Fighting Scots’ coach Steve Bell was named the MWC Coach of the Year for the third time, previously winning the award in 2001 and 2004. Bell has guided the Scots to a 67-24 record in his nine years which included an unbeaten season and conference title in 2005. This season marked the fourth time the Scots have recorded an unbeaten regular season and the second under Bell. His Scots were ranked No. 15 by the American Football Coaches Association and received the No. 3 seed in the West Region in the Division III playoffs. The team is one win shy of the 500^th in the program’s history.

      Alex Tanney (Lexington, Ill./Lexington) followed his older brother Mitch’s footsteps from 2005 and won the Offensive Player of the Year award after quarterbacking the Scots to a league title and undefeated regular season. Tanney has thrown a school-record 47 touchdowns this season and set the Fighting Scots’ passing record with 3,311 yards. In just two years, he has set the career record for completions (519). The record-breaker came in last Saturday’s historic 42-13 playoff win over Aurora, besting the previous mark of Rob Purlee (514) set from 2000-03. The talented sophomore picked up his first all-conference award after being bypassed altogether as a freshman.

      Joining Tanney on the first team were three reasons why he won the POY award. Junior lineman Josh Kotecki (Peru, Ill./LaSalle-Peru) picked up his second all-conference award. Fellow lineman and classmate Dan Schwindenhammer (Peoria, Ill./Notre Dame) and sophomore wide receiver Michael Blodgett (Appleton, Wis./North) were honored for the first time. Kotecki and Schwindenhammer anchor an offensive line that has allowed the team to rack up a nation’s best 48.5 scoring average. The Scots have averaged a whopping 467.2 yards per game and converted nearly half of their third down tries and nearly three-quarters of their attempts on fourth down. Blodgett has hauled in a team-high 55 passes. He also leads the team in TDs (13) and receiving yards (734).

      Two seniors and two juniors were selected to the first team defensive unit. Seniors Marc Artozqui (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods) and Willy Mason (Lansing, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) and juniors Anthony Goranson (Bartlett, Ill./Belvidere) and Sean Wells (Heyworth, Ill./Heyworth) lead the way for a stifling defensive unit that’s ranked No. 4 in the nation. Artozqui, Goranson and Wells picked up their second all-conference honors.

      Artozqui leads the Scots in tackles from his linebacking position. His 110 tackles ranks him third all-time for tackles in a season. His 17 stops against Ripon was just three shy of the single game record. He has also picked off two passes.     

      Mason, a defensive back, has intercepted a team-high seven passes this season and returned one for a touchdown. His seven picks are just two behind the season record set by Al Hatfield in 1967.

      Goranson leads the team with 11.5 sacks and 20.5 tackles for loss. The defensive lineman is ranked third on the Scots list for season sacks. He is fourth all-time.

      Wells is the Scots second-leading tackler, getting his stops from his defensive back position. His 66 tackles include 39 solos. He has also intercepted three passes and recorded a fumble recovery.

      Named to the second team offensive unit were junior tailback Clay Bricker (Avon, Ill./Bushnell-Prairie City) and sophomore wide receiver Matt Shepherd (Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg). Shepherd received his second all-league award.

      The second team defense included senior lineman Wes Levy (Plano, Ill./Yorkville) and senior linebacker T.C. Olsen (Amboy, Ill./Amboy), junior special teamer Steve Zidow (Peru, Ill./LaSalle-Peru) and freshman punter Shane Reschke (Geneseo, Ill./Geneseo). The selection is Levy’s fourth all-conference award and Olsen’s second.

      Honorable mention status went to senior defensive back Cole Norman (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods), junior defensive lineman Nick Leffler (Virginia Beach, Va.), junior offensive lineman Nick Hoffman (Moline, Ill./Moline), junior wide receiver Nick Wright (Canton, Ill./Canton) and sophomore defensive lineman Peyton Lumzy (Dixon, Ill./Dixon). Norman picked up his second all-MWC honor.