Four Lights tabbed Frontier All-Conference

The 2014 NAIA football season is over for everyone in the Frontier Conference except for the Southern Oregon Raiders. And now, the Frontier has released its postseason honors, and 2014 All-Conference Team.

The league released the All-Conference Team Saturday night, and four Montana State University-Northern Lights were selected.

Leading the way for the Lights is sophomore running back Zach McKinley. The former Great Falls standout earned First-Team All-Conference honors at running back, after leading the Frontier in rushing this season. McKinley rushed for a school-record 1,425 yards and 14 touchdowns this fall. He averaged 130 yards per game and carried the ball 242 times. In 11 games, McKinley rushed for eight times, including a school-record 222 yards in Northern’s season finale at Rocky Mountain College Nov. 15. That game was the second time McKinley went more than 200 yards on the season. He also rushed for 207 yards in MSU-N’s win over Dickinson State Sept. 6. McKinley also caught 25 passed for 262 yards and two scores this fall.

Northern also saw senior wide receiver Trevor Baum earn Second-Team All-Conference honors. Baum finished second in the Frontier in receiving yards, with 1,323 and catches, with 85. He averaged 120 receiving yards per game and scored nine touchdowns, including a long of 88 yards. This fall was Baum’s only season playing wide receiver, and he finished in the Top 10 in the NAIA in every receiving category.

On defense, sophomore defensive end Tyler Craig, another Great Falls native, earned Second-Team All-Conference accolades. Craig paced the Frontier with 10 sacks and was second in the league with his 12.5 tackles for loss. He finished the season with 51 tackles, as well as three forced fumbles.

Northern senior kicker Jordan Rueschhoff was also named Second-Team All-Conference. Rueschhoff, who was a two-year starter for the Lights, made 9-of-11 field goals in 2014, kicking four from 40 yards or more. His long was 46 yards, and he went 3-of-3, including the game-winner in Northern’s season finale at RMC.

All four Lights earned All-Conference honors for the first time.

As expected, SOU senior quarterback Austin Dodge was named Frontier Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Dodge has now won the award three straight times. Carroll College linebacker Sean Blomquist was named Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season. Carroll head coach Mike Van Diest shared Coach of the Year honors with Eastern Oregon’s Tim Camp.

Carroll had the most All-Conference selections with 15. The Saints’ First-Team selections included Dustin Rinker (RB), Anthony Clarke (WR), Alex Kastens (OL), Josh James (OL), Sean Condon (DL), Dakota Amy (DL), Blomquist (LB), Shayne Durbin (LB) and James Dowgin (DB). SOU had 14 selections, including First-Teamer’s Dodge (QB), Dylan Young (WR), Drew Gibson (OL) and Dustin Fretwell (DB).

Eastern Oregon was next with eight total selections. Making the First Team for the Mounties was Garek Stuart (OL). UM-Western had seven total selections, including Phile Selin (DE), Jess McLoud (DB) and Will Thacker (OL). Northern was next with four, followed by RMC with three, Montana Tech with three and College of Idaho with one. RMC receiver Andre McCullouch was a First-Team selection for the third straight season, while Corey Bummer was a First-Team selection at defensive back. Tech linebacker David Meis was also a First-Team selection as was C of I tight end Marcus Lenhardt.

2014 Frontier All Conference

FIRST TEAM

Offense

Austin Dodge Southern Oregon QB 6-2 210 Sr. Vancouver, Wash.

Zach McKinley MSU-Northern RB 5-10 205 So. Great Falls, Mont.

Dustin Rinker Carroll College RB 5-10 205 Sr. Riggins, Idaho

Marcus Lenhardt College of Idaho TE 6-4 215 Fr. Eagle, Idaho

Anthony Clarke Carroll College WR 5-11 195 Sr. Blackfoot, Idaho

Andre McCullouch Rocky Mountain WR 6-o 200 Jr. Riverside, Calif.

Dylan Young Southern Oregon WR 6-3 197 Sr. Salem, Ore.

Alex Kastens Carroll College OL 6-2 282 Sr. Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Josh James Carroll College OL 6-6 310 Jr. Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Garek Stuart Eastern Oregon OL 6-2 280 Sr. Lake Stevens, Wash.

Will Thacker Montana Western OL 6-1 290 Jr. Winnemucca, Nev.

Drew Gibson Southern Oregon OL 6-6 285 Sr. Medford, Ore.

Defense

Sean Condon Carroll College DL 6-3 255 Sr. Laurel, Mont.

Dakota Amy Carroll College DL 6-3 276 Sr. Harrison, Idaho

Phil Selin Montana Western DL 6-2 240 Sr. Great Falls, Mont.

Daniel Breaux Southern Oregon DL 6-3 245 Sr. Greenfield, Calif.

David Meis Montana Tech LB 6-3 225 Jr. Clancy, Mont.

Ryan Watson Eastern Oregon LB 6-o 220 Sr. Yakima, Wash.

Sean Blomquist Carroll College LB 5-11 235 Sr. Helena, Mont.

Shayne Durbin Carroll College LB 6-1 232 Jr. Lewistown, Mont.

Corey Bummer Rocky Mountain DB 6-0 200 Sr. Laurel, Mont.

James Dowgin Carroll College DB 6-2 190 So. Greeley, Colo.

Jesse McCloud Montana Western DB 6-0 200 Sr. Manhattan, Mont.

Dustin Fretwell Southern Oregon DB 5-9 185 Sr. El Dorado, Calif.

Special Teams

Aldrick Rosas Southern Oregon K 6-2 195 So. Orland, Calif.

Rhys Felton Carroll College P 6-3 190 Sr. Melbourne, Australia

Anthony Clarke Carroll College PR 5-11 195 Sr. Blackfoot, Idaho

Jace Billingsley Eastern Oregon KR 5-9 185 Jr. Winnamucca, Nev.

SECOND TEAM

Offense

Mac Roche Carroll College QB 6-2 208 Jr. Whitefish, Mont.

Pat Hansen Montana Tech RB 5-9 195 Sr. Ekalaka, Mont.

Sam Rutherford Montana Western RB 6-1 215 So. Centerville, Mont.

John Jansen MSU-Northern TE 6-3 240 Sr. Broadview, Mont.

Matt Retzlaff Southern Oregon TE 5-11 180 So. Medford, Ore.

Trevor Baum MSU-Northern WR 6-1 200 Sr. Susanville, Calif.

Jace Billingsley Eastern Oregon WR 5-9 185 Jr. Winnemucca, Nev.

Ryan Retzlaff Southern Oregon WR 6-0 190 Sr. Medford, Ore.

Chris Lees Eastern Oregon OL 6-2 300 Sr. Agoura, Calif.

Ryan Armstrong Carroll College OL 6-4 303 Jr. Miles City, Mont.

Nick Brown Montana Western OL 6-2 275 Sr. Spokane, Wash.

Max Proudfit Southern Oregon OL 6-4 295 Jr. Vancouver, Wash.

Ronald Rylance Southern Oregon OL 5-11 3o5 Sr. Sacramento, Calif.

Defense

Tyler Craig MSU-Northern DL 6-2 230 S0. Great Falls, Mont.

Kyle Lanoue Eastern Oregon DL 6-1 270 So. Bremerton, Wash.

Parker Lawson Eastern Oregon DL 6-3 271 Sr. Friday Harbor, Wash.

Joe Lealofi Southern Oregon DL 6-2 250 Jr. Los Angeles, Calif.

A.J. Wilson Montana Western LB 6-1 240 Jr. Helena, Mont.

Joe Coker Montana Western LB 6-0 215 Jr. Helena, Mont.

Heston Altenbach Southern Oregon LB 6-2 215 Sr. Coquille, Ore.

Laurence Calcagno Southern Oregon LB 5-11 227 Sr. Canby, Ore.

Byron Benson Eastern Oregon DB 5-9 185 Jr. Kent, Wash.

Ronnie Flowers Eastern Oregon DB 5-9 170 Sr. Kent, Wash.

Matt Wymore Carroll College DB 5-10 187 Jr. Nampa, Idaho

Ryan Gregory Carroll College DB 6-0 192 So. Veradale, Wash.

Karrington Jones Southern Oregon DB 6-1 190 Jr. Los Angeles, Calif.

Special Teams

Jordan Rueschhoff MSU-Northern K 6-0 200 Sr. Gillette, Wyo.

Thomas Giddens Southern Oregon P 6-2 200 Jr. Monroe, La.

Alec Bray Montana Tech PR 5-11 175 Jr. Missoula, Mont.

Cedrick Foster Rocky Mountain KR 5-9 200 Sr. Riverside, Calif.