FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Fourteen student-athletes have signed to attend Northern Arizona University and play football, Head Coach Jerome Souers announced Wednesday. Eleven of the signees are products of Arizona high schools from across the state from Payson to Tucson.

The Lumberjacks' class includes six student-athletes from the Valley, including Peoria wide receiver Jeremy Dang, Chandler wide receiver Caleve Deboskie, Notre Dame prep defensive back Taylor Malenfant and kicker Andy Wilder, Glendale Cactus defensive back Phil Pollock and Phoenix Saguaro offensive lineman Sebastian Sica.

“This particular class is very talented and will impact our program,” said Souers. “It was a tremendous year for the availability of in-state products and to be able to find, locate and attract that talent, we are very excited.”

Souers also signed three student-athletes from Tucson Sabino High School with defensive back Scott Brown and offensive linemen Stuart Tawney and Kyle Walker. Shad Bride of St. John's and Payson offensive lineman Matt Wilson round out the in-state signees.

NAU also reached into California to sign tight end A.J. Cazares, who played at Grossmont College, and running back J.P. Ragan of Aquinas High School. Portland (Ore.) defensive lineman Zack Ka-ahanua was a standout at Central Catholic.

“We recruit as much academic and character excellence, as well as athletic ability,” said Souers. “We found some great football players who are good students with tremendous leadership ability and winning attitude-type character. Our staff worked extremely hard and was very successful.”

The class includes four offensive linemen, three defensive backs, two wide receivers and one player each listed at running back, defensive line, tight end, athlete and kicker.

NAU opens the 2009 season against Ft. Lewis on Sept. 3.

2009 Northern Arizona University Football Signees (PDF)

2009 Signing Class
Shad Bride, ATH, 5-10, 193, St. Johns, Ariz. (St. Johns)
Scott Brown, DB, 6-0, 200, Tucson, Ariz. (Sabino High School)
A.J. Cazares, TE, 6-4, 250, San Ysidro, Calif. (Chula Vista HS/Grossmont College)
Jeremy Dang, WR, 6-3, 215, Glendale, Ariz. (Peoria High School)
Caleve Deboskie, WR, 6-0, 180 Chandler, Ariz. (Chandler High School)
Zach Ka'ahanui, DL, 6-1, 265, Portland, Ore. (Central Catholic)
Taylor Malenfant, DB, 6-1, 190, Scottsdale, Ariz. (Notre Dame Prep)
Phil Pollock, DB, 6-1, 185, Glendale, Ariz. (Cactus High School)
J.P. Ragan, RB, 5-10, 200, Colton, Calif. (Aquinas High School)
Sebastian Sica, OL, 6-0, 250, Phoenix, Ariz. (Saguaro High School)
Stuart Tawney, OL, 6-5, 245, Tucson, Ariz. (Sabino High School)
Kyle Walker, OL, 6-4, 260, Tucson, Ariz. (Sabino High School
Andy Wilder, K, 6-3, 205, Scottsdale, Ariz. (Notre Dame Prep)
Matt Wilson, OL, 6-6, 265, Payson, Ariz. (Payson High School)

7:15 a.m.
Jeremy Dang, WR, 6-3, 215, Glendale, Ariz. (Peoria High School)
Named All-region scholar-athlete…Ranks in top five percent of class and is a member of the honor roll and National Honor Society…Has a 3.85 GPA…Three-year letter winner for Coach Doug Clapp at Peoria High School…Named All-Arizona second team and first-team region as a senior…Recorded 29 catches for 483 yards with nine touchdowns as a senior…Garnered honorable mention all-state and first-team all-region as a junior with 32 catches for 800 yards and nine touchdowns…Helped team to conference championship…Named MVP of the 2007 Under Armour/Scout.com combine…Two-year letter winner in basketball…Also lettered in track…Son of Chinh and Nancy Dang…Mother, Nancy, attended NAU…Also considered Montana State and Colorado State.

7:21 a.m.
Taylor Malenfant, DB, 6-1, 190, Scottsdale, Ariz. (Notre Dame Prep)
Plans to study business management…Owns a 3.6 GPA…Four-year starter and two-time captain for Coach Scot Bemis at Notre Dame Prep…Named All-Arizona Defensive Back in 2008…Named to All-State and All-Region teams as a senior…Helped team to two state championships and 2008 regional title…Set school record for punt return yards…Selected to play in Arizona All-Star game…Also lettered in track and field…Son of Mark and Jodi Malenfant…Also considered San Diego State, New Mexico, Columbia and Weber State.

7:35 a.m.
J.P. Ragan, RB, 5-10, 200, Colton, Calif. (Aquinas High School)
Four-year letter winner and Three-year starter for Coach Josh Henderson at Aquinas High School…Two-time first-team all-region…Named Offensive MVP of the Christian League…Rushed for more than 1,200 yards as a senior...Selected for the Inland Empire Classic…Also lettered in basketball and track…Earned C.I.F. honors in the 100 meters and shot put…Son of Patrick and Julia Ragan.

7:38 a.m.
Sebastian Sica, OL, 6-0, 250, Phoenix, Ariz. (Saguaro High School)
Plans to major in business…Three-year letter winner for Coach John Sanders at Saguaro High School…Played center and defensive line…Named second-team all-state center and second-team all-region at defensive line…Recorded more than 80 tackles with four sacks and fumble recovery…Helped team to 33-game winning streak and three straight state championships… Son of Rich and Jan Sica…Father, Rich, played football at Arizona State…Also considered Portland State, Northern Colorado and San Diego.

7:57 a.m.
Matt Wilson, OL, 6-6, 265, Payson, Ariz. (Payson High School)
Plans to study physical therapy…Named an Arizona Scholar and was a member of Interact…Ranked seventh in graduating class with a 3.9 GPA…Three-year letter winner and starter for Coach Josh Anderson at Payson High School…Named All-Arizona Offensive Lineman in 2008…Two-time first-team all-state selection at offensive line and first-team all-state at defensive line…Helped team to 2008 state championship…Three-year letter winner in basketball, helping team to two state runner-up finishes while earning all-region honors…Finished fifth in the state in the shot put in track and field…Son of Joel and Janna Wilson.

8:18 a.m.
Zack Ka'ahanui, DL, 6-1, 265, Portland, Ore. (Central Catholic)
Plans to major in sports psychology/sports medicine…Four-year letter winner for Coach Steve Pyne at Central Catholic…Earned second-team all-state honors at defensive tackle and offensive tackle…Started 44 career games…Four-time Mt. Hood Conference selection, including first-team honors three times…Will be playing in the Oregon Les Schwab All-Star game…Led team to state quarterfinals in 1997…Has four cousins who played Division I football, including three in the NFL: Dominic Raiola (Nebraska/Detroit Lions), Donovan Raiola (Wisconsin/Seattle Seahawks), Tyler Williams (Utah) and Olen Kreutz (Wisconsin/Chicago Bears)…Son of Linda and Jerome Ka'ahanui.

8:18 a.m.
A.J. Cazares, TE, 6-4, 250, San Ysidro, Calif. (Chula Vista HS/Grossmont College)
Transfer from Grossmont College…Played 2007 season at LB before moving to TE for the 2008 season at Grossmont…Four-year letter winner and starter for Coach Judd Rachow at Chula Vista High School…Was high school teammate with current Lumberjack Taylor Julio at Chula Vista High School…Also lettered in volleyball in junior college and high school.

8:55 a.m.
Caleve Deboskie, WR, 6-0, 180, Chandler, Ariz. (Chandler High School)
Plans to study business…Named to the Honor Roll…Played for Coach Jim Ewan at Chandler as a senior…Had 39 catches for 740 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior…Named to Offense-Defense All-American Game…Selected to first-team all-region team…Brother Covaughn plays at California…Also lettered in baseball and track and field…Son of Wakena Deboskie… Also considered Eastern Washington and Montana State.

9:20 a.m.
Andy Wilder, K, 6-3, 205, Scottsdale, Ariz. (Notre Dame Prep)
Plans to study business…Four-year letter winner for Coach Scot Bemis at Notre Dame Prep…Earned All-state honors at punter with a 41.3 yard per punt average…Named all-region at punter, wide receiver and free safety...Helped team to back-to-back state championships…Caught 44 passes for 861 yards and 11 TDs as a junior and made 45 tackles with two interceptions at safety…Also earned all-region honors in baseball, helping team to state runner-up finishes twice…Set records for receptions (11), points (31), yards (241) and touchdowns (4) in state title game…Son of Lucy Wilder.

9:34 a.m.
Phil Pollock, DB, 6-1, 185, Glendale, Ariz. (Cactus High School)
Plans to study medicine…Three-year starter for Coach Larry Fetkenhier at Cactus High School…Named first-team All-State at linebacker as a senior and second-team All-State at safety as a junior…Recorded 102 tackles with three sacks as a senior…Set school record for solo tackles in a career…Helped team to region championships in 2006 and 2007…Also lettered in track and field…Father played football at the Division III level…Son of Jen Roger…Also considered Adams State and Truman State.

10:09 a.m.
Scott Brown, DB, 6-0, 200, Tucson, Ariz. (Sabino High School)
Three-year letter winner for Coach Jay Campos at Sabino High School…Earned all-state honorable mention as a junior and senior…Named to first-team all-region in 2008 at running back …Chosen all-region as all-purpose back in 2007…Helped team to state runner-up finish in 2006…Won region high jump championship (6-2).

10:22 a.m.
Kyle Walker, OL, 6-4, 260, Tucson, Ariz. (Sabino High School)
Plans to study athletic training…Four-year letter winner for Coach Jay Campos at Sabino High School…Named to 4A1 Kino All-Region team at both offensive line and defensive line…Garnered honorable mention all-state honors at offensive line…Helped team to state championship game as a junior…Three-year letter winner in track and field…Son of Ken and Jenifer Walker…Also considered Northern Colorado.

11:43 1.m.
Shad Bride, ATH, 5-10, 193, St. Johns, Ariz. (St. Johns)
Four-year letterwinner for Coach Mike Morgan…Rushed for 5,750 yards and 105 touchdowns in his career…Totaled a school-record 2,570 yards in a single season…Led team to back-to-back state championships…Also lettered in wrestling and track and field…Finished third in the 100 meters and fourth in the 200 meters at state championships…Named MVP of the wrestling and track and field teams…Son of Shawn and Vickie Bride…Also considered BYU and Adams State.

12:05 p.m.
Stuart Tawney, OL, 6-5, 245, Tucson, Ariz. (Sabino High School)
Plans to study athletic training…Named honorable mention all-state as a senior for Coach Jay Campos at Sabino High School…Named first-team all-region at offensive line and defensive line as well…Chosen for Arizona All-State game (4AI vs. 5AII)…Finished fourth in state in the shot put…Son of Stuart and Luna Tawney…Also considered Fort Hayes State and Arizona Western.

Mid-Year Signees
Daivon Dumas, DB, 6-1, 175, Laguna Nigel, Calif. (Aliso Niguel/Saddleback College)
Transfer from Saddleback College…Earned first-team all-conference honors…Recorded 75 tackles and 27 pass deflections in his two-year career…Had 36b tackles with 12 pass deflections in 2008…Also ran track and field, posting a personal-best of 10.8 in the 100 meters…Three-year letterwinner at Aliso Niguel High School…Named special teams player of the year and most valuable player of the track team.

Adrian Garcia, OL, 6-1, 305, Redwood, Calif. (Sequoia/Foothill)
Transfer from Foothill College…Two-year letterwinner and starter…Earned second-team all-conference honors.

Ryan Nelson, QB, 6-0, 194, San Diego, Calif. (Loyola/Southwestern College)
Transfer from Southwestern College in Chula Vista, Calif…Plans to study exercise science…Earned first-team all-conference honors… Helped team to Trembly Financial Services Bowl, first conference title since 1988 and a 7-4 record…Named Mountain Conference Athlete of the Week on Sept. 28…Threw for 25 touchdowns and 2,970 yards with a 62.8 completion percentage (196 of 312)…Ranked eighth in California Community Colleges in passing yards…Helped team rank seventh in California Community Colleges in total offense (438.1 pg)

Gary Rogers, DE, 6-1, 245, Yorba Linda, Calif. (Esperanza/Idaho/Fullerton College)
Transfer from Fullerton College…Spent redshirt freshman season at Idaho under Dennis Erickson…Named second-team all-conference…Helped team to conference championship…Recorded 25 tackles with five tackles for loss with a forced fumble, fumble recovery and an interception.

Taelor Worrell, DB, 5-10, 178, Lakeside, Calif. (El Capitan/Southwestern College)
Transfer from Southwestern College in Chula Vista, Calif….Plans to major in business marketing…Earned second-team all-conference honors…Helped team to Trembly Financial Services Bowl and a 7-4 record…Team ranked 12th in the California Community College in passing defense…Recorded 41 tackles with two interceptions, a quarterback sack and four pass deflections.

Reid Worthington, LB, 6-0, 220, Yorba Linda, Calif. (El Dorado/Fullerton College)
Transfer from Fullerton College…Named first-team All-American by JC Gridwire in 2008…Ranks 15th in the California Community Colleges with a team-best 83 tackles on the season…Recorded 12 tackles for loss and 3.5 quarterback sacks with two fumble recoveries, an interception and a forced fumble…Helped team to conference championship.