Friday, December 1, 2017

COMMERCE, Texas – Led by Central Washington linebacker and regional Defensive Player of the Year Kevin Haynes, the GNAC has landed 15 total selections and nine first-team selections on the D2CCA All-Super Region 4 Football Team.

The 15 honorees are the most of the four Super Region 4 conferences while the eight selections for Central Washington leads all Super Region 4 schools. The Wildcats landed six first-team selections in Haynes, tight end Kyle Self, offensive linemen James Moore and Nicholas Streubel; defensive lineman Bo Banner and cornerback Tyler Hasty.

Joining the six as first-team selections are Humboldt State offensive lineman Alex Cappa and running back Ja’Quan Gardner along with Azusa Pacific wide receiver Weston Carr.

The GNAC’s six second-team selections include Azusa Pacific offensive lineman Sakalaia Hungalu, linebacker Aaron Berry and safety Taliuaki Suliafu; Central Washington defensive lineman Billy Greer and safety Jackson Huerta; and Western Oregon wide receiver Paul Revis.

Haynes, the two-time GNAC Defensive Player of the Year, was the lynch-pin for a Wildcats’ defense that finished the season ranked fourth nationally in total defense, allowing 259.9 yards per game. Haynes finished with 100 tackles, second best in the GNAC. His 14 tackles for loss ranked third in the conference. In addition, Haynes set a GNAC career record with 224 solo tackles.

Banner, the GNAC Defensive Lineman of the Year, finished the regular season with 29 tackles and his 0.92 sacks per game (11 total) ranks 17th in Division II. He leads the GNAC with 15.5 tackles for loss while helping solidify a CWU defense that is 20th in Division II in scoring defense, allowing 17.6 points per game, and ranks fourth nationally with 10.3 tackles for loss per game.

Hasty, First Team All-GNAC selection at defensive back, provided solid backing to the CWU defense. He finished the year with 48 tackles and led the GNAC and ranked 10th in Division II with 1.6 passes defended per game (19 total). Hasty also led GNAC with eight interceptions and ranked third in Division II with 0.7 interceptions per game.

Self, a First Team All-GNAC selection at tight end, finished the season with 453 receiving yards and was second in the GNAC with nine receiving touchdowns. He saved his most impressive game for the end of the regular season, finishing with 122 receiving yards and a touchdown on five catches in a 42-28 win at Humboldt State that gave the Wildcats the outright GNAC championship.

Moore and Streubel were both First Team All-GNAC selections at offensive line. The pair helped protect a Central Washington offense that finished 16th in Division II in total offense, averaging 466.4 yards per game, and in scoring offense at 39.4 points per game. The Wildcats led the GNAC and were 23rd in Division II in sacks allowed at 1.17 per game.

Gardner, the GNAC Offensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the Harlon Hill Award, concluded his career as one of the top offensive players in conference history. The senior led the league and ranked 10th in Division II in rushing, averaging 125.9 yards per game, while ranking fourth in Division II with 19 rushing touchdowns. Gardner also led the GNAC and was fourth nationally with 192.6 all-purpose yards per game as he added kick return duties to his plate this season. Gardner ended his career as the GNAC’s all-time leader in touchdowns (75), points scored (450), all-purpose yards (6.979), all-purpose yards per game (170.2), rushing attempts (878), rushing yards (5,426) and rushing touchdowns (70).

Cappa was a four-time GNAC Offensive Lineman of the Year and a four-time First Team All-GNAC selection. He led a Humboldt State offensive line that allowed the Lumberjacks to finish with an average of 488.3 yards of total offense per game, 10th in Division II, and allowed just 22 sacks all season. In addition to the regional accolades, Cappa was a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award and has earned an invitation to the Reeses Senior Bowl.