FINDLAY, OHIO - St. Ambrose, which has won its third straight Mid-States Football Association Midwest League title, leads the 2008 MWL selections with five first-team players.

              In a vote of the league coaches, the Fighting Bees' Michael Hayward was chosen as the MWL Player of the Year after leading the MSFA in both receptions (7.55) and yards (111.5) per game as a 6-foot-3, 200-pound sophomore.

              Todd Hafner, in his fifth year at William Penn, was voted coach of the year. William Penn had its best finish ever at 5-2 in the MWL and 7-4 overall, just behind champion St. Ambrose (6-1, 8-3). Aaron Hafner of William Penn, Joe Curry of St. Francis, Ill. And Jeff Girsch of St. Ambrose as the tri-assistant coaches of the year.

              Joining Hayward as a two-time all-league selection from St. Ambrose is 5-10, 275-pound senior defensive linemen Vince Fillipp. Other St. Ambrose first-team picks are quarterback Will Ducey, offensive lineman Matt Sutton and defensive lineman Mike Walter.

              Jacob Zsuppon, a 5-11, 225-pound senior linebacker from Quincy, earned his third all-MWL first-team award, while sophomore defensive lineman Lucas Burr (6-3, 300) of Olivet Nazarene and senior running back George Smith (5-10, 190) of McKendree became two-time all-league selections.

 

2008 Midwest League Selections

First Team Offense

QUARTERBACK - Will Ducey (Belleville, IL), St. Ambrose, 6-6, 220, Sr.

RUNNING BACKS - Donte Villery (Lafayette, LA), St. Francis, 5-5, 190, Jr.; **George Smith (Jacksonville, FL), McKendree, 5-10, 190, Sr.; Jaren Maybin (Baltimore, MD), Iowa Wesleyan, 5-11, 171, Jr.

WIDE RECEIVERS - **Michael Hayward (Bettendorf, IA), St. Ambrose, 6-3, 200, Soph.; James Bailey (Detroit, MI), Quincy, 6-3, 215, Sr.; Lawrence Moore (Country Club Hills, IL), Iowa Wesleyan, 5-9, 158, Soph.

TIGHT END - Byron Gettis (Cahokia, IL), McKendree, 6-2, 270, Soph.

LINEMEN - Matt Sutton (San Diego, CA), St. Ambrose, 6-3, 315, Soph.; Andrew Dean (Newton, IA), William Penn, 6-2, 310, Sr.; Marc Novak (St. John, IN), St. Francis, 6-1, 270, Jr.; Jake McCullough (Conesville, IA), William Penn, 6-4, 281, Sr.; Josh Coyle (Princeton, IL), Quincy, 6-3, 315, Jr.          

RETURN SPECIALIST - Skyler Crouch (Payson, Utah), William Penn, 6-4, 225, Soph.

PLACEKICKER - Alex Beard (Jacksonville, IL), Quincy, 6-0, 196, Jr.

First Team Defense

LINEMEN - **Vince Fillipp (Cary, IL), St. Ambrose, 5-10, 275, Sr.; Mike Walter (Dewitt, IA), St. Ambrose, 6-3, 230, Sr.; **Lucas Burr (Circleville, OH), Olivet Nazarene, 6-3, 300, Soph.; Craig Zurliene (Fairfield, IL), McKendree, 6-4, 285, Soph.        

LINEBACKERS - ***Jacob Zsuppon (Flossmoor, IL), Quincy, 5-11, 225, Sr.; Clayton Norberg (Sterling, IL), St. Francis, 6-1, 210, Sr.; Travis Powers (Marysville, OH), Olivet Nazarene, 5-10, 217, Fr.; Tony Donatucci (Arlington Heights, IL), Quincy, 6-1, 212, Sr.               

DEEP BACKS - Gannon Novak (New Lenox, IL), St. Francis, 5-9, 186, Sr.; Edward Harriel (Cahokia, IL), Quincy, 5-8, 144, Soph.; Jake Jenkins (Newton, IA), William Penn, 6-5, 217, Sr.; Ryan Klier (Newton, IL), McKendree, 5-11, 180, Sr.           

PUNTER - Bret Dougherty (Orlando, FL), McKendree, 5-11, Jr.

Second Team Offense

QUARTERBACK - Ryan Van Dalen (Oskaloosa, IA), William Penn, 6-2, 205, Jr. RUNNING BACKS - Lincoln Cavanagh (Williams, IA), William Penn, 6-2, 207, Sr.; Corey Williams (Coral Springs, FL), Quincy, 5-6, 168, Sr.; Marshall Fraley (Beloit, KS), Olivet Nazarene, 5-10, 195, Soph. WIDE RECEIVERS - Kyle Korth (Stockton, IL), St. Ambrose, 6-2, 205, Sr.; Jason Fiske (Loves Park, IL), St. Francis, 6-0, 186, Jr.; Skyler Crouch (Payson, UT), William Penn, 6-4, 225, Jr. TIGHT END - David Scherer (Racine, WI), Olivet Nazarene, 6-1, 230, Jr. LINEMEN - Bryan Edgar (Belleville, IL), McKendree, 6-3, 275, Jr.; Troy Cogdill (East Moline, IL), McKendree, 6-4, 285, Jr.; Elton Weed (Springfield, IL), McKendree, 6-1, 290, Jr.; Mike Iazzetto (Downers Grove, IL), St. Ambrose, 6-0, 260, Jr.; Steven Dawley (New Sharon, IA), William Penn, 6-1, 274, Soph.

Second Team Defense

LINEMEN - Corey Reidl (Franklin Grove, IL), Quincy, 6-0, 272, Soph.; Brock Pfalsterer (Mascoutah, IL), McKendree, 6-3, 225, Fr.; David Moreno (Phoenix, AZ), Trinity International, 6-0, 210, Sr.; James Bowman (Chicago, IL), St. Francis, 6-1, 288, R-Fr.; Ryan Ramos (Midlothian, IL), St. Francis, 6-1, 293, Soph.; Kris Austin (Oxford, MS), William Penn, 6-2, 256, Jr. LINEBACKERS - Hank Belshause (Orion, IL), St. Ambrose, 5-11, 190, Sr.; Cordero Hightower (Peoria, IL), Trinity International, 6-0, 234, Sr.; Reece McCall (Weirsdale, FL), McKendree, 5-11, 210, Sr.; Trevon Greene (Gaffney, SC), William Penn, 5-10, 208, Jr. DEEP BACKS - Gerald Knighten (Bellwood, IL), Iowa Wesleyan, 5-9, 173, Jr.; Kris Griswold (Mendota, IL), St. Ambrose, 6-0, 2-5, Sr.; Colin Green (South Elgin, IL), St. Ambrose, 5-10, 175, Jr.; Terrance Flukers (Miami, FL), William Penn, 5-10, 165, Soph.

Honorable Mention

IOWA WESLEYAN - Bryan Abihider (Hemet, CA), QB; Greg Fields (St. Louis, MO), WR; Deleon Bolds (Chicago, IL), TE; Clint Hunold (Donnellson, IA), OL; Kyle DeRossett (Dupo, IL), LB; Scott Baldwin (Penn Valley, CA), LB; Jerry Wimes (Mount Dora, FL), LB; Mervin Shaw (St. Louis, MO), DB; Scott Knipfer (Cottage Grove, WI), DB; Darious Watson (Bellwood, IL), DB. McKENDREE - Brandon Nigro (New Lenox, IL), LB; Derrick Quals (North Hills, CA), DB. OLIVET NAZARENE - Kendall Thomas (Merrillville, IN), OL; Matt Boyce (Lockport, IL), OL; Rory Fry (Richland Center, WI), LB; Jeremy Lochner (Upland, IN), DB; Brandon McClure (St. Louis, MO), DB; Jake Peterson (Sullivan, IL), DB; Rob Foley (Oakwood, IL), DB; QUINCY - Sam Donatucci (Arlington Heights, IL), QB; Mike James (Largo, IL), WR; Charles Jackson (North Las Vegas, NV), WR; Kyle Volstad (Palm Beach Gardens, FL), TE; Ryan Smith (Cahokia, IL), DB; Dustin Keeven (Highland, IL), DB; ST. AMBROSE - Jake Jakaitis (Chicago, IL), DL; Tyler Boyle (Montgomery, IL), LB; PJ Conroy (Elmhurst, IL), LB; ST. FRANCIS - John Goolsby (Morris, IL), QB; Javon Stewart (Bolingbrook, IL), RB; Ponce Palmer (Findlay, IL), WR; Markus Hood (Bolingbrook, IL), WR; Jim Jadron (Joliet, IL), OL; Nick Reicher (Westmont, IL), OL; Brenton Valentine (Morris, IL), LB; Kevin Sanders (Elgin, IL), LB; Bill Dragonetti (Glen Ellyn, IL), LB; Mike Vazquez (Bolingbrook, IL), DB. TRINITY INTERNATIONAL -                Joe Ramirez (Colton, CA), OL; Tyler Boblit (Fullerton, CA), LB; Pete Miller (Chicago, IL), DB. WILLIAM PENN - Jamal Zollicoffer (Plymouth, MN), DL; Scott Bell (Olive Branch, MS), LB; Travis Grosshans (Plattsmouth, NE), LB.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Michael Hayward, St. Ambrose

COACH OF THE YEAR - Todd Hafner, William Penn

TRI-ASSISTANT COACHES OF THE YEAR - Aaron Hafner, William Penn; Joe Curry, St. Francis; Jeff Girsch, St. Ambrose

   *** -- Three-time all-conference performer             ** -- Two-time all-conference performer