FOR RELEASE:
The ICCAC Football All-Conference team was selected on Wednesday with 26 players receiving recognition in 2019.
The ICCAC Champion Iowa Central Tritons placed 12 players on the All-Conference team which was comprised of a quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, five offensive linemen, along with four defensive linemen, three linebackers and four defensive backs. Specials teams included kicker, punter, long snapper and return specialist selections.
Offensively as a team, Iowa Central led the ICCAC in total yards of offense with 4346, 11th most in the country. The Tritons were led by Demarcus Irons Jr., the 2019 ICCAC Offensive Player of the Year. Irons, despite being sidelined multiple times due to injury, played in 10 games but only partial action in two of those 10.
He led the NJCAA in efficiency rating at 191.1 throwing for 172.4 yards per game with a 63.2% completion percentage and an 18:3 touchdown to interception ratio. He also rushed for 231 yards and five touchdowns.
Irons had solid options at his skill positions to help with his success. In the backfield, Kurt Taylor, formerly rostered at the University of Michigan, received All-Conference honors. Taylor was second in the conference in rushing with 698 yards. He had a career day against Highland when he went for 215 yards and a touchdown.
At wide receiver, Tanarious Achan and Rashad Witty were #1 and #2 in the ICCAC in receiving yards. Achan led the conference with 745 yards and had nine touchdowns, which tied for fourth-most in the NJCAA. Witty finished with just under 500 yards receiving and four touchdowns. He was also recognized as the return specialist selection as he led the nation in punt return average (15), returning one for a touchdown.
Joining them were offensive linemen Rich Rodriguez and Jakob Bradford. Iowa Central was 25th in rushing yards per game with 155.8.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Tritons had four selections.
Marquis Burks was one of the four defensive linemen selected. Burks had four sacks and 38 tackles.
Daquan Cross, an Honorable Mention All-American selection in 2018, was selected as one of the All-Conference linebackers in 2019. Cross led the Tritons in tackles with 79, six coming for a loss. He had two forced fumbles, a recovery and an INT as well.
At defensive back, Eugene Brown and Dijion Walls were tagged with this year's honor. Walls had four interceptions, second-most in the ICCAC. Brown had 73 tackles and four pass breakups.
Rounding out the selections was long snapper Tristan Waugh who snapped every punt and kick for the Tritons this season.
Head coach Jesse Montalto was recognized as the 2019 ICCAC Football Coach of the Year. The Tritons (6-6) won the conference for the first time in 10 years. Montalto and the Tritons will head to their second straight The Graphic Edge Bowl against Nassau on Dec. 8.
Iowa Western received 10 selections to the 2019 All-Conference Team.
Offensively, the Reivers were highlighted by running back ZaQuandre White. His production was limited in the sense of games played, but when he was on the field he was a nightmare for opposing defenses. White, in just seven games, rushed for 849 yards, 121.3 per game with nine touchdowns. His per-game average was second-best in the NJCAA and his 6.8 yards per carry was fourth-best.
White rushed for over 100 yards in five of his seven appearances.
Leading the way for White and other Reiver backs were Jacob Gamble and Paine Delarm. The two were recognized on the 2019 All-Conference offensive line.
Wideout Marcell Barbee was also limited in his action this year but produced when he played. He was second in the conference in yards per game at 67.4 in seven games. His season included a huge week where he caught six passes for 138 yards and four touchdowns against Snow. Three times he went over the 100-yard mark in 2019.
The Reivers had a huge impact defensively this season, particularly in the second half of the year. Devin Drew made the biggest impact from his defensive line spot, earning 2019 ICCAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. He was second in the conference in sacks with 8.5 and was eighth in solo tackles with 34 with 55 overall. He forced two fumbles as well.
Joining Drew on the defensive line was Dominic Quewon. Quewon had 46 tackles and four sacks this season and five tackles for a loss.
Averie Habas, Iowa Western linebacker, had the second-most tackles in the conference and reached the 100-tackle mark with a 15-tackle performance in the final week of the year against Highland. Habas had double-digit tackles five times. Ten of his tackles resulted in a loss of yards.
Defensive backs Marcus Haskins and Darius Moore capped off the defensive selections for the Reivers. Haskins had six interceptions to lead all ICCAC players. Six is third-most in the NJCAA. He paired that with a fumble recovery for seven total takeaways.
Moore finished with 40 tackles and two fumble recoveries.
Lastly for the Reivers, kicker Chase Contrarez led the ICCAC in points with 79. His 13 made field goals were the fourth most in the NJCAA.
To round out the All-Conference team, Ellsworth placed four players on.
On offense, Cade Coulson was selected as an offensive lineman. The Panthers looked to the running game for much of their offense all season. They averaged 119.7 yards per game in 2019 on the ground.
Defensively, Jake Poetzl and Keegan Glaus had outstanding seasons. Poetzl led all ICCAC players with nine sacks from his end position good for the 13th most in the NJCAA.
Glaus led the conference in tackles with 101 from his linebacker position, which is top-5 in the nation. Seven came for a loss, and he added four pass breakups.
Rounding out the Panther's picks in 2019 was punter Jaydon Green. Green averaged 39 yards per boot, the 12th highest average in the NJCAA. He had 64 punts on the year, third-most in the NJCAA. He had the longest punt in the NJCAA this season, 84 yards.
Each school also received an allotment of players to tag with All-Region honors. The conference champion receives 9 selections for each First Team, Second and Honorable Mention teams. Second place receives 8 on each, and third place, 7 selections to each team.
For a complete list of All-Conference and All-Region, click here.