Central Missouri senior quarterback Eric Czerniewski became the first ever Mule named a finalist for the Harlon Hill Award last week, given to the nation’s top Division II football player. He, along with quarterback Blake Bolles of Northwest Missouri State University, and quarterback Zach Amedro of West Liberty (W.V.) University emerged as the top three from a field of nine finalists. Sports information directors at the 149 schools that compete in Division II football voted on the award, concluding on Friday, December 3.

The 25th Annual Harlon Hill Trophy Presentation Banquet is on December 17 in Florence, Alabama. The Division II National Championship game will be played the next day at 10:00 a.m.

Czerniewski of Montgomery City, Mo. led the nation in passing yards (5,207), touchdown passes (46), and total offense (5,203), and broke the NCAA-II record for yards passing in a season. Bolles has passed for 3,705 yards and 29 touchdowns while completing almost 63% of his passes. Bolles threw four touchdowns in Saturday’s game between his Bearcats and Czerniewski’s Mules to advance to the Division II semifinals.