Seventeen MC football players honored by Midwest Conference

Release Date: November 16, 2005

MONMOUTH, Ill. – The Monmouth College football team’s unbeaten regular season did not go unnoticed by the Midwest Conference coaches as the league named a school-record 17 Scots to the all-conference team and tabbed senior quarterback Mitch Tanney (Lexington, Ill./Lexington) and senior linebacker Justin Zigler (Tampico, Ill./Prophetstown) as the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively.

Tanney set numerous school passing records including single game passing yards (405), touchdown passes in a season (33) and fewest interceptions in a season (3). He also boasts the second best pass efficiency rating in Division III at 192.86.

Zigler set the school record for tackles in a season (113) and shattered the career mark (359).

Named to the first team offensive unit were Tanney and a trio juniors – tight end Shane Gordon (Abingdon, Ill./Abingdon), wide receiver and return specialist Evan Haffner (Canton, Ill./Canton), and offensive lineman Joe Freitag (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart-Griffin).

Joining Zigler on the defensive first team were seniors Tyler Dihle (Good Hope, Ill./Northwestern) as a defensive lineman, defensive back Ryan Bast (Lincoln, Ill./Lincoln) and defensive specialist Brad Swanson (LaFayette, Ill./Stark County). Freshman defensive lineman Anthony Goranson (Poplar Grove, Ill./Belvidere) rounded out the Fighting Scots selections.

The second team offense consists of junior running back Dante Daniels (Waukegan, Ill/Gurnee-Warren) and junior wide receiver Dan Morrison (Carmen, Ill./Southern) and sophomore kicker Nate Palkovic (Peoria, Ill./Woodruff).

Palkovic was also named to the defensive second team as a punter along with senior defensive lineman Nick Bush (Rockton, Ill./Hononegah), junior linebacker Phil Kleckler (Rockford, Ill./Hononegah) and sophomore defensive back Aaron Payettte (Shannon, Ill./Eastland).

Junior running back Jason Myers (LaHarpe, Ill./LaHarpe) and senior offensive lineman Matt Woods (Savannah, Ga./Sol Johnson) were named offensive honorable mention to round out the Monmouth selections.

The Scots enter their first-ever NCAA playoff game with a 10-0 mark.

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