Big Sky Announces
2008 All-Conference Team
Weber State quarterback Cameron Higgins was named the Big Sky Conference's offensive MVP, and was one of a record 12 Wildcats selected to the All-Conference first team.
The football All-Conference teams and individual award winners were released on Tuesday. The squads and award winners were selected by the nine Big Sky Conference coaches.
Weber State dominated squad, becoming the first team in league history to place 12 players on the first team. Eastern Washington in 2004 and Nevada in 1985 each had 11 players named to the first team.
Weber State shared the Big Sky regular-season title with Montana. Both teams were 7-1 in conference and qualified for FCS playoffs. The title was Weber State's first in 40 years. Higgins, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound sophomore from Kai, Hawai'i, became the first Wildcat since Jamie Martin to claim the Offensive MVP. Martin won the award in 1990 and 1991.
Eastern Washington senior defensive end Greg Peach, who leads the nation with 18 sacks and 22 tackles for loss, was tabbed the Defensive MVP. Northern Arizona freshman running back Deonte Williams was named Newcomer of the Year.
Weber State junior running back Trevyn Smith and Montana senior safety Colt Anderson were the only unanimous selections on the first team. Both players were tabbed to the top squad for the third straight season.
Higgins, the 2007 Newcomer of the Year, shinned in his first full-season as a starter. Entering Saturday's playoff game, Higgins ranks third in the nation in total passing, and fourth in total offense and passing efficiency. He's completed 67.5 percent of his passes for 3,791 yards with 34 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Higgins is averaging a league-best 315.9 passing yards per game. Higgins is a candidate for the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the top offensive player in the FCS.
Peach, a 6-2, 250-pounder from Vancouver, Wash., leads the nation with 18 sacks and 22 tackles for loss. He set the EWU single-season sack record, and fell just one sack short of tying the Big Sky single-season record. Peach finished with 71 total tackles. EWU's defense held five of its final six opponents under 20 points.
Williams, a 5-10, 185-pound true freshman from Sacramento, Calif., was pressed into action because of an injury to starter Alex Henderson. Williams responded by rushing for 950 yards in 11 games with 12 touchdowns.
Seven Weber State offensive players were selected to the first team. Joining Smith and Higgins on the squad were senior fullback Marcus Mailei, junior wide receiver Tim Toone, senior tackle Paul Carpenter, senior guard Lawaia Naihe and junior center Kyle Mutcher.
The Wildcats lead the Big Sky in scoring offense and total offense. Weber State ranks in the top 10 nationally in total offense, passing offense and scoring offense. The Wildcats allowed just 19 sacks.
Smith a 5-9, 210-pounder from Springville, Utah, leads the Big Sky with 1,344 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns. Smith is tied for the national scoring lead at 12 points per game. He has scored 24 touchdowns, and averages 163 All-Purpose yards per game. Toone, from Peoria, Ariz., caught 63 passes for 1,230 yards with six touchdowns.
Montana, which won at least a share of 11 straight regular-season titles, put two players on the first-team offense. Senior guard Colin Dow, a first-team pick in 2006, returned to the top squad. Junior Marc Mariani was named first team as a wide receiver and a return specialist. Mariani caught 53 passes for 1,009 yards with a league-high 14 touchdowns during the regular season. He's averaging a league-best 18.3 yards per punt return, with a pair of touchdowns.
Mariani and Toone were joined at the wide receiver position by Sacramento State senior Tony Washington, who set school single-season records with 83 catches for 1,279 yards. He also had 12 touchdown catches.
Montana State senior running back Demetrius Crawford and senior tackle Lou Saucedo represented the Bobcats on the first-team offense. Crawford finished second in the league with 1,314 yards and eight touchdowns.
Northern Colorado's Ryan Chesla was named the tight end for the second consecutive season. Smith and Mailei were the other repeat picks on the offense.
The first-team defense featured six repeat selections: Anderson, Peach, Weber State defensive tackle Bryce Scanlon, Sacramento State linebackers Cyrus Mulitalo and Mike Brannon, and Northern Arizona cornerback KJ Gerard.
Anderson, from Butte, Mont., helped Montana hold conference opponents to only 13.8 points per game. Anderson, a candidate for the Buchanan Award, enters the playoffs with 85 total tackles.
Scanlon was joined on the first-team defense by teammates Kevin Linehan (defensive end), J.D. Folsom (Linebacker), cornerback Josh Morris and senior Beau Hadley. Linehan has 10.5 sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles. Hadley had 111 total tackles and forced five fumbles.
Mulitalo and Brannon led the Hornet defense for the third straight season. Mulitalo had 96 total tackles, while Brannon had nine sacks and 12 tackles for loss.
Gerard, who picked off five passes, was one of two Lumberjacks named to the first-team defense. He was joined by defensive tackle Steve Nwogbe. NAU set Big Sky single-season records for fewest rushing yards allowed, and fewest average rushing yards per game allowed.
Montana State junior safety Kevin Retoriano was the only Bobcat named to the first team. Montana State finished the regular season as the league's top rated defense. Retoriano has 58 total tackles.
Northern Colorado senior linebacker Cristian Sarmento rounded out the defense. Sarmento became the first Bear defensive player to be named first-team All-Conference. Sarmento finished with 142 total tackles, tying for second in league single-season history. Sarmento had 10 sacks, 15 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles.
Northern Arizona senior Robbie Dehaze was tabbed the first-team punter and place kicker. Dehaze, from Sherwood, Ore., leads the nation with a punting average of 45.2. Dehaze also made 16-of-20 field goals.
Idaho State senior Kenyon Blue was selected the Special Teams first-team player.
Award Winners
Offensive Player of the Year - Cameron Higgins, QB, Weber State
Defensive Player of the Year - Greg Peach, DE, Eastern Washington
Newcomer of the Year – Deonte Williams, RB, Northern Arizona
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Wide Receivers Tony Washington, Sr., Sacramento State
Tim Toone, Jr., Weber State
Marc Mariani, Jr., Montana
Tackles Paul Carpenter, Sr., Weber State
Lou Saucedo, Sr., Montana State
Guards Colin Dow, Sr., Montana
Lawaia Naihe, Sr., Weber State
Center Kyle Mutcher, Jr. Weber State
Tight end *Ryan Chelsa, Sr., Northern Colorado
Quarterback Cameron Higgins, So., Weber State
Running Backs #@Trevyn Smith, Jr., Weber State
Demetrius Crawford, Sr., Montana State
Fullback *Marcus Mailei, Sr., Weber State
Place kicker Robbie Dehaze, Sr., Northern Arizona
Return Specialist Marc Mariani, Jr., Montana
*Two-Time Selection
#Three-Time Selection
@Unanimous Selection
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Tackles *Bryce Scanlon, Sr., Weber State
Steve Nwogbe, Sr., Northern Arizona
Ends *Greg Peach, Sr., Eastern Washington
Kevin Linehan, Jr., Weber State
Outside *Mike Brannon, Sr., Sacramento State
Linebackers J.D. Folsom, LB, Weber State
Inside *Cyrus Mulitalo, Sr., Sacramento State
Linebackers Cristian Sarmento, Sr., Northern Colorado
Cornerbacks *KJ Gerard, Sr., Northern Arizona
Josh Morris, Jr., Weber State
Safeties #@Colt Anderson, Sr., Montana
Beau Hadley, Jr., Weber State
Kevin Retoriano, Jr., Montana State
Punter Robbie Dehaze, Sr., Northern Arizona
FIRST TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
Special Teams Kenyon Blue, Sr., Idaho State
*Two-Time Selection
#Three-Time Selection
@Unanimous Selection
First-Team Breakdown by Team
Eastern Washington 1
Idaho State 1
Montana 4 (counting Mariani at two positions)
Montana State 3
Northern Arizona 4 (counting Dehaze at two positions)
Northern Colorado 2
Sacramento State 3
Weber State 12
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Wide Receivers Aaron Boyce, Jr., Eastern Washington
Eddie Thompson, Sr., Idaho State
Brynsen Brown, Jr., Eastern Washington
Tackles Levi Horn, Jr., Montana
Brent Russum, Sr., Montana
Guards Jeff Hansen, Jr., Montana State
J.C. Oram, Fr., Weber State
Center J.D. Quinn, Sr., Montana
Tight end Cody Nakamura, Jr., Weber State
Quarterback Cole Bergquist, Sr., Montana
Running Backs Chase Reynolds, So., Montana
Bryan Hilliard, So., Sacramento State
Fullback Alexis Alexander, Sr., Eastern Washington
Place kicker Jason Cunningham, Fr., Montana State
Felipe Macias, Sr., Eastern Washington
Return Specialist Aaron Woods, Jr., Portland State
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Tackles Lance Witherspoon, Sr., Eastern Washington
Craig Mettler, Sr., Montana
Ends Dane Fletcher, Jr., Montana State
Jason Belford, Sr., Eastern Washington
Outside Ryan Phipps, Sr., Idaho State
Linebackers Cody Dowd, Jr., Northern Arizona
Inside Bobby Daly, Sr., Montana State
Linebackers Andy Schantz, Sr., Portland State
Cornerbacks Deshawn Shead, Fr., Portland State
D.J. Clark, Sr., Idaho State
Safeties Shann Schillinger, Jr., Montana
Adam Wright, Sr., Northern Arizona
Punter Fritz Brayton, Sr., Eastern Washington
SECOND TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
Special Teams Tom Martin, Sr., Montana
HONORABLE MENTION OFFENSE
Wide receivers – Tony Davis, Eastern Washington; Jaron Taylor, Idaho State; Isiah Burel, Idaho State; Ed Berry, Northern Arizona; Conrad Meadows, Northern Arizona; Skyler Moore, Northern Arizona; Mike Ferriter, Montana; Desean Thomas, Montana State; Brandon Smith, Northern Colorado; Aaron Woods, Portland State; Mario D’Ambrosio, Portland State; Mike Phillips, Weber State.
Tackles – Brice Leahy, Eastern Washington; Chris Thomas, Eastern Washington; Evan Dietrich-Smith, Idaho State; Chris Dyk, Montana; Mike Person, Montana State; Trevor Heekin, Northern Arizona; Ryan Kemp, Northern Colorado; Ray Navar, Sacramento State.
Guards – Terran Hillseland, Montana; Kris Poindexter, Northern Arizona; Chris Jones, Northern Colorado; Moses Punzal, Portland State; Matt Lemley, Sacramento State.
Center – Charlie Wulff, Eastern Washington; Kevin Meagher, Northern Arizona.
Tight end – Nate Overbay, Eastern Washington; Dan Beaudin, Montana; Steven Pfahler, Montana; Brandon Bostick, Montana State; Brian Riley, Northern Arizona.
Quarterback – Matt Nichols, Eastern Washington; Bryan Waggener, Northern Colorado; Jason Smith, Sacramento State.
Running Back – Dale Morris, Eastern Washington; Deonte Williams, Northern Arizona, Andrew Schmidt, Montana.
Fullback – Trevor Messersmith, Idaho State; Kevin Klaboe, Montana; Bobby McClintock, Portland State.
Place kicker – Juan Gamboa, Sacramento State.
Return Specalist – JD Ponciano, Idaho State; Conrad Meadows, Northern Arizona, Bryant Eteuati, Weber State.
HONORABLE MENTION DEFENSE
Tackles – Jesse Carlson, Montana; Christian Clark, Sacramento State; Ryan Eastman, Weber State.
Ends – Jace Palmer, Montana; Mike Stadnyk, Montana; Mike Battisti, Northern Arizona; Kyle Rath, Northern Arizona; Zach Nash, Sacramento State; Pate Moleni, Weber State.
Outside Linebackers – JC Sherritt, Eastern Washington; Zach Johnson, Eastern Washington, Brandon Fisher, Montana; Chase Gazzerro, Montana State; Jeff Price, Montana State; Joe Kenney, LB, Northern Colorado; K.J. McCrae, Portland State; Ryan Pedersen, Portland State; Michael Hickman, Sacramento State.
Inside Linebackers – Makai Borden, Eastern Washington; Shawn Lebsock, Montana; Tyler Corwin, Montana; Stevon Thomas, Northern Arizona; Erik Pedersen, Portland State; Biff Swan, Weber State.
Cornerback – Ryan Kelley, Eastern Washington; Trumaine Johnson, Montana; Ramon Lewis, Montana State; Myles Hayes, Northern Colorado; Deionte Gordon, Sacramento State.
Safeties – Matt Johnson, Eastern Washington; A.J. Storms, Idaho State; Max Hewitt, Northern Colorado; Scotty Goodloe, Weber State.
Punters – Jon Vanderwielen, Idaho State; Erik Fisher, Montana State.
SPECIAL TEAMS HONORABLE MENTION
Nick Ramos, Eastern Washington; Anthony Evans, Northern Arizona; Beau Hadley, Weber State
