Monday, November 12, 2012

PORTLAND, Ore. - Humboldt State running back Nick Ricciardulli, who rushed for a GNAC record 1,579 yards this fall, and Central Washington linebacker Stan Langlow, who led the Wildcats in tackles with 81, have been selected the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively, in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

Also earning special awards were Humboldt State’s Brett Frydendahl, Gustave Benthin of Western Oregon, Manako Tuifua of Azusa Pacific, Lemar Durant of Simon Fraser and Central Washington’s Cedrique Chaney.

Frydendahl was voted the GNAC Offensive Lineman of the Year, while Benthin and Tuifua tied in the balloting for the GNAC Defensive Lineman of the Year award.  Durant and Chaney were selected the GNAC Newcomer and Freshman of the Year, respectively.

Blaine Bennett of Central Washington and Dave Johnson of Simon Fraser tied in the balloting for Coach of the Year each receiving three votes.

Bennett earned his third GNAC Coach of the Year award after leading the Wildcats to a 7-4 record and their seventh conference title in the 10-year history of the GNAC football conference.  Johnson led Simon Fraser to a 5-6 record.  Two years ago SFU won just one game and last year they had just three victories.

Central Washington placed eight players on the 29-man first-team all-conference squad.  Humboldt State and Western Oregon, which tied for second place in the GNAC just one game back of the Wildcats, had six first team selections.  Simon Fraser and Azusa Pacific each placed four players on the first team and Dixie State had one.

Eight of the first team selections were unanimous selections including Ricciardulli, Langlow, Durant, Frydendahl, Benthin, Tuifua, offensive lineman Joey Tivnan of Central Washington and Western Oregon defensive back Bryce Peila.

Peila was one of three players along with Central Washington offensive lineman Mike Nelson and Humboldt State linebacker Chris Peterson who earned first team honors for the third year in a row.

Other repeaters from last year’s first team included Frydendahl, Tivnan, Simon Fraser offensive lineman Matthias Goossen, Dixie State kick returner Cache Morgan, Western Oregon linebacker Scotland Foss and Humboldt State defensive back Jeremiah Maluia.

 2012 GNAC ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

OFFENSE

First Team: Quarterback –  Trey Wheeler, SFU (5-11, 190, So., Seattle, WA).  Running Backs – +Nick Ricciardulli, HSU (5-8, 190, Jr., Poway, CA); Demetrius Sumler, CWU (5-10, 220, Sr., San Diego, CA); Terrell Watson, APU (6-2, 235, So., Oxnard, CA). Receivers – +Lemar Durant, SFU (6-2, 226, So., Coquitlam, BC); Anthony Spain, CWU (6-0, 178, Sr., Grants Pass, OR); Tyrell Williams, WOU (6-3, 195, So., Salem, OR). Tight End – Jamal Kett, SFU (6-5, 234, Fr., Orangeville, ON).  Offensive Line -    +*Brett Frydendahl, HSU, (6-5, 254, Sr., Corona, CA); +*Joey Tivnan, CWU (6-3, 290, Sr., Centralia, WA); **Mike Nelson, CWU (6-4, 312, Jr., Carnation, WA); *Matthias Goossen, SFU (6-4, 292, Jr., Richmond, BC);  David Kulp, HSU (6-2, 295, Jr., Lompac, CA); Robby Palacios, APU (6-5, 320, Sr., Upland, CA).  Kicker  - Kelly Morgan, WOU (5-10, 170, Sr., Sherwood, OR). Kick Returner - *Cache Morgan, DSC (5-11, 190, Sr., West Jordan, UT).  +Unanimous  *Repeater  

Second Team: Quarterback – Ryan Robertson, CWU (6-4, 202, Sr., Sammamish, WA). Running Backs – Bo Palmer, SFU (5-9, 209, Sr., North Vancouver, BC).  Wide Receivers – Victor Spencer, HSU (6-0, 202, Sr., Sacramento, CA); Zack Fox, DSC (6-1, 210, Sr., Spanish Fork, UT); Tavoy Moore, CWU (5-6, 196, Sr., Long Beach, CA); Bobby Pospischil, SFU (5-10, 187, So., Coquitlam, BC).  Tight Ends – Alex Hiebert, HSU (6-2, 244, Sr., Redmond, WA); Kevin Schick, APU (6-2, 250, Jr., Aliso Viejo, CA).  Offensive Line – Marcus Cuellar, WOU (6-5, 280, Jr., Independence, OR); Alex Jones, WOU (6-3, 280, Jr., Portland, OR); Tim Taylor, APU (6-2, 275, Sr., Yorba Linda, CA); Nick Garibay, DSC (6-2, 290, Sr., Wilmington, CA); Dillon Reagan, HSU (6-3, 323, Jr., Issaquah, WA).  Kicker – Matt Bruder, HSU (5-8, 164, So., Jamul, CA). Kick Returner – Tavoy Moore, CWU (5-6, 196, Sr., Long Beach, CA); Tyler Thornton, APU (5-8, 178, So., Bakersfield, CA).

DEFENSE

First Team:  Defensive Line – +Gustave Benthin, WOU (6-2, 285, Jr., Nampa, ID); +Manako Tuifua, APU (5-11, 305, Sr., Kailua, HI); Sean McDonald, HSU (6-3, 292, Sr., Kalama, WA); Donnie Johnson, CWU (6-2, 271, Jr., Olympia, WA). Linebackers - +Stan Langlow, CWU (6-3, 216, Jr., University Place, WA); *Scotland Foss, WOU (6-2, 235, Sr., Albany, OR); **Chris Peterson, HSU (5-10, 210, Sr., San Diego, CA). Defensive Backs - +**Bryce Peila, WOU (6-1, 200, Sr., Central Point, OR);  *Jeremiah Maluia, HSU (5-11, 202, Jr., Compton, CA); Tyler Thornton, APU (5-8, 178, So., Bakersfield, CA); Cedrique Chaney, CWU (6-0, 188, Fr., Kelso, WA). Punter – Alexander Bradt, WOU (6-1, 210, Fr., Salem, OR).  Punt Returner -  Tavoy Moore, CWU (5-6, 196, Sr., Long Beach, CA). +Unanimous  *Repeater  

Second Team: Defensive Line -  Alex Markarian, HSU (6-4, 245, So., Chino Hills, CA); Kraig Akins, WOU (6-2, 280, So., Springfield, OR); Gavin Drake, WOU (6-3, 265, Sr., Portland, OR); Andrew Marshall, SFU (6-3, 242, Sr., Nanoose Bay, BC); Sipili Tuigamalala, WOU (6-2, 330, Jr., Hayward, CA). Linebackers – Casey Chin, SFU (5-10, 227, Jr., Port Moody, BC); Sean Barber, APU (6-1, 225, Jr., Edgewood, WA); Riley Wall, CWU (5-9, 212, Jr., Olympia, WA).  Defensive Backs -  Darrell Wilson, APU (6-1, 210, Sr., Ontario, CA); Cache Morgan, DSC (5-11, 190, Sr., West Jordan, UT); Derek Jones, SFU (6-1, 194, Sr., Edmonton, AB); Isaiah Davis, CWU (6-0, 176, Fr., Bremerton, WA).  Punters – Chris Campbell, HSU (5-10, 170, So., Granite Bay, CA); Matt Burke, CWU (6-0, 194, Jr., Laguna Hills, CA). Punt Returner – Tore Corrado, SFU (6-0, 180, Jr., Vancouver, BC).

GNAC Offensive Player of the Year – Nick Ricciardulli, HSU (5-8, 190, Jr., Poway, CA). GNAC Defensive Player of the Year -  Stan Langlow, CWU (6-3, 216, Jr., University Place, WA).  GNAC Offensive Lineman of the Year -  Brett Frydendahl, HSU, (6-5, 254, Sr., Corona, CA).  GNAC Defensive Lineman of the Year  - Gustave Benthin, WOU (6-2, 285, Jr., Nampa, ID) and Manako Tuifua, APU (5-11, 305, Sr., Kailua, HI). GNAC Newcomer of the Year – Lemar Durant, SFU (6-2, 226, So., Coquitlam, BC).  GNAC Freshman of the Year – Cedrique Chaney, CWU (6-0, 188, Fr., Kelso, WA). GNAC Coach of the Year – Dave Johnson, SFU, and Blaine Bennett, CWU.