MC’s Bell, football team honored by Midwest Conference

Release Date: November 17, 2004

MONMOUTH, Ill. – Monmouth College’s football team may have been snubbed in the playoff picture, but the Midwest Conference coaches recognized its 9-1 season by naming 15 Scots to the all-conference team and selecting Steve Bell as the MWC Coach of the Year.

In his fifth season at Monmouth, Bell’s squad posted the school’s first back-to-back winning campaigns since 1989-90, earning him his second Coach of the Year honor. The Scots 8-1 league mark earned them their second consecutive runner-up finish.

The Scots landed seven players on the first team. Named to the offensive unit were senior running back Ed McCracken (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew), who finished his career with a 6.3 yard per carry average; classmate Dan Wingler (Urbana, Ill./HS) at offensive line; freshman kicker Nathan Palkovic (Peoria, Ill./Woodruff) and sophomore Evan Haffner (Canton, Ill./HS) as a return specialist. Haffner and Palkovic were also named to the second team at wide receiver and punter, respectively.

A trio of juniors were named to the first team defensive unit - lineman Tyler Dihle (Good Hope, Ill./Northwestern), linebacker Justin Zigler (Tampico, Ill./Prophetstown) and defensive back Ryan Bast (Lincoln, Ill./HS). Zigler led the Scots in tackles (93) and was named honorable mention as a defensive team specialist while Bast tied for the team lead in interceptions (5).

Joining Haffner and Palkovic on the second team were sophomore Joe Freitag (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart-Griffin) on the offensive line and seniors Greg Monn (Lewistown, Ill./HS) at linebacker and senior defensive back Tyelr Yarde (Alexis, Ill./HS). Monn was second for the Scots in tackles (84) and Yarde was one of three tied with five interceptions.

Joining Zigler on the honorable mention list were senior running back Todd Sabean (New Port Richey, Fla./River Ridge), senior defensive back Brian Krier (Morton Grove, Ill./Niles), junior quarterback Mitch Tanney (Lexington, Ill./HS) and freshman defensive lineman Wes Levy (Plano, Ill./Yorkville).

Tanney set a school record with six TD passes in a game and Krier shared team-high honors with Bast and Yarde for interceptions (5).

McCracken, Wingler, Dihle and Bast all picked up their second All-MWC honor.

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