Sunflower Slate

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.

Contact: Kellen Coleman
(816) 421-6422 ext. 204

MIAA Announces 2009 All-Conference Football Team

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Nine members of Northwest Missouri’s 2009 MIAA Football Championship team earned spots on the All-MIAA First Team to headline the all-conference team released by the league office Tuesday. The selections were made by the league’s 10 head coaches, and coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.

Northwest Missouri running back LaRon Council was named the 2009 MIAA Offensive Player of the Year after leading the league in rushing for the second consecutive year with 1,202 yards and 16 touchdowns. The senior from Kansas City, Mo., will finish his career with two All-MIAA First Team honors to go with his offensive player of the year award.

Washburn linebacker Zach Watkins caps off a tremendous career by being selected as the 2009 MIAA Defensive Player of the Year. The senior from Independence, Mo., was also named All-MIAA First Team for the third consecutive season. Watkins led the league in tackles with 108, the fourth consecutive season in which he eclipsed the 100-tackle mark.

Nebraska-Omaha running back Levi Terrell is the 2009 MIAA Freshman of the Year after a spectacular season in which he rushed for 1,098 yards and seven touchdowns in just seven games, 156.9 yards per contest. The De Soto, Mo., product was also named to the All-MIAA First Team.

Northwest Missouri head coach Mel Tjeerdsma was named 2009 MIAA Coach of the Year for the fourth consecutive season and 11th time overall after guiding the Bearcats to their fourth-straight undefeated conference season and MIAA title. Northwest is currently on a 37-game conference winning streak, the second-longest streak in MIAA history behind the 41-game streak put together by the Bearcats from 1997-2001, which was also under the supervision of Tjeerdsma.

Nebraska-Omaha had the second-most first team honorees with five, followed by Central Missouri and Washburn with three apiece, Fort Hays State and Missouri Western with two each and Truman with one.

Northwest Missouri earned a first-round bye in the 2009 NCAA Division II Playoffs and awaits the winner of Abilene Christian and Midwestern State in the second round Nov. 21 in Maryville, Mo. Nebraska-Omaha will take on West Texas A&M of the Lone Star Conference in the Kanza Bowl Dec. 5 in Topeka, Kan., and Missouri Western will play Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference opponent Augustana (S.D.) in the Mineral Water Bowl Dec. 5 in Excelsior Springs, Mo.

2009 ALL-MIAA FOOTBALL TEAM

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
LaRon Council, Sr., RB, Northwest Missouri

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Zach Watkins, Sr., LB, Washburn

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Levi Terrell, RB, Nebraska-Omaha

COACH OF THE YEAR
Mel Tjeerdsma, Northwest Missouri

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB: Blake Bolles, Jr., Northwest Missouri
RB: LaRon Council, Sr. Northwest Missouri** [r1]
RB: Levi Terrell, Fr., Nebraska-Omaha
WR: Jake Soy, So., Northwest Missouri**
WR: Cedric Houston, Sr., Missouri Western
TE: Mike Higgins, Jr., Nebraska-Omaha
OL: Harrison Lingenfelter, Jr., Nebraska-Omaha
OL: Jason Wiseman, Jr., Northwest Missouri
OL: Brett Grozinger, Jr., Northwest Missouri
OL: Wes Yarbough, Sr., Fort Hays State
OL: Nathan Martin, Sr., Missouri Western
K: Greg Zuerlein, Jr., Nebraska-Omaha [r1]
KR/PR: C.J. Lovett, Sr., Fort Hays State

**Unanimous Selection
[r1] – Repeat first team selection from last season

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL: Zac Keller, Sr., Nebraska-Omaha
DL: Eric Lawrence, Sr., Washburn
DL: P.J. South, Jr., Central Missouri
DL: Tyler Roach, Sr., Northwest Missouri
LB: Zach Watkins, Sr., Washburn** [r1][r1]
LB: Chad Kilgore, So., Northwest Missouri
LB: Eric Sternberg, Sr., Truman
DB: Randy Shepherd, Sr., Central Missouri**
DB: Myles Burnsides, Sr., Northwest Missouri [r1][r1]
DB: Pierre Desir, Fr., Washburn
DB: Ryan Jones, Jr., Northwest Missouri
P: Jordan Hofer, Sr., Central Missouri

**Unanimous Selection
[r1] – Repeat first team selection from last season
[r1][r1] – Repeat first team selection from the last two seasons

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB: Mike Garrison, Jr., Fort Hays State
QB: Dane Simoneau, So., Washburn
RB: Anthony Stewart, Jr., Central Missouri
RB: James Walker, Jr., Fort Hays State
WR: O.J. Murdock, Jr., Fort Hays State
WR: Drameagon Powers, Sr., Washburn
TE: DeMarco Cosby, Jr., Central Missouri
OL: Brian Folkerts, So., Washburn
OL: Dennis Bergland, Jr., Nebraska-Omaha
OL: Jay Nunez, Sr., Pittsburg State
OL: Ty Lewis, Jr., Washburn
OL: Chris Norris, Sr., Missouri Southern
OL: Todd Shelton, Sr., Missouri Western
K: Steve Ivanisevic, Sr., Washburn
KR/PR: Cedric Houston, Sr., Missouri Western

[Note: Ties in voting created an additional spot at QB and OL]

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL: Sean Paddock, Sr., Northwest Missouri
DL: Jairius Jarvis, Jr., Missouri Southern
DL: Shayne Shade, Jr., Northwest Missouri
DL: Ben Bianchino, Sr., Washburn
DL: Jeremy Wallace, So., Central Missouri
LB: Bobby Stroup, Jr., Nebraska-Omaha
LB: Sean Whiters, Jr., Missouri Western
LB: Michael Krajicek, Sr., Washburn
DB: C.J. Lovett, Sr., Fort Hays State
DB: Casey Curran, Jr., Washburn
DB: Demetrius Lavant, Sr., Truman
DB: Alex Kuhlman, Jr., Pittsburg State
P: Ethan Kosjer, So., Fort Hays State

[Note: Ties in voting created an additional spot at DL]

HONORABLE MENTION
Central Missouri: Eric Czerniewski, Jr., QB; Bobby Guillory, Sr., WR/KR; Nate Stoffel, So., OL; Mike Martin, Sr., OL; Chris Gilchriest, Sr., DL

Emporia State: Kevin Smart, Jr., RB; Danny McEvoy, Sr., WR; Jordan Godberson, So., OL; Daniel Webb, Jr., DL; Nathan Linsey, Jr., LB; Tyler Chilson, So., P

Fort Hays State: Cordarol Scales, Jr., WR; Anthony Smith, Jr., WR; Beau Gadwood, Jr., TE; Colby McKinney, Jr., OL; Jacob Crossman, Jr., DL; Nathan Rausa, Sr., K

Missouri Southern: Johnny Johnson, Sr., RB; Daniel Thompson, Sr., WR; Dave Benham, Sr., DL; Dusty Bratzler, Jr., LB; Antwoine Brown, Fr., DB; Justin Cowper, Jr., DB

Missouri Western: Drew Newhart, Jr., QB; Thomas Hodges, Jr., RB; Ferrell McGhee, Sr., WR; Steve Jones, Sr., OL; Brad Davidson, Sr., DL; Matt Glades, Jr., LB; Ian Thompson, Jr., DB; Brad Beckwith, Jr., K

Nebraska-Omaha: Greg Wunderlich, Sr., QB; Ben Vanderslice, Sr., DL; Nate Wissink, So., DL; Jason Zabka, Sr., DB

Northwest Missouri: Tyler Shaw, Fr., WR; Abe Qaoud, Sr., WR; Kyle Sunderman, Jr., DL; Evan Wilmes, Sr., LB; Adam Vondrak, Jr., LB; Aldwin Foster-Rettig, Jr., DB

Pittsburg State: Terrance Isaac, Jr., RB; Kendall Fisher, Sr., WR; Martin Burke, Sr., TE; Mike Roberts, Sr., DL; Caleb Jessup, Sr., LB; Antonio Graham, Sr., LB

Truman: Vanness Emokpae, Jr., WR; Shea Carr, Jr., OL; Ryan Ploesser, Jr., DL; Michael Elliott, So., DB

Washburn: Vershon Moore, Fr., RB; Brad Haug, Sr., FB; Ryan Mertz, So., TE; Bill Boyer, Jr., OL; Brandon Jackson, Sr., DL; Austin Hills, Jr., P