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Four named All-West Region Release Date:
December 10, 2008
MONMOUTH, Ill. —
Four players from
Monmouth College’s Midwest Conference championship team have been
named to the D3football.com All-West Region team after the Fighting
Scots completed the most successful season in the school’s history.
Three offensive
players – Alex Tanney (Lexington, Ill./Lexington), Josh Kotecki
(Peru, Ill./LaSalle-Peru) and Dan Schwindenhammer (Peoria,
Ill./Notre Dame) – were named to the first team. Defensive back
Willy Mason (Lansing, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) was named to
the third team.
The Scots’ 11-1
record included the team’s second undefeated regular season and
conference championship since 2005. Monmouth was rewarded with the
third seed in the West Region and hosted the school’s first
postseason football game, defeating Aurora University 42-13. The
Scots were ranked No. 14 in the final American Football Coaches
Association poll – their highest ranking of the season.
Juniors Kotecki, a
guard, and Schwindenhammer, a tackle, helped the Scots’ offensive
unit lead the nation in scoring (46.8 ppg) and roll up more than 460
yards per game. The ground game picked up more than 2,000 yards
while the offensive line allowed Monmouth quarterbacks enough time
to pass for a school-record 3,790 yards. The team also scored 25
rushing touchdowns and a school-record 50 via the pass.
Tanney, a
sophomore quarterback, shattered nearly every MC season passing
record. He leads in five categories, including yardage (3,624) and
touchdowns (50). He is ranked eighth nationally with a 166.97
efficiency rating. In just two years, Tanney has already set the new
career marks for completions (560) and games over 300 yards (14). He
is just nine TDs shy of the career mark of 83 touchdown passes set
by Rob Purlee from 2000-03.
Mason, a
cornerback, became a feared pass defender. The speedy senior picked
off a team-high seven passes after recording just one pick in his
first three years. He finished two interceptions shy of the season
record set by Al Hatfield in 1967. His 36 solo tackles were third on
the team and his six pass breakups tied for the team high.
Monmouth’s defensive unit yielded just over 100 rushing yards per
game and held opponents to a mere 31 percent on third down
conversions. The Scots were ranked second in the nation in turnover
margin, averaging nearly two interceptions per game to go with 15
fumble recoveries.
Now in its fourth
year, the D3football.com all-region teams are selected in balloting
of sports information directors and the D3football.com staff. More
than 700 players were nominated nationwide.
The D3football.com
All-American team will be announced Dec. 20.
Football
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