Just got this in — looks like Washburn senior linebacker Zach Watkins capped off his career without another playoff appearance (they got robbed, yes, but let’s move on) but with MIAA defensive player of the year honors and a third-straight first-team nod. NW Missouri RB LaRon Council was named the MIAA off. player, and that’s well-deserved. Watkins unseated incumbent def. POY Myles Burnsides for top dog, also. The NW Missouri safety was still a first-team pick. And might they be together on the first-team All-American roster …
Also, Fort Hays State DB/KR/PR CJ Lovett was a first-team pick as the return man — it couldn’t have been anybody else — but I’m a little surprised at his second team DB selection. Thought he was a first-team lock. Watkins had two teammates join him on the first team in DE Eric Lawrence and freshman DB Pierre Desir.
NW Missouri’s Blake Bolles was your toss-up first-team QB pick — don’t kid yourself that this could have gone to either Bolles, Washburn’s Dane Simoneau or Fort Hays State’s Mike Garrison. I think if either Simoneau or Garrison (co-2nd team picks) had been able to gut out another MIAA win it would have been theirs. But to the victor go the spoils.
My thoughts? Really liking these teams. I’m me, so I’ll always have a few beefs here and there when it comes to these things … but this is a good representation of this league’s all-stars.
Here’s the press release and full list, courtesy of the MIAA.