Conference champion and No. 3-ranked Northwest Missouri State had seven first-team selections to the All-MIAA Football Team, as chosen by the conference’s coaches.
The Bearcats (10-1, 9-0 MIAA) also swept the major awards, with senior QB Joel Osborn earning Most Valuable Offensive Player, junior DB Myles Burnsides picking up Most Valuable Defensive Player, DL Josh Lorenson selected as Freshman of the Year and head coach Mel Tjeerdsma collecting his 10th Coach of the Year award — third in as many seasons.
Osborn completed 68.8 percent of his passes in the regular season for 2,528 yards, tossing 19 touchdown passes and just six interceptions in 288 attempts. His string of games with at least one TD pass was snapped at 12 in the regular season finale against Missouri Southern.
Burnsides leads a defense which topped the MIAA in all four major categories — scoring (17.2 ppg), total yards (287.3 yapg), rushing yards (93.7 yapg) and pass efficiency defense (110.8 rating). He had 46 tackles (29 solos), 2.5 tackles for loss and four interceptions in the 2008 regular season from his strong safety spot for the Bearcats.
Lorenson made 32 tackles (13 solos) in his first season for Northwest. He had 7.5 tackles for loss — including 4 sacks. He had three sacks in the Bearcats’ win over Central Missouri — the most by an MIAA player in one game this season.
No one has won as many MIAA Coach of the Year Awards as Tjeerdsma (1995-2000, 2002, 2006-08). Of his 10 honors, eight have been outright — he shared the award with Pittsburg State’s Chuck Broyles and Washburn’s Tony DeMeo in 1999 and with Missouri Western’s Jerry Partridge in 2000.
Burnsides was one of three Bearcats to earn unanimous selection to the first team. joined by senior OL Jeremy Davis and junior DL Sean Paddock.
Davis and senior OL Tom Pestock, a fellow first-team choice, anchored a line which allowed Northwest to lead the MIAA in total offense (482.6 ypg). Paddock lead the MIAA with four fumble recoveries and has logged five sacks among his 37 tackles (21 solos) this season.
The rest of the Bearcats’ first-team contingent includes senior Kendall Wright, who made the first team at wide receiver for the third straight season and also earned first-team recognition as a kick returner, and junior RB LaRon Council.
Four other players gained unanimous first-team honors. National playoff qualifier Pittsburg State (10-1, 8-1 MIAA) had two with senior TB Caleb Farabi and senior OL Kendall Molz. Senior OL Roger Allen of Mineral Water Bowl qualifier Missouri Western (6-5, 5-4 MIAA) and senior DL John Wood of Central Missouri (7-4, 5-4 MIAA) also made each coaches’ first-team ballot.
Burnsides, Davis, Wright, Farabi, Allen and Wood were repeat first-team selections from 2007, as were junior LB Zach Watkins of Washburn (6-5, 4-5 MIAA) and senior P Jamie Hanson from MWSU. Allen joins Wright as a three-time repeat choice.
First Team Offense
Joel Osborn, NWMSU QB 6-2 220 Sr. Harlan, Iowa
*+Caleb Farabi, PSU RB 5-7 171 Sr. Pittsburg, Kan.
LaRon Council, NWMSU RB 5-10 210 Jr. Kansas City, Mo.
Tim Richmond, UCM WR 6-1 195 Jr. Carencro, La.
%Kendall Wright, NWMSU WR/KR 5-11 175 Sr. Sulphur Springs, TX
DeMarco Cosby, UCM TE 6-3 240 So. Kansas City, Mo.
*++Roger Allen, MWSU OL 6-4 315 Sr. Raytown, Mo.
*+Jeremy Davis, NWMSU OL 6-3 300 Sr. Port Neches, Texas
*Kendall Molz, PSU OL 6-4 275 Sr. Kiowa, Kan.
Tom Pestock, NWMSU OL 6-6 300 Sr. Lenexa, Kan.
Jake Sjuts, UNO OL 6-2 292 Sr. Columbus, Neb.
Greg Zuerlein, UNO K 6-0 160 So. Lincoln, Neb.
First Team Defense
*Sean Paddock, NWMSU DL 6-2 255 Jr. Bettendorf, Iowa
*+John Wood, UCM DL 6-3 270 Sr. Miami, Fla.
Soane Etu, MWSU DL 6-1 240 Sr. Haywood, Calif.
Les Hammers, TSU DL 6-3 243 Sr. Jacksonville, Ill.
Jared Brawner, MSSU LB 6-1 237 Jr. Kirksville, Mo.
Jeff Souder, UNO LB 6-0 235 Sr. Bellevue, Neb.
+Zach Watkins, WU LB 6-0 230 Jr. Independence, Mo.
*+Myles Burnsides, NWMSU DB 5-11 195 Jr. Maryville, Mo.
Steven Ehase, UCM DB 6-2 215 Sr. Fulton, Mo.
Alex Kuhlman, PSU DB 6-3 205 So. Ness City, Kan.
C.J. Lovett, FHSU DB 6-1 195 Jr. Thornton, Colo.
+Jamie Hanson, MWSU P 5-11 195 Sr. Hamilton, Mo.
*=Unanimous selection
+=Repeat first-team choice from 2007
++=Repeat first-team choice from 2006 & 2007
%=Repeat first-team choice at wide receiver from 2006 & 2007
Second Team Offense
Zach Miller, UNO QB 6-4 216 Sr. Weston, Neb.
Brian McNeill, UNO RB 5-9 180 Sr. Philadelphia, Pa.
Glenn Milner, UCM RB 6-0 220 Sr. Renton, Wash.
Andrew Mead, MWSU WR 6-5 210 Jr. Gower, Mo.
Marques Nelson, PSU WR 6-3 226 Sr. Kansas City, Kan.
Josh Gannan, NWMSU TE 6-2 240 Sr. Chillicothe, Mo.
AaronBierman, UNO OL 6-0 287 Sr. Grenta, Neb.
Bill Boyer, WU OL 6-4 305 So. Lakewood, Colo.
Jon Frantz, TSU OL 6-5 285 Sr. Normal, Ill.
Travis Greer, PSU OL 6-3 324 Sr. Olathe, Kan.
Reid Kirby, NWMSU OL 6-4 300 Sr. Gladstone, Mo.
Dustin Strickler, MWSU K 6-1 165 Sr. Bellevue, Neb.
Harrison Kush, PSU KR 5-10 179 Sr. Louisburg, Kan.
Second Team Defense
Ty Bruswig, FHSU DL 6-0 285 Sr. WaKeeney, Kan.
Bradley Davidson, MWSU DL 6-6 240 Jr. St. Charles, Mo.
Brandon Jackson, WU DL 6-2 295 Jr. Kansas City, Mo.
Zac Keller, UNO DL 6-2 286 Jr. Kearney, Neb.
Angelo Webb, ESU DL 6-1 256 Sr. St. Louis, Mo.
Jason Carr, FHSU LB 6-3 220 Sr. Santa Rosa, Calif.
Rusty Morgan, PSU LB 6-0 224 Sr. Cushing, Okla.
Jason Thier, TSU LB 6-0 217 Sr. Glendale, Ariz.
Sean Whiters, MWSU LB 6-2 220 So. Kansas City, Mo.
Xavier Beckford, WU DB 5-11 185 Sr. Lauder Hill, Fla.
Brandon Clayton, NWMSU DB 5-9 180 Sr. St. Louis, Mo.
Casey Curran, WU DB 5-10 185 So. Leawood, Kan.
Aldwin Foster-Rettig, NWMSU DB 6-1 185 So. Balch Springs, Texas
Demetrius Levant, TSU DB 5-11 180 Jr. Phoenix, Ariz.
Tyler Elder, FHSU P 6-3 205 Sr. Derby, Kan.
Five linemen, four linebackers and five backs selected due to ties in voting
Honorable Mention Offense
Eric Czerniewski, UCM QB 6-0 190 Jr. Montgomery City, Mo.
Mark Smith, PSU QB 5-11 181 Sr. Pittsburg, Kan.
Matt Ticich, TSU QB 6-0 207 Sr. Temecula, Calif.
Thomas Hodges, MWSU RB 5-10 220 So. Raymore, Mo.
Brandon Walker, WU RB 6-1 205 Sr. Garland, Texas
Cedric Houston, MWSU WR 6-0 195 Jr. Kissimmee, Fla.
Sean Partridge, ESU WR 6-0 185 Sr. Denver, Colo.
Abe Qaoud, NWMSU WR 6-0 190 Jr. St. Louis, Mo.
Johnny Johnson, MSSU WR 5-7 170 Jr. St. Louis, Mo.
Troy Kush, UNO WR 6-3 196 Sr. Gretna, Neb.
Albert Coker, TSU WR 5-11 186 Jr. Lake City, Fla.
Ryan King, TSU TE 6-3 205 Jr. St. Peters, Mo.
Alvaro Prado, MWSU TE 6-4 265 Sr. Oxnard, Calif.
Mike Higgins, UNO TE 6-5 210 So. Pickrell, Neb.
Brian Folkerts, WU OL 6-4 260 Fr. Florissant, Mo.
Andy Kavanaugh, WU OL 6-3 294 Sr. Lohrville, Iowa
Nathan Martin, MWSU OL 6-2 280 Jr. Wentzville, Mo.
Matt Nelson, NWMSU OL 6-0 280 Sr. Maryville, Mo.
Jordan Stricker, FHSU OL 6-4 300 Sr. Golden, Colo.
Wesley Yarbough, FHSU OL 6-4 320 Jr. Missouri City, Texas
Jay Nuñez, PSU OL 6-1 262 Jr. Alva, Okla.
Tommy Frevert, NWMSU K 6-0 210 Sr. Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Mark Starks, UCM K 5-10 180 Sr. Kansas City, Mo.
Bobby Guillory, UCM KR 5-10 175 Jr. Vallejo, Calif.
C.J. Lovett, FHSU KR 6-1 195 Jr. Thornton, Colo.
Fred Smith, MSSU KR 5-11 190 Sr. Destrehan, La.
Brian Murphy, ESU KR 5-10 171 Fr. Lawrence, Kan.
Honorable Mention
DefenseDavid Benham, MSSU DL 6-5 286 Jr. Okeene, Okla.
Jarius Jarvis, MSSU DL 6-4 245 Sr. Donaldsonville, La.
Jordan Karr, PSU DL 6-3 255 Jr. Paola, Kan.
Derek Lampkin, UCM DL 6-3 275 Sr. Lawson, Mo.
Tyler Roach, NWMSU DL 6-3 275 Jr. Elkhorn, Neb.
Mike Roberts, PSU DL 6-0 268 Jr. Holton, Kan.
Andy Swedenhjelm, TSU DL 6-2 284 Sr. Norwalk, Iowa
Bryan Tarkington, ESU DL 6-4 295 Sr. Woodland Hills, Calif.
Jacob Chandler, UNO LB 6-3 214 Sr. Ralston, Neb.
Willie Horn, NWMSU LB 6-1 235 So. Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Bruce Ringwood, WU LB 6-0 227 Jr. Blue Springs, Mo.
Eric Sternberg, TSU LB 6-1 222 Jr. Lockport, Ill.
Ikechukwu Urum-Eke, NWMSU LB 5-11 205 Jr. Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Adam Vondrak, NWMSU LB 6-1 225 So. Sioux City, Iowa
Michael Wilhoite, WU LB 6-2 215 Jr. Topeka, Kan.
Adrian Singletary, UCM LB 5-10 220 Sr. Kansas City, Mo.
Andrew Jones, FHSU LB 6-0 250 Sr. Salina, Kan.
Jacob Skow, UNO LB 6-3 222 Sr. Arlington, Texas
Austin Cartright, PSU LB 6-1 205 Sr. Joplin, Mo.
Spencer Worthington, PSU LB 6-2 215 Fr. Carlisle, Iowa
Mike Phillips, TSU LB 6-1 244 Sr. Peoria, Ariz.
Seth Blackwell, FHSU DB 6-2 210 So. Sand Springs, Okla.
Nate Bruto, MWSU DB 5-9 185 Fr. Kansas City, Mo.
Sylvester Gibson, MWSU DB 6-1 200 Sr. Raytown, Mo.
Chris LeFlore, NWMSU DB 5-10 190 Sr. Omaha, Neb.
Tyler Mikkelson, ESU DB 6-1 182 Fr. Stilwell, Kan.
Skyler Vandiver, MSSU DB 5-9 190 Jr. Maryville, Mo.
Allen Walker, FHSU DB 6-3 210 Sr. North Hills, Calif.
Chris Poston, ESU DB 6-1 180 Fr. Oklahoma City, Okla.
Justin Cowper, MSSU DB 5-10 170 Jr. Opelika, Ala.
Reed Taylor, UNO DB 5-11 198 Sr. Oshkosh, Wis.
Austin Hills, WU P 6-2 225 Fr. Burlington, Kan.
Jordan Hofer, UCM P 5-10 215 Jr. Streamwood, Ill.
Johnny Torres, ESU P 5-8 155 Sr. Wichita, Kan.
Most Valuable Offensive Player: Joel Osborn, NWMSU
Most Valuable Defensive Player: Myles Burnsides, DB, NWMSU
Freshman of the Year: Josh Lorenson, DL, 6-3, 255, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Coach of the Year: Mel Tjeerdsma ,NWMSU
