Clan earns conference all-star honours

Portland, OR – The Great Northwest Athletic Conference announced the 2013 all-conference teams on Tuesday as nine Simon Fraser University football players were named to the squad.

Four of the nine received first team honours while five were second team all-stars and running back Chris Tolbert (Silver Springs, MD) was named the newcomer of the year in the GNAC.

Tolbert, a second team offensive all-star, came to the Clan this season from Division I Central Connecticut.

In his first GNAC season, Tolbert broke 1000 yards rushing on 234 carries, averaging 4.5 yards per carry and scoring 10 touchdowns on the season.

Leading the Clan on the first team of offensive players were senior offensive lineman Matthias Goossen (Richmond, BC) and senior kick returner Tore Corrado (Vancouver, BC).

Goossen earns a spot on the all-star team for the third time after starting in all 10 games for the Clan this season while Corrado makes the team after a season in which he returned 12 kick-offs for 418 yards, an averaging of 34.8 yards per return, including one return for a touchdown.

On the defensive side of the ball, senior linebacker Casey Chin (Port Moody, BC) and punt returner Earl Anderson (Courtice, ON) earned spots on the squad.

Chin led the GNAC in tackles for the third consecutive season in 2013 with 119, breaking the 100 tackle mark for the first time in his career after recording 98 in 2012 to lead the conference and 74 in 2011.

Anderson led the conference in punt returns in 2013, recording 10 returns in 10 games played for 245 yards, an average of 24.5 a return. He returned one punt for a touchdown.

Also appearing for the Clan on the second team of offensive players were quartback Ryan Stanford (Phoenix, AZ), wide receiver Bobby Pospischil (Coquitlam, BC) and tight end Jamal Kett (Orangeville, ON) in addition to Tolbert.

In his first season with the Clan, Stanford threw for 2282 yards completing 199 of 314 attempts and throwing 12 touchdowns while Pospischil hauled in 48 catches for 530 yards and a touchdown while Kett had 34 catches for 396 yards and a touchdown.

Defensive back Derek Jones (Edmonton, AB) rounds out the Clan honourees as he found a spot on the second team of all-stars as he recorded 34 tackles in his senior season.

The Clan Football Alumni Society will host the 2013 Legacy Dinner on November 25 to close out the Clan’s 2013 season.

2013 GNAC ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM:

OFFENSE

First Team: Quarterback –  Griff Robles, DSU (6-5, 235, Sr., Spanish Fork, UT); Ryan Bergman, WOU (6-2, 170, Jr., Issaquah, WA).  Running Backs – +*Terrell Watson, APU (6-2, 230, Jr., Oxnard, CA); Jordan Todd, CWU (5-6, 186, So., Bellevue, WA). Receivers – +Chase Krivashei, HSU (5-9, 165, Fr., Corona, CA); +Mitch Frei, DSU (6-2, 190, Sr., Santa Clara, UT); *Tyrell Williams, WOU (6-4, 200, Jr., Salem, OR). Tight End – *Joe Don Duncan, DSU (6-4, 265, Sr., Corona, CA).  Offensive Line – +***Mike Nelson, CWU (6-4, 305, Sr., Carnation, WA); Lance Barker, APU (6-2, 275, Sr., Anaheim, CA); Marcus Cuellar, WOU (6-4, 320, Sr., Independence, OR); **Matthias Goossen, SFU (6-3, 300, Sr., Richmond, BC); Neil Fuhrmann, CWU (6-3, 291, Sr., Sumner, WA).  Kicker  – Jamie Cacciatore, APU (5-8, 175, So., Orange, CA). Kick Returner – Tore Corrado, SFU (5-10, 175, Sr., Vancouver, BC).  +Unanimous  *Repeater

Second Team: Quarterback – Ryan Stanford, SFU (6-3, 199, So., Phoenix, AZ); Dasmen Stewart, APU (6-4, 225, Sr., Oxnard, CA).  Running Backs – Chris Tolbert, SFU (5-11, 205, Jr., Baltimore, MD); Joe Harris, WOU (6-1, 170, So., Coquille, OR).  Wide Receivers – Antoinne Wafer, WOU (5-8, 165, Sr., Seattle, WA); Jesse Zalk, CWU (5-8, 153, Fr., Battle Ground, WA); Bobby Pospischil, SFU (5-9, 185, Jr., Coquitlam, BC).  Tight Ends – Jamel Kett, SFU (6-5, 220, So., Toronto, ON).  Offensive Line – David Kulp, HSU (6-2, 295, Sr., Lompoc, CA); Dillon Reagan, HSU (6-4, 310, Sr., Issaquah, WA); Cody Clay, APU (6-6, 330, Jr., Fullerton, CA); Alexander Jones, WOU (6-3, 280, Sr., Portland, OR); Brooks Abel, CWU (6-5, 305, Sr., Kent, WA).  Kicker – Matt Bruder, HSU (5-9, 180, Jr., Jamul, CA). Kick Returner – Jesse Zalk, CWU (5-8, 153, Fr., Battle Ground, WA; Tarik Myles, APU (5-6, 152, Fr., Rancho Cucamonga, CA).

DEFENSE

First Team:  Defensive Line – +Kraig Akins, WOU (6-2, 290, Jr., Springfield, OR); **Gustave Benthin, WOU (6-2, 285, Sr., Knappa, OR); Matt Moody, APU (6-1, 225, Sr., La Habra, CA); Austin Schnizler, CWU (6-3, 266, Sr., Ventura, CA).  Linebackers – Jake Duncan, DSU (6-0, 240, Sr., Corona, CA); Casey Chin, SFU (5-10, 225, Sr., Port Coquitlam, BC); Shane Kuenzi, WOU (6-0, 195, So., Salem, OR); JB Torsy, CWU (5-10, 212, Jr., Trabuco Hills, CA). Defensive Backs – +*Tyler Thornton, APU (5-8, 182, Jr., Bakersfield, CA); +Isaiah Davis, CWU (5-10, 176, So., Bremerton, WA); *Stan Langlow, CWU (6-4, 205, Sr., University Place, WA); Silas Goma, APU (6-1, 195, Sr., Thousand Oaks, CA). Punter – Chris Campbell, HSU (5-11, 175, Jr., Granite Bay, CA).  Punt Returner –  Earl Anderson, SFU (5-10, 175, So., Toronto, ON). +Unanimous  *Repeater

Second Team: Defensive Line –  Saula Taufa, DSU (6-4, 320, Jr., Lahaina, HI); Tovar Sanchez, CWU (6-3, 237, So., Seattle, WA); Silas Sarvinski, HSU (6-1, 265, Jr., Ferndale, CA); Alex Markarian, HSU (6-4, 285, Jr., Chino Hills, CA); Talaiasi Taueli, APU (6-1, 283, So., Mesa, AZ);  Linebackers – Ridge Nielsen, CWU (5-11, 231, Sr., Mesa, AZ); Sean Barber, APU (6-1, 220, Sr., Edgewood, WA); Jake Henderson, APU (6-1, 220, Sr., Fontana, CA).  Defensive Backs –  Derek Jones, SFU (6-1, 195, Sr., Edmonton, AB); Zac Christian, DSU (6-1, 185, Jr., Plain City, UT); Pat Tepea, WOU (6-0, 200, Sr., Kailua, HI); Cedrique Chaney, CWU (5-11, 186, So., Kelso, WA).  Punter – Alexander Bradt, WOU (6-1, 195. So., Salem, OR); Matt Burke, CWU (6-0, 192, Sr., Laguna Hills, CA).  Punt Returner – Isaiah Davis, CWU(5-10, 176, So., Bremerton, WA).

GNAC Offensive Player-of-the-Year – Terrell Watson, APU (RB, 6-2, 230, Jr., Oxnard, CA). GNAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year –  Tyler Thornton, APU (DB, 5-8, 182, Jr., Bakersfield, CA). GNAC Offensive Lineman-of-the-Year –  Mike Nelson, CWU (OL, 6-4, 305, Sr., Carnation, WA).  GNAC Defensive Lineman-of-the-Year  – Kraig Akins, WOU (DL, 6-2, 290, Jr., Springfield, OR). GNAC Newcomer-of-the-Year – Chris Tolbert, SFU (RB, 5-11, 205, Jr., Baltimore, MD).  GNAC Freshman-of-the-Year – Chase Krivashei, HSU (WR, 5-9, 165, Fr. Corona, CA). GNAC Coach-of-the-Year – Victor Santa Cruz, APU.

Photo credit: Ron Hole