Not one for noise, Rams defensive/tight end speaks with his game

There's a certain theatricality to the game of football.

Each quarter is an act. Every athlete, an actor. The ever-changing score offers drama.

Well-aware of the spotlight, some players are quick to bust out dance moves after touchdowns. They flex their muscles following an emphatic sack or a toe-drag catch.

Miles Przekwas has never felt such a calling. That's just not how he operates.

"There's a lot of people like that already. I just like being silent about it," Przekwas said. "When you're too flashy and stuff, it takes away from how you play."

His approach was anything but dramatic during the 2025 season. He carried on quietly, going about his business of harassing quarterbacks and outworking tacklers.

Przekwas, a defensive/tight end for Riverview football, wrapped his junior campaign as a team leader in multiple respects. He racked up nine sacks and 10 tackles for loss — both the most of any Ram.

Although pressure statistics aren't readily available, coach Mark Cristiani reckons that his prized two-way threat got after the quarterback more often than anyone else, too.

"He is a guy that, you coach him one time at a rep, and he is good to go. He has an unbelievable ability to retain and recall information," Cristiani said. "He's a great presence. Guys love him."

Photo by Jack Nelson

Riverview's playmakers took center stage while Przekwas remained behind the curtain.

Senior quarterback Parker Nippert broke the program's single-season passing record with 2,052 yards. Junior running back Toryeon James tore up the turf, racking up 28 touchdowns and 1,855 yards on the ground. 

Their production largely powered the Rams to a 9-2-1 finish, flipping the script on the 4-6 struggle of 2024. They reached the FHSAA Class 7A-Region 2 semifinals as a No. 2 seed and ultimately fell to No. 3 seed Sumner, 31-21, on Nov. 21 at home.

But it wasn't scoring alone which drove success. Their defensive unit — surrendering 21.3 points per game — kept opponents at bay.

In that fateful semifinal, the team's only pass-catcher to account for a touchdown was Przekwas. His 27-yard haul cut the deficit to 17-14 early in the third quarter, and in the bigger picture, he tallied 10 receptions for 166 yards and three scores as a junior.

"I definitely feel like I had more of an impact since last year," Przekwas said. "On the field, I like leading the team a lot. I like taking charge of the team sometimes. Trying to make a greater impact, even if it's not on the field."

It wasn't his first rodeo. Last season was his varsity debut, totaling 15 tackles, four TFLs and two sacks as a sophomore. He wasn't involved in the offense at that point.

Przekwas suffered a broken growth plate in his left leg at the end of the season prior. Rather than allowing it to discourage him, he came out of the recovery process feeling confident that football was his future.

Entering 2025, he anticipated greater offensive responsibilities with a heap of seniors having graduated on that side of the ball. He worked accordingly, and Cristiani — entering his first year at the helm — took notice.

"When I took the job, very quickly in the offseason I realized what tremendous potential he had," Cristiani said. "I knew he was going to be a great player somewhere. I didn't know where it was going to be."

Photo by Jack Nelson

The junior quickly established himself as a stalwart on the defensive line, largely used on the strong side and occasionally moved to the weak side. He became heavily involved in run prevention.

In Week 2, he registered three sacks. Then he topped that effort with four in Week 7. And when Nippert didn't target him in the passing game, he was happy to be a blocking tight end.

Rams brass identified him as a high-motor guy who rarely misses a snap, because he never wants to.

"I don't think it would matter who the head coach is here. Miles would be a guy who's at every workout giving 100%, doesn't miss a practice, gets great grades," Cristiani said. "That's who Miles is, so I will take no credit for Miles."

Riverview's defense featured just two senior starters this season — defensive tackle Kyvon Love and safety Andon Clough. That allowed Przekwas to become a de facto senior of sorts despite his junior standing.

He doesn't lead with his voice. He leads with his actions. 

On Sept. 24, on-field results reaped rewards in a way they never had. 

Przekwas received his first NCAA Division I offer from Eastern Kentucky, an FCS program in the United Athletic Conference. It could very well be the first of many.

"He's going to have bigger fish to fry... he has drawn a ton of interest, and we're just scratching the surface of his potential and where he's going to be," Cristiani said. "I expect him to be a very, very high-level recruit, and more than anything, I expect him to keep being the stoic leader of our team."

Photo by Jack Nelson

The curtains have drawn on Riverview's season, but an encore from Przekwas is coming. 

He'll be a senior in 2026, poised to make more noise in the backfield and at the line of scrimmage. He just won't bother speaking louder than his game.

"I like being quiet and humble about it," Przekwas said. "I don't like bringing a lot of attention to myself on the field or off the field."