PORTLAND, Ore. – Azusa Pacific running back Terrell Watson, who set GNAC single-season records for rushing yards (1,702 yards) and rushing touchdowns (20), has been selected the 2013 GNAC Offensive Player of the Year. Dixie State’s Griff Robles, Joe Don Duncan, Mitch Frei and Jake Duncan were named to the all-conference first team.
Six Dixie State football players have been selected to the 2013 All-Great Northwest Athletics Conference Team. Four DSU seniors earned First Team accolades – quarterback Griff Robles, wide receiver Mitch Frei, tight end Joe Don Duncan and linebacker Jake Duncan. Two defensive players – juniors Saula Taufa and Zac Christian – earned spots on the Second Team.
Dixie State closed out the football campaign with a 4-7 overall record and a 4-6 mark in the GNAC, good for fourth place in the six-team league.
Robles completed his career with 6,297 yards of total offense, including 5,096 passing. His total offense ranks seventh in GNAC history and his passing total ranks 11th. He is, however, No. 1 in both categories among quarterbacks who have played just two seasons. This year, he threw for 3,063 yards and 28 touchdowns while also leading DSU in rushing yards with 751. His 37 combined touchdowns is the most for any Red Storm player in a single-season. Robles also tied the GNAC single-season record with eight games over 300 yards of total offense. Those games came in succession to set a new league benchmark.
Frei finished 18 yards shy of becoming the second DSU receiver to have 1,000 yards in a season. His 10 touchdowns and 63 receptions ranked second on the team. Frei had a five-game TD streak snapped in the final game of the year and recorded a career-best three scoring grabs at Simon Fraser. His four games over 100 yards receving was second best in the GNAC.
Joe Don Duncan shattered records as a junior in 2011… he bested those marks in 2013. The tight end corraled a team-high 71 grabs for 1,045 yards with 13 touchdowns. He bested his single-season TD mark in game number seven on the year and became the first Dixie State receiver to eclipse reach the 1,000-yard barrier with 120 yards in the Storm’s win at SFU. Duncan recorded five games over 100 yards to lead all GNAC receivers.
Jake Duncan led the Red Storm with 106 tackles, tied for the third highest in a season since DSU became an NCAA instiution. His output was also third best in the GNAC this year. His 11.5 tackles for loss rankes fifth in the league. Duncan recorded 10 or more tackles in four games this year, including a career-best 16 stops at Central Washington.
Tuafa recorded 18 tackles on the defensive line during his first season in a DSU uniform. He added an interception and three tackles for loss. Christian anchored the right cornerback position all season. He had 45 tackles, four interceptions, seven pass breakups and one fumble recovery.
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The APU Cougars, who finished the regular-season with a 9-2 record and a seven-game winning streak, also won two other major awards as defensive back Tyler Thornton was voted the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year and Victor Santa Cruz was voted the GNAC Coach of the Year after guiding his team to their first GNAC title.
Santa Cruz will take his team to Rome, Georgia, next Saturday (Nov. 23) to play Greenville College in the National Christian College Athletic Association’s (NCCAA) Victory Bowl.
Santa Cruz, a 1995 graduate of the University of Hawaii, is in his eighth season at APU and has guided the Cougars to a 42-44 record as they have transitioned from the NAIA ranks to NCAA Division II.
Thornton finished the regular-season ranked second in the GNAC in total tackles with 114 and fifth in passes defended, intercepting four and breaking up six others. He leads the conference in interception return yards with 119.
Also earning special awards were Central Washington offensive tackle Mike Nelson, Western Oregon defensive end Kraig Akins, Simon Fraser running back Chris Tolbert and Humboldt State wide receiver Chase Krivashei.
Nelson, who became just the fourth player in GNAC history to earn first team all-league honors four times, was voted the GNAC Offensive Lineman of the Year.
He joins NFL veteran punter Michael Koenen of Western Washington (2001-04), Central Washington wide receiver Johnny Spevak (2006-09) and CWU linebacker Blake Walker (2001-04) in that exclusive club.
Akins was selected the GNAC Defensive Lineman of the Year. He finished the season as the conference leader in tackles for loss (16) and tied Thornton for the lead in forced fumbles with four. He also ranked second in sacks (8) and seventh in tackles (70).
Tolbert was voted the GNAC Newcomer of the Year. The Central Connecticut transfer ranked third in the conference in rushing with 1.050 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Krivashei was a unanimous selection for GNAC Freshman of the Year honors after setting a GNAC record for most receptions with 96 for 915 yards.
Nelson was one of seven Central Washington players selected to the 29-man GNAC first team all-conference team. Azusa Pacific and Western Oregon each placed six players on the first team. Dixie State and Simon Fraser each had four and Humboldt State placed two on the first team.
Nelson was also one of seven unanimous selections to the first team along with Watson, Krivashei, Thornton, Akins, Dixie State wide receiver Mitch Frei and Central Washington defensive back Isaiah Davis.
Repeaters on the first team in addition to Nelson were Watson, Western Oregon wide receiver Tyrell Williams, DSU tight end Joe Don Duncan, Simon Fraser offensive lineman Matthias Goossen, WOU defensive lineman Gustave Benthin, Thornton and CWU defensive back Stan Langlow.
Goossen and Benthin were selected to the first team for the third year in a row. Watson, Williams and Langlow were all repeaters from last year (Langlow at linebacker), while Duncan was a repeater from the 2011 season.
2013 GNAC ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
OFFENSE
First Team: Quarterback – Griff Robles, DSU (6-5, 235, Sr., Spanish Fork, UT); Ryan Bergman, WOU (6-2, 170, Jr., Issaquah, WA). Running Backs – +*Terrell Watson, APU (6-2, 230, Jr., Oxnard, CA); Jordan Todd, CWU (5-6, 186, So., Bellevue, WA). Receivers – +Chase Krivashei, HSU (5-9, 165, Fr., Corona, CA); +Mitch Frei, DSU (6-2, 190, Sr., Santa Clara, UT); *Tyrell Williams, WOU (6-4, 200, Jr., Salem, OR). Tight End – *Joe Don Duncan, DSU (6-4, 265, Sr., Corona, CA). Offensive Line – +***Mike Nelson, CWU (6-4, 305, Sr., Carnation, WA); Lance Barker, APU (6-2, 275, Sr., Anaheim, CA); Marcus Cuellar, WOU (6-4, 320, Sr., Independence, OR); **Matthias Goossen, SFU (6-3, 300, Sr., Richmond, BC); Neil Fuhrmann, CWU (6-3, 291, Sr., Sumner, WA). Kicker – Jamie Cacciatore, APU (5-8, 175, So., Orange, CA). Kick Returner – Tore Corrado, SFU (5-10, 175, Sr., Vancouver, BC). +Unanimous *Repeater
Second Team: Quarterback – Ryan Stanford, SFU (6-3, 199, So., Phoenix, AZ); Dasmen Stewart, APU (6-4, 225, Sr., Oxnard, CA). Running Backs – Chris Tolbert, SFU (5-11, 205, Jr., Baltimore, MD); Joe Harris, WOU (6-1, 170, So., Coquille, OR). Wide Receivers – Antoinne Wafer, WOU (5-8, 165, Sr., Seattle, WA); Jesse Zalk, CWU (5-8, 153, Fr., Battle Ground, WA); Bobby Pospischil, SFU (5-9, 185, Jr., Coquitlam, BC). Tight Ends – Jamel Kett, SFU (6-5, 220, So., Toronto, ON). Offensive Line – David Kulp, HSU (6-2, 295, Sr., Lompoc, CA); Dillon Reagan, HSU (6-4, 310, Sr., Issaquah, WA); Cody Clay, APU (6-6, 330, Jr., Fullerton, CA); Alexander Jones, WOU (6-3, 280, Sr., Portland, OR); Brooks Abel, CWU (6-5, 305, Sr., Kent, WA). Kicker – Matt Bruder, HSU (5-9, 180, Jr., Jamul, CA). Kick Returner – Jesse Zalk, CWU (5-8, 153, Fr., Battle Ground, WA; Tarik Myles, APU (5-6, 152, Fr., Rancho Cucamonga, CA).
DEFENSE
First Team: Defensive Line – +Kraig Akins, WOU (6-2, 290, Jr., Springfield, OR); **Gustave Benthin, WOU (6-2, 285, Sr., Knappa, OR); Matt Moody, APU (6-1, 225, Sr., La Habra, CA); Austin Schnizler, CWU (6-3, 266, Sr., Ventura, CA). Linebackers – Jake Duncan, DSU (6-0, 240, Sr., Corona, CA); Casey Chin, SFU (5-10, 225, Sr., Port Coquitlam, BC); Shane Kuenzi, WOU (6-0, 195, So., Salem, OR); JB Torsy, CWU (5-10, 212, Jr., Trabuco Hills, CA). Defensive Backs – +*Tyler Thornton, APU (5-8, 182, Jr., Bakersfield, CA); +Isaiah Davis, CWU (5-10, 176, So., Bremerton, WA); *Stan Langlow, CWU (6-4, 205, Sr., University Place, WA); Silas Goma, APU (6-1, 195, Sr., Thousand Oaks, CA).Punter – Chris Campbell, HSU (5-11, 175, Jr., Granite Bay, CA). Punt Returner – Earl Anderson, SFU (5-10, 175, So., Toronto, ON). +Unanimous *Repeater
Second Team: Defensive Line – Saula Taufa, DSU (6-4, 320, Jr., Lahaina, HI); Tovar Sanchez, CWU (6-3, 237, So., Seattle, WA); Silas Sarvinski, HSU (6-1, 265, Jr., Ferndale, CA); Alex Markarian, HSU (6-4, 285, Jr., Chino Hills, CA); Talaiasi Taueli, APU (6-1, 283, So., Mesa, AZ); Linebackers – Ridge Nielsen, CWU (5-11, 231, Sr., Mesa, AZ); Sean Barber, APU (6-1, 220, Sr., Edgewood, WA); Jake Henderson, APU (6-1, 220, Sr., Fontana, CA). Defensive Backs – Derek Jones, SFU (6-1, 195, Sr., Edmonton, AB); Zac Christian, DSU (6-1, 185, Jr., Plain City, UT); Pat Tepea, WOU (6-0, 200, Sr., Kailua, HI); Cedrique Chaney, CWU (5-11, 186, So., Kelso, WA). Punter – Alexander Bradt, WOU (6-1, 195. So., Salem, OR); Matt Burke, CWU (6-0, 192, Sr., Laguna Hills, CA). Punt Returner – Isaiah Davis, CWU(5-10, 176, So., Bremerton, WA).
GNAC Offensive Player-of-the-Year – Terrell Watson, APU (RB, 6-2, 230, Jr., Oxnard, CA). GNAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year – Tyler Thornton, APU (DB, 5-8, 182, Jr., Bakersfield, CA). GNAC Offensive Lineman-of-the-Year – Mike Nelson, CWU (OL, 6-4, 305, Sr., Carnation, WA). GNAC Defensive Lineman-of-the-Year – Kraig Akins, WOU (DL, 6-2, 290, Jr., Springfield, OR). GNAC Newcomer-of-the-Year – Chris Tolbert, SFU (RB, 5-11, 205, Jr., Baltimore, MD). GNAC Freshman-of-the-Year – Chase Krivashei, HSU (WR, 5-9, 165, Fr. Corona, CA). GNAC Coach-of-the-Year – Victor Santa Cruz, APU.
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