Central lands five on football all-conference squad
Central Dutch Athletics
PELLA—Five players from Central College’s 8-2 were named to the American Rivers all-conference football squad.
Four of the five are underclassmen, including kicker Jon Alberts (junior, Huntley, Ill.) who was named to the first team for the second straight year. Also on the first team are quarterback Blaine Hawkins (sophomore, Ankeny) and free safety Jordy Borman (junior, Eagan, Minn.). Offensive tackle Cody Smith (junior, Orland Park, Ill., Carl Sandburg HS) and punter Cam Kiner (junior, Craig, Neb., Oakland-Craig HS) were tabbed for the second team.
In addition, cornerback Trevor Smith (senior, Audubon), defensive end Lou Gomez (sophomore, Mission, Texas), running back Donny Groezinger (senior, Sulphur Springs, Texas; Eastland, Ill. HS) and S-back Pat Gray (senior, Waukee, West Des Moines HS) received honorable mention.
Central posted an 8-2 record, including a 6-2 league mark, tying for second place.
Hawkins ranks eighth in the NCAA Division III in completion percentage, with a school-record 67.1 percent, and 23rd in passing efficiency (160.9). Despite missing action in two games—both of Central’s losses—Hawkins threw for 1,896 yards, fifth-best in school history. He completed 147 of 219 passes, which also ranks fifth on the all-time charts, with five interceptions. He had 17 touchdown passes, seventh-most in school history. Hawkins also rushed 105 times for 318 yards and six scores. He set school marks with five touchdown passes against Luther Collee Sept. 15 and with a 94.1 completion percentage (16-17) against Buena Vista University Sept. 29. He was named the league’s male athlete of the week Sept. 17. In just two seasons, he already ranks seventh in school history in career TD passes (35) and 10th in career completions (263) and passing yards (3,587).
Borman led the league in interceptions with sixth and tied for sixth in Division III. He made 44 tackles, including 21 solos, and had six pass breakups with a fumble recovery and a kick block. He was the league defensive player of the week Sept. 3.
Cody Smith played left tackle for an offense which averaged 426.0 yards per game, including 191.4 on the ground.
Kiner, who missed his junior year with injury, set a school record, averaging a conference-best 43.6 yards per punt on 24 kicks, with six of longer than 50 yards and six that landed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
Alberts was named the league’s special teams player of the week twice this season and five times in his career. He was tabbed earlier this week for the D3football.com team of the week for the second time in his three seasons. He was on the Fred Mitchell Award Watch Lists for the preseason, September and October. The award is for kickers from non-Division I FBS school based on athletic performance and community service. He was 8-of-9 on field goals this year and 45-of-46 on extra points. He was the league kick-scoring leader with 69 points. Alberts booted the game-winner with 2 seconds remaining in a 37-34 victory at Loras College last Saturday and set a school mark with a 55-yard field goal at Wartburg Oct. 20. That’s the longest in Division III this season. He’s tied for fourth in school history in career field goals (22) after setting the season mark (14) a year ago. He’s connected on 88 percent of his career field goal tries (22-25).
Trevor Smith set a school mark with eight pass breakups in a 35-13 win at the University of Dubuque Sept. 22. He made 53 tackles, including 34 solos, with one interception and a team-high 15 pass breakups while recovering three fumbles. He tied for second in the conference in passes defended with 1.5 per game.
Gomez was the league’s defensive player of the week Oct. 16. He missed three games with injury but still had 33 tackles, including 12 solos, with 4.0 tackles for loss and a sack.
Gray rushed for 230 yards on 55 carries with two touchdowns and caught 21 passes for 191 yards and a score.
Groezinger missed two games with injury but ran for 505 yards and three touchdowns on 102 carries.
All-conference teams for the league, formerly known as the Iowa Conference, were first chosen in 1950. In that span, Central has had 329 first-team selections and 203 second-team picks.
