George Ferguson Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com
The Montana State University- Northern football team ended the regular season on a high note. Beating an arch rival at home, under the lights of Blue Pony Stadium, and beating them soundly. The win over Montana Tech early last month gave the Lights a 7-3 overall record and a second-place finish in the Frontier Conference. In many ways, it was MSU-N's second-best season since the school reinstated football 10 years ago. And when the Frontier Conference officially releases its 2008 awards, 13 Lights will be named first or secondteam all-conference for their efforts this season. Leading the list is senior running back Justin Moe, who will be named not just first team all conference at running back, but also the league's offensive MVP. Moe rushed for 1,082 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, became the first Northern running back to go over 1,000 yards in a single season and also became MSU-N's all-time leading rusher. The Florence native also caught 14 passes for 202 yards. Moe's tremendous season saw him also finish 12th in the NAIA in rushing. Moe is the second Light in the last three years to earn league MVP honors on the offensive side of the ball. Former MSU-N quarterback Kyle Samson was named offensive MVP in 2006. Joining Moe on the Frontier's first team are four other MSU-N standouts. Junior linebacker Stetson Koffman, sophomore defensive end Jared Weigel, senior defensive back Khalin Anderson and senior offensive lineman Russ Hilton were all named to the first team. Koffman, a two-time first team selection had a monstrous year for a stingy MSU-N defense. The Helena native led the Frontier and was second in the NAIA in total tackles with 133, a 13.5 tackle-per-game average. He also racked up 15 tackles for loss which was also among the NAIA leaders. Anderson is a three-time all-conference selection, and this season he totaled five interceptions which was tied for second in the Frontier and among the Top 20 in the NAIA. Weigel also had a breakout season for the Lights. The former Havre High standout recorded seven quarterback sacks and 14 tackles for loss, both ranking him among the NAIA's elite. Hilton, a stalwart on MSU-N's line, helped pave the way for a solid MSU-N ground attack. Northern also has eight players selected to the Frontier's second team. On defense, senior defensive backs Ted Wells and Marc McBryan were honored, as was true freshman linebacker Landry See. On defense, senior defensive backs Ted Wells and Marc McBryan were honored, as was true freshman linebacker Landry See. McBryan led the league in interceptions with six to go along with 77 tackles, while Wells, another HHS product, had career highs in INTs (5) and tackles 101) . Wells finished his senior campaign fourth in the league in total tackles. See had 86 tackles and two interceptions for an MSU-N team that recorded an astounding 25 picks. On the offensive side of the ball, Coda Tchida, Micah Thomas and Jake Byl were also named to the second team. Tchida, a former Blue Pony standout and Class A All-State selection, was MSU-N's leading receiver this season with 34 catches for 516 yards and five scores. He finished the season ranked eighth in the Frontier in receiving. On the line Thomas, a senior tight end, and Byl a senior lineman both had outstanding seasons. MSU-N will also be honored with two players on special teams. Sophomore Matt Stuart, a Cut Bank native, was named second-team punt returner, and another Havre High product, Kyle Finneman, earned secondteam honors as a punter. The Frontier should release the allconference list sometime this month.
