KFBCA Top 11: Gianni Rizzi

The Kansas Football Coaches Association picked their All-State teams in early December, including the All-Class Top 11. Kansas Pregame is providing capsules for each of the Top 11 selections. Check out St. Thomas Aquinas running back Gianni Rizzi's capsule below. For a look at the complete 2023 KFBCA All-State teams click here.

Throughout his career, Aquinas senior Gianni Rizzi has shown that when he’s on the field, good things happen. The 5-9, 185 pound back has long put in work whether it’s the offseason or the midst of the state playoffs.

“He works hard on his own,” head coach Randy Dreiling said. “He is the kind of kid that always shows up and does his best.” 

The senior most recently served as a pivotal piece of nine-time state champion Dreiling’s most recent title team helping Aquinas to the school’s second ever state football championship in November after winning their first in 2018 under Dreiling.

Rizzi’s impact began during his sophomore season when he rushed for 828 yards and 5 TDs on a 7-5 Saints squad that advanced to the 5A state semifinals before getting knocked out by Mill Valley.

The then-sophomore back took carries when he could, with a majority of the touches in his first two seasons going to All-State fullback Sean Carroll, who now wrestles at Northern Illinois.

During Rizzi’s junior season, the Saints dropped from 5A to 4A. Prior to the Saints move, Eastern Kansas League rivals St. James Academy and Bishop Miege had won the last seven state titles in the classification, making the EKL seemingly an incubator for the 4A state champs. 

Rizzi again put together a strong season as a weapon in Dreiling’s flexbone offense, carrying the ball 103 times for 803 yards and 4 touchdowns and helping Aquinas again reach the state semifinals before they were knocked out by soon-to-be 4A champs Miege, who the Saints edged 29-26 earlier in the regular season.

By his senior season this fall, Rizzi had established himself as a key player, and saw not only an increase in touches, but in how much the team relied on him in the locker room.

“If something needs to get done he is on it,” Dreiling said. “That's why he was elected as one of the captains.”

The Saints started off hot, going 4-0 in their first four matchups, before an out of state contest against Rockhurst (Mo.) put them to the test.

Aquinas lost the matchup 45-44, but worse yet saw multiple injuries sideline Saints players, including Rizzi, who missed the entire second half along with the four following games with a hamstring pull.

The Saints lost three games in that four-game stretch, including a 19-7 loss to league and state playoff rival Miege in Week 6, one week shy of the playoff opener.

Aquinas ran past their first round matchup against Fort Scott (41-14) without Rizzi, but the senior’s return couldn’t have come at a better time, with their second playoff contest a rematch against Miege.

Rizzi was clutch in gaining 146 yards in the contest and helping the Saints knock off the defending champs 14-7 and earning a quarterfinal playoff berth.

“Rizzi has a combination of power and explosiveness that make it a challenge to prepare for,” Miege head coach Jon Holmes said. “His vision for finding creases allows him to turn a minimal gain into an explosive play. He also possesses the ability to get the tough yards and always finishes his runs falling forward.”

Aquinas won their next three matchups in comfortable fashion – 38-7 against Basehor-Linwood, 42-14 over Tonganoxie, and 35-7 in a snowy title game against Andover Central. 

Despite playing just a little more than half the season, Rizzi finished 2023 with 147 carries for 1,027 yards and 11 TDs, a seven yards per carry clip, and the majority of those yards came against the loaded defenses in the EKL.

Along with being a state champion, Rizzi also goes down as the third all-time leading rusher in program history.

After high school, Rizzi plans to continue his football career at a school that offers engineering, and currently holds offers from Northern Methodist and Dordt University.

“Rizzi is just a great kid,” Dreiling said. “Works hard and leads by example."