Central lands nine on all-league football squad
Central College
PELLA — Nine Central College football players received all-Iowa Conference honors Wednesday.
Four others received honorable mention.
Running back Josh Osborn (senior, Burlington), defensive back Jacob Edleman (senior, Mechanicsville, North Cedar HS) and kicker Kevin Sheldon (senior, West Des Moines, Valley HS) all received first-team honors for the Dutch (8-2 overall, 6-1 conference). Sheldon was a first-team pick for the fourth time.
Second-team honorees for the Dutch included offensive lineman Ryan Collins (senior, Mesa, Ariz., Red Mountain HS), defensive back Eric Larson (senior, Waverly, Waverly-Shell Rock HS), defensive back Jacob Tune (senior, Mesa, Ariz., Red Mountain HS), defensive lineman Nick Henry (senior, Solon), defensive lineman Brody Janssen (senior, Quincy) and linebacker Drew Carlson (sophomore, Ankeny).
Osborn, a two-time first-team selection, averaged more than five yards per carry while racking up a conference-leading 1,284 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground this year. His 2014 season is the sixth best in school history in terms of total rushing yards and his 3,183 career rushing yards are the fourth most in Central history. Osborn ran for at least 100 yards in nine of Central’s 10 games. He also caught 10 passes for 82 yards on the season. He was the co-winner of league athlete of the week honors after rushing for 254 yards on a school-record 45 carries in Saturday’s 38-7 victory over the University of Dubuque.
Edleman led the conference and is tied for fifth in the NCAA Division III with seven interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. The senior free safety had 48 tackles, including 28 solos, while also recovering a fumble. He intercepted three passes in a Central win over Loras Oct. 18, earning him conference defensive player of the week honors and a spot on the D3football.com team of the week.
Sheldon made seven of his 11 field goal attempts on the season, including his last 6-of-7. All 11 attempts were from beyond 30 yards and his longest make was a 42-yarder. The Central kicker was 40-for-41 on extra points.
Collins anchored an offensive line that allowed just six sacks in 10 games and created openings for Osborn to rush for the sixth-most yards in a season in school history.
Larson, a three-time second-team selection, was second on the team in interceptions with three and also recorded 33 tackles, 15 of which were solos. He had seven pass breakups, forced a fumble and blocked a kick for the Dutch.
Tune had the third-most tackles on the Central defense with 52, 31 of which were solos. The defensive back also had a sack and 3.5 tackles for loss.
Henry led the team in tackles for loss with six and sacks with four. He also intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown and blocked a kick. Henry had 12 solo and 22 total tackles.
Janssen recorded 3.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He ranked seventh on the team in total tackles with 40
Carlson was tied for the team lead in solo tackles with 33 and was second on the team in total tackles with 71. He had one tackle for loss, one interception, two fumble recoveries and a blocked kick.
Receiving honorable mention were quarterback Aaron Eiseler (senior, Mesa, Ariz., Red Mountain HS), wide receiver Sam Markham (sophomore, Atlantic, Iowa), wide receiver Brendon Boerm (senior, Traer, North Tama HS), offensive lineman Garrett Young (senior, Muscatine) and offensive lineman Jordan Youngman (senior, Pella).
The Dutch ended the year on a six-game winning streak.
