Simon Fraser Players On World Team

The game between Team USA and Team World will be played next Wednesday.

A total of 28 Canadians were named to the 44-member International Federation of American Football World Team roster which will include players from nine different countries.

Team World is led by Greg Marshall, head coach at the University of Western Ontario.

It will be Goosen’s second trip to the International Bowl while Chin will be making his first appearance in the game.

“It’s a huge honor for these two young men to be chosen to represent Canada,” said SFU football head coach Dave Johnson. “It’s such a unique opportunity for a football player. I have no doubt that Matthias and Casey will make their country, and their school proud.”

Goosen just completed his sophomore season with the Clan, earning a nomination to the GNAC all-conference first team.

Chin led the GNAC in average tackles per game with 8.2 and had 74 tackles. He was named to the GNAC all-conference second team.

Team World gathered in the Texas state capital today as the coaching staff began the task of bringing together players from all over the world to take on Team USA.

Rowells, Duncan on Don Hansen All-Region Team

Duncan	Rowells

Humboldt State running back Lyndon Rowells and Dixie State tight end Joe Don Duncan, who both had record-breaking seasons have been named to the Don Hansen NCAA Division II Super Region IV all-star squad.

The two first team selections were among 12 GNAC players named to the squad. Three other GNAC players were named to the second team and seven players earned third team slots.

Rowells rushed for a GNAC record 1,417 yards finishing sixth nationally. He also finished 10th nationally in all-purpose yards with a 167.2 per game average.

Duncan had GNAC-record totals for a tight end, catching 64 passes for 949 yards and nine touchdowns.

All five GNAC teams were represented on the all-region team led by Western Oregon, which placed five players on the all-star unit including two second team picks - safety Bryce Peila and offensive tackle Jason Slowey.

Peila was earlier named to the Daktronics all-region first team selected by the region's sports information directors. Only four GNAC players were named to that squad and Peila was the lone first team pick.

Named to the Hansen third team from Western Oregon were wide receiver Trevor Gates, defensive end Gavin Drake and cornerback Isaiah Buchanan.

Humboldt State placed four players on the team. In addition to Rowells, offensive guard Drew Shaw was a second team selection and quarterback Mike Proulx and linebacker Jona Faraimo were third team picks.

Also named to the third team were Simon Fraser defensive end Justin Capicciotti and Central Washington safety Dominique Gaisie.

The Don Hansen team carries out the legacy of long-time small college football advocate Don Hansen, who died in 2010 at the age of 75.

Hansen published the National Weekly Football Gazette for three decades, selecting Division II All-American teams for the first team in 1988. This year's All-American team will be announced in January.

Don Hansen: First Team – Lyndon Rowells, HSU (RB, 5-10, 200, Sr., Largo, Fla.); Joe Don Duncan, DSC (TE, 6-4, 270, Jr., Corona, CA). Second Team – Drew Shaw, HSU (OG, 6-3, 280, Sr., Encinitas, CA); Jason Slowey, WOU (OT, 6-4, 310, Jr., Medford, OR); Bryce Peila, WOU (Saf, 6-1, 200, Jr., Central Point, OR). Third Team – Mike Proulx, HSU (QB, 5-11, 203, Sr., Castro Valley, CA); Trevor Gates, WOU (5-8, 185, Sr., Hillsboro, OR); Justin Capicciotti, SFU (DE, 6-3, 245, Sr., Toronto, Ont.); Gavin Drake, WOU (DE, 6-3, 285, Jr., Portland, OR); Jona Faraimo, HSU (LB, 5-11, 240, Sr., Sacramento, CA); Isaiah Buchanan (CB, 5-10, 175, Sr., Portland, OR); Dominique Gaisie, CWU (S, 5-9, 162, Sr., West Covina, CA).

Daktronics: First Team - Bryce Peila, WOU (S, 6-1, 200, Jr., Central Point, OR). Second Team - Joe Don Duncan, DSC (TE, 6-4, 270, Jr., Corona, CA); Jason Slowey, WOU (OL, 6-4, 300, Sr., Medford, OR); Lyndon Rowells, HSU (RB, 5-10, 200,l Sr., Largo, Fla.).

WOU's Bryce Peila Daktronics All-American

Peila was the lone GNAC player selected to the Daktronics team by the nation's sports information directors.

Peila (6-1, 200, Jr., Central Point, Ore. - Crater HS) ranked third in Division II this season with nine interceptions and set a GNAC record with 243 return yards.

He finished the season with 58 tackles (31 solo) and 13 passes defended. Peila ranks second in league history with 15 career interceptions.

Peila and WOU offensive lineman Jason Slowey are also finalists for the 2012 Beyond Sports Network All-American team. That All-American team will be announced Jan. 5.

The 2012 BSN All-American list will be made up of the top players from the FCS, D2, D3, and NAIA levels.

Rowells, Proulx Earn Two Top 10 Final National Rankings

Rowells finished sixth nationally in rushing (141.7) and 10th in all-purpose running (167.2), while Proulx ended up seventh in passing yards (288.8) and ninth in total offense (294.2).

The only other GNAC players ranked in the Top 10 were defensive backs Bryce Peila of Western Oregon and Genesis Fonoimoana of Central Washington who ranked third and 10th in interceptions per game with totals of nine and five, respectively.

In team statistics, Humboldt State earned four Top 20 national rankings, including a No. 11 ranking in total offense (464.9).

Individuals: Scoring – 17. Lyndon Rowells, HSU, 9.0. Field Goals - 16. Brian Blumberg, HSU, 1.30. Rushing - 6. Lyndon Rowells, HSU, 141.7. Pass Efficiency - 13. Mike Proulx, HSU, 152.4. Receptions – 23. Joe Don Duncan, DSC, 6.4. Passing - 7. Mike Proulx, HSU, 288.8. Receiving Yards - 16. Joe Don Duncan, DSC, 94.9; 25. Trevor Gates, WOU, 89.8. Total Offense - 9. Mike Proulx, HSU, 294.2. All-Purpose – 10. Lyndon Rowells, HSU, 167.2. Punt Returns - 24. Dominique Gaisie, CWU, 11.3. Interceptions - 3. Bryce Peila, WOU, 0.82; 10. Genesis Fonoimoana, CWU, 0.62. Team: Total Offense - 11. Humboldt State 464.9. Rushing Defense - 30. Central Washington 118.5. Pass Offense – 12. Humboldt State 295.1. Pass Efficiency - 23. Humboldt State 148.2. Scoring - 20. Humboldt State 35.9. Scoring Defense - 22. Humboldt State 19.7. Pass Defense Efficiency - 21. Humboldt State 107.4. Turnover Margin - 12. Humboldt State 1.10. Note: Simon Fraser ineligible to be ranked.

HSU's Proulx, Faraimo Voted GNAC Players-of-the-Year

Proulx	Smith

Humboldt State quarterback Mike Proulx, who passed for 2,888 yards and 25 touchdowns and head coach Rob Smith, who guided the Lumberjacks to their first conference title since 1995, have been selected the 2011 Offensive Player-of-the-Year and Coach-of-the-Year, respectively, in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

The Coach-of-the-Year award is the ninth for Smith, who also won the GNAC Coach-of-the-Year award in 2001, 2003 and 2010 and the Columbia Football Association Coach-of-the-Year award in 1989, 1995, 1996, 1999 and 2000.

The first seven Coach-of-the-Year awards came while he was at Western Washington University.

Smith, a 1981 graduate of the University of Washington, has a career record of 133-80 in 21 seasons, including 24-18 in four years at Humboldt State.

Proulx, who was an unanimous selection, completed his career as one of the most prolific passing quarterbacks in GNAC history throwing for 7,722 yards and also compiling 8,003 yards of total offense. He ranks third in GNAC history in both categories.

Humboldt State linebacker Jona Faraimo, Western Oregon offensive lineman Jason Slowey, defensive linemen Justin Capicciotti of Simon Fraser and Gavin Drake of Western Oregon and Dixie State's Joe Don Duncan and Stefan Cantwell also earned special awards.

Faraimo, who led Humboldt State in tackles with 68, was voted the GNAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year. Slowey was named the GNAC Offensive Lineman of the Year, while Capicciotti and Drake tied in the balloting for the GNAC Defensive Lineman of the Year award.

Capicciotti led the conference in tackles for losses (17) and sacks (10), while Drake ranked fourth in TFLs with 13 and third in sacks with 6 ½.

Duncan, who led the conference in receiving with 64 catches for 949 yards from his tight end slot, was named the GNAC Newcomer-of-the-Year. Cantwell, who ranked third in the GNAC in passing with 1,921 yards, was voted the GNAC Freshman-of-the-Year.

Humboldt State placed 11 players on the 30-man first-team all-conference squad. Western Oregon had eight first team selections. Central Washington had five. Simon Fraser and Dixie State each had three.

Eight of the first team selections were repeaters including Proulx, Humboldt State running back Lyndon Rowells who set a GNAC single-season rushing record with 1,417 yards, Slowey, Central Washington lineman Mike Nelson, Humboldt defensive lineman Andrew Iupati, HSU linebacker Chris Peterson, Western Oregon defensive back Bryce Peila and WOU punt returner Lucas Gonsalves.

A total of 18 of the first-team selections were unanimous, including 11 on offense and seven on defense.

Unanimous picks on offense were Proulx, Rowells, Simon Fraser running back Bo Palmer, Western Oregon wide receiver Trevor Gates, CWU wide receiver Justin Helwege, HSU receiver Dirk Dallas, Duncan, Slowey, Nelson, Simon Fraser lineman Matthias Goossen and Humboldt kicker Brian Blumberg.

Unanimous defensive picks were Drake, Capicciotti, Iupati, Faraimo, Peila, defensive back Cache Morgan and Wolf punter Scott Buche. Morgan earned first team honors at two positions (DB and kick returner).

Jacks' Weaver Invited to Play in Switzerland

Humboldt State football player Diamond Weaver will add his name to the list of Lumberjacks who have played professionally when he departs in January to join the Besel Gladiators, an American-style football team located in Basel, Switzerland.

Weaver, a defensive back who was the Jacks' primary kickoff returner during the recently completed season, departs for Switzerland in January, and will have a short time to prepare for the European season, which begins in February and continues into August. His duties will be far more varied than what Weaver experienced as part of the HSU program.

"They told me that you have to be versatile," Weaver said. "I'll be playing receiver, running back, defensive back, and returning punts and kickoffs. I'm known as the fastest man in Humboldt County. Now I'm going to be the fastest man in Europe."

European rules allow only three American players on each squad's roster, and only one can be in the game at a time. Other than those restrictions, Weaver will enjoy being showcased in the game he loves.