OGDEN, Utah – Offensive guard Kris Poindexter, defensive lineman Isaac Bond and linebacker Reid Worthington earned All-Big Sky first-team honors among 22 Lumberjacks who garnered all-conference honors announced Tuesday.
Poindexter was a first-team choice at guard, the only NAU player on the first-team offense. The Phoenix Westview High School product has started more games than any player on the roster over the last four seasons. He started all 11 games this season at both guard and center, helping Zach Bauman rank among the top rushers in the Big Sky and Football Championship Subdivision.
Bond had 31 tackles and team-best tying 5.5 quarterback sacks among six tackles for loss. The Vancouver, Wash., product ranked tied for third in the Big Sky in sacks, recording a team-best five hurries with two breakups and two forced fumbles.
Worthington led the team with 67 tackles. The Yorba Linda, Calif., product recorded 4.5 tackles for loss and had two interceptions and one fumble recovery. He notched a season-high 11 tackles against Weber State.
NAU placed seven players on the respective second-team squads.
Daiveun Curry-Chapman and Austin Shanks both earned second-team honors at receiver after ranking among the league's best. Curry Chapman, who hails from Corona, Calif., led the league in receptions per game with 6.3 and ranked sixth in receiving yards per game at 67.1. Five of his six touchdowns came in Big Sky play and he recorded back-to-back 100-yard games against Weber State and Portland State to end the season. Shanks, a native of Pacoima, Calif., was second in the league in receptions per game with 5.9 and ninth in receiving yards per game at 55.7. He was second on the team in receptions (65), receiving yards (613) and tied for second with three receiving touchdowns.
Freshman Zach Bauman earned All-Big Sky second team honors in his first collegiate season. The Chandler, Ariz., product rushed for 1,059 yards on the season, setting the school freshman rushing mark and recording 14th 1,000-yard season in school history. He is among the top freshman in the country in rushing yards per game, one of six freshmen in Division I to average more than 95 yards per game. Overall, he ranks 26th in the FCS in rushing per game and fourth among FCS freshman, ranking fifth in Big Sky in rushing and first in scoring with a conference best 16 touchdowns.
Linebacker Scott McKeever was also a second-team choice. The Wickenberg, Ariz., product ranked third on the team in tackles with 52 and tied for team-lead in tackles for loss with 9.0 with a team-best tying 5.5 sacks. He also had three hurries, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.
Junior Vinnie Pacuilli, a former offensive lineman, was the second-team choice at fullback, with senior captain Matt Estrada garnering the one of three spots at safety on the second team. Estrada was fourth on the team with 51 tackles with a team-best three forced fumbles, an interception and fumble recovery in 10 games.
Drew Zamora was chosen as the punter on the second unit. He averaged 42.2 yards per punt to rank third in the Big Sky and 16th in the nation. The Colorado Springs, Colo., native had 16 punts inside the 20-yard line and 10 punts of 50 or more yards.
Twelve players earned honorable mention selection including tackle Trey Gillio, tackle Alex Mott, tight end Nick Larson, quarterback Michael Herrick and kicker Matt Myers on offense. The honorable mention selections on defense include defensive tackle Kainoa Pe'a, defensive ends Michael Battisti and Kyle Rath, linebacker Cody Dowd, cornerbacks Brian Hunter and Taelor Worrell. Reid Worthington also earned a selection for his special teams play.
Co-Offensive Player Year
Taiwan Jones & Denarius McGhee
Defensive player of the Year
J.C. Sherritt
Newcomer of the Year
Denarius McGhee
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Wide Receiver
Brandon Kaufman, So., Eastern Washington
Jace Davis, So., Northern Colorado
*Joe Collins, Sr., Weber State
Tackle
*#Mike Person, Sr., Montana State
Caleb Turner, Jr., Weber State
Guards
Kris Poindexter, Sr., Northern Arizona
J.C. Oram, Jr., Weber State
Center
Chris Powers, Jr., Eastern Washington
Quarterback
Denarius McGhee, Fr., Montana State
Tight End
Julius Thomas, Sr., Portland State
Running Back
*#Taiwan Jones, Jr., Eastern Washington
Cory McCaffrey, Jr., Portland State
Fullback
*Vai Tafuna, Sr., Weber State
Placekicker
Jason Cunningham, Sr., Montana State
Return Specialist
*Tavoy Moore, Jr., Idaho State
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Tackles
#Dan Ogden, Sr., Montana State
#Renard Williams, Jr., Eastern Washington
Ends
Isaac Bond, Jr., Northern Arizona
*Zach Nash, Jr., Sacramento State
Outside linebackers
*J.C. Sherritt, Sr., Eastern Washington
Nick Webb, Jr., Weber State
*A.J. Storms, Jr., Idaho State
Inside Linebacker
Reid Worthington, Sr., Northern Arizona
John Eddy, Sr., Northern Colorado
Cornerbacks
#Trumaine Johnson, Jr., Montana
Korey Askew, Sr., Northern Colorado
Safeties
Erik Stoll, Sr., Montana
Matt Johnson, Jr., Eastern Washington
Punter
David Harrington, Jr., Idaho State
Special Teams
Darriell Beaumonte, Jr., Eastern Washington
*Unanimous Selection
#Two-Time Selection
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Wide Receiver
Austin Shanks, Jr., Northern Arizona
Daiveun Curry-Chapman, Sr., Northern Arizona
Chase Deadder, Jr., Sacramento State
Tackle
Gabe Jackson, Jr., Eastern Washington
John Taylor, Jr., Sacramento State
Guards
Russ Piette, Sr., Montana
Alex Terrien, Jr., Montana State
Center
Alex Verlanic, Sr., Montana
Tight end
Kyle Begger, Sr., Montana State
Quarterback
Jeff Fleming, Jr., Sacramento State
Running back
Orenzo Davis, Jr., Montana State
Zach Bauman, Fr., Northern Arizona
Fullback
Calvin Paciulli, Jr., Northern Arizona
Placekicker
Brody McKnight, Jr., Montana
Return Specialist
Peter Nguyen, So., Montana
Dominic Gunn, So., Northern Colorado
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Tackles
Bryan Waldhauser, Jr., Montana
Christian Clark, Sr., Sacramento State
Defensive End
Sean Rutten, Sr., Idaho State
Severin Campbell, Sr., Montana
Outside Linebackers
Zach Johnson, Jr., Eastern Washington
Scott McKeever, Jr., Northern Arizona
Inside Linebackers
Caleb McSurdy, Jr., Montana
Peter Buck, Sr., Sacramento State
Cornerbacks
Dante Calcote, Sr., Eastern Washington
DeShawn Shead, Jr., Portland State
Safeties
Matt Estrada, Sr., Northern Arizona
Jordan Brown, Sr., Weber State
Zach Schrader, Sr., Sacramento State
Punter
Drew Zamora, Jr., Northern Arizona
Special Teams
Bo Bolen, So., Weber State
HONORABLE MENTION OFFENSE
Wide Receivers – Ashton Gant, Sr., Eastern Washington; Antwon Moutra, Jr., Montana; Jabin Sambrano, Jr., Montana; Julius Lloyd, Sr., Montana State; Everett Gilbert, So., Montana State; Elvis Akpla, Jr., Montana State; Tanner Bleskin, Fr., Montana State; Patrick Walker, Jr., Northern Colorado; Morris Norrise, Fr., Sacramento State; Mike Phillips, Sr., Weber State
Tackles – Mitch Rudder, SR., Idaho State; Chuck Burton, Jr., Montana; Trey Gilleo, So., Northern Arizona; Lee Barbiasz, Jr., Northern Colorado; Dustin Waldron, Jr., Portland State; Kyle Ritt, So., Portland State; Nate Doverspike, Jr., Sacramento State
Guards – Nikolai Myers, Sr., Eastern Washington; Steven Forgette, Fr., Eastern Washington; Alex Mott, Jr., Northern Arizona.
Center – Tim McGraw, Sr., Northern Colorado; Adam Kleffner, Jr., Portland State; Tyson Taitia, Fr., Weber State
Tight ends – Matt Martin, Sr., Eastern Washington; Greg Hardy, So., Montana; Nick Larson, Sr., Northern Arizona; Brian Jankowski, So., Weber State.
Quarterbacks – Bo Levi Mitchell, Jr., Eastern Washington; Andrew Selle, Sr., Montana; Michael Herrick, Sr., Northern Arizona; Connor Kavanaugh, Jr., Portland State; Cameron Higgins, Sr., Weber State.
Running Backs – Chase Reynolds, Sr., Montana; Bryan Hilliard, Jr., Sacramento State; Bo Bolen, So., Weber State
Fullback – Andrew Downing, Jr., Northern Colorado
Placekicker – Zach Brown, So., Portland State; Matt Myers, Jr., Northern Arizona; Chris Diniz, Sr., Sacramento State
Return Specialist – Jesse Hoffman, Sr., Eastern Washington.
HONORABLE MENTION DEFENSE
Tackles – Tyler Jolley, Sr., Eastern Washington; Jordan Monga, Jr., Idaho State Tyler Hobbs, Sr., Montana; Zack Minter, So., Montana State; Kainoa Pea, Sr., Northern Arizona; Julious Moore, Fr., Portland State; Adam Sagapolutele-White, So., Weber State.
Defensive ends – Ryan Fetherston, Jr., Montana; Michael Battisti, Sr., Northern Arizona; Kyle Rath, Sr., Northern Arizona; V.J. Holmes, Jr., Northern Colorado; Nick Hernon, Jr., Northern Colorado; David Coleman, Jr., Sacramento State; Carl Sommer, Jr., Portland State; Sam Fenn, Sr., Weber State.
Outside linebackers – Jordan Tripp, So., Montana; Matt King, Sr., Northern Colorado
Inside linebackers – Basim Hudeen, Jr., Idaho State; Alexsei Grosulak, Fr., Montana State; Jody Owens, So., Montana State; Cody Dowd, Sr., Northern Arizona; Taylor Sedillo, Sr., Weber State.
Cornerbacks – Brandon Didson, Sr., Montana; Arnold Briggs, Sr., Montana State; Brian Hunter, Sr., Northern Arizona; Taelor Worrell, Sr., Northern Arizona; Faron Creighton, Sr., Weber State.
Safeties – Jeff Minnerly, So., Eastern Washington; Chris Holmesley, Sr., Idaho State; Jimmy Wilson, Sr., Montana; Jordan Craney, Sr., Montana State; Michael Rider, Sr., Montana State; Max Hewitt, Sr., Northern Colorado.
Punters – Cameron Zuber, Sr., Eastern Washington; Rory Perez, Fr., Montana State; Thomas Duyndam, So., Portland State; Josh Kealamakia, Fr., Weber State.
Special Teams – Jeff Larson, SR., Montana; Blayde Becksted, SR., Montana State; Reid Worthington, Sr., Northern Arizona.
