two fumble recoveries and played H-back on offense.

Slippery Rock’s Owen Long (22) made an impact on both sides of the ball, finishing with 64 tackles on defense, and even made a mark as a kick returner. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Owen Long, sr., S/RB, Slippery Rock: He was a steady presence on the back end of the Rockets’ defense, making 64 tackles (five for a loss) with an interception and two fumble recoveries. Long gained 632 yards from scrimmage and scored five offensive TDs. He returned a kickoff for another score and averaged 27.3 yards on 19 returns.

Seneca Valley's Kyle Mancing (6) had seven sacks this season, among the best in Butler County. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle

Kyle Mancing, sr., DE, Seneca Valley: Mancing made 33 tackles, seven of them coming as sacks. He also intercepted a pass, and was equally as good against the run. He was a perfect fit for SV’s newly-installed 4-4 defensive scheme.

Butler's Tyson Pino (9) developed into an impact skill player with five interceptions and two fumbles recovers on defense and. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle

Tyson Pino, sr., S/WR, Butler: Pino picked off five passes and recovered two fumbles to go with 36 tackles. He teamed with Mark Klemz to give the Tornado a solid back end to the defense and added 213 receiving yards and a TD on offense.

Freeport's Cole Troutman led both sides of the Yellowjackets’ lines but was particularly effective on defense with 95 tackles. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Cole Troutman, sr., DE/OG, Freeport: He was the leader on Freeport’s front line, making 95 tackles (nine for a loss), with a sack and two passes defensed. Troutman also starred as a guard on offense.

Beau Burchett, sr., DL, Butler; Danny Drennan, sr., LB, Seneca Valley; Shane Emrick, jr., LB, Karns City; Nathan Hess, sr., DE, Karns City; Jake Kollinger, jr., LB, Butler; Bryson Paga, jr., LB, Freeport; Drew Ross, sr., S, Freeport; Brendin Sankey, sr., S, Moniteau; Kole Scott, sr., LB, Slippery Rock