Wayne State's Bell leads AP Little All-America team
NEW YORK -- Wayne State tailback Joique Bell, the Harlon Hill Trophy winner as Division II's top player, and West Liberty quarterback Zach Amedro were selected to the Associated Press Little All-America team.
The team, which is made up of players from Division II and III, along with NAIA, was released Thursday.
Bell is the all-division rushing leader in the NCAA, averaging 189.5 yards per game. He also led the nation in scoring at 17 points per game for Wayne State, located in Detroit.
Amedro threw 49 touchdown passes, the most in college football this season, and passed for 4,945 yards for the top-scoring team in Division II.
Completing the Little All-America backfield is Isaac Odum of Minnesota-Duluth, a junior who ran for 1,808 yards and scored 33 touchdowns.
Mount Union's Cecil Shorts made the first team at receiver, just a few days after he filled in at quarterback in the Purple Raiders' 24-7 semifinal victory against Wesley.
Shorts caught a touchdown pass, then ran for two scores while playing quarterback for injured starter Kurt Rocco.
"To me, he's the best player in Division III football," Wesley coach Mike Drass said after the game. "I don't think you look at it any other way. That's how good I think that kid is."
The Purple Raiders will play Wisconsin-Whitewater on Saturday in Salem, Va., for the national championship.
Frantz Simeon of Arkansas Tech is the other All-American receiver.
The offensive line is led by Brett Grozinger of Division II champion Northwest Missouri State and Augustana (Ill.) College's Blaine Westemeyer, who become the first offensive lineman to win the Gagliardi Trophy as Division III's top player.
Tony Washington of Abilene Christian, Jared Veldheer of Hillsdale and Nick McDonald of Grand Valley State, which lost to Northwest Missouri in the Division II finals last week, complete the offensive line.
Frederick Bruno from Wayne (Neb.) State is the all-purpose player and Steve Ivanisevic of Washburn is the kicker.
West Liberty put three players on the first-team, the most of any school.
Joining Amedro is tight end Ryan Travis and defensive back Derek Evans.
Two North Alabama players made the first-team defense: linebacker Michael Johnson and defensive lineman Montrell Craft.
The rest of the defensive line has Willie Walker from California, Pa., Cedric Thornton from Southern Arkansas and Eddie Vallery from Division III Wittenberg.
John Jacobs, D-II's leading tackler from Saginaw Valley State, and Kyle Gesswein from Division III Delaware Valley are the other All-America linebackers.
Joining Evans in the defensive backfield are Josh Jones from Harding, Quintez Smith from Shaw and Dominique Dixon from Division III Montclair State.
Justin Hinson of North Carolina Pembroke is the punter.
First team
Offense
Quarterback - Zach Amedro, junior, 6-0, 200 pounds, West Liberty State.
Running backs - Joique Bell, senior, 6-1, 223, Wayne (Mich.) State; Isaac Odum, junior, 6-0, 215, Minnesota-Duluth.
Linemen - Tony Washington, senior, 6-7, 305, Abilene Christian; Jared Veldheer, senior, 6-9, 321, Hillsdale; Nick McDonald, senior, 6-4, 311, Grand Valley State; Blaine Westemeyer, senior, 6-5, 280, Augustana (Ill.) College; Brett Grozinger, junior, 6-4, 280, Northwest Missouri State.
Tight end - Ryan Travis, junior, 6-3, 245, West Liberty State.
Wide receivers - Cecil Shorts III, senior, 6-2, 195, Mount Union; Frantz Simeon, senior, 5-10, 185, Arkansas Tech.
All-purpose player - Frederick Bruno, junior, 5-8, 205, Wayne (Neb.) State.
Kicker - Steve Ivanisevic, senior, 5-11, 195, Washburn.
Defense
Linemen - Willie Walker, senior, 6-3, 252, California, Pa.; Montrell Craft, senior, 6-2, 275, North Alabama; Cedric Thornton, junior, 6-5, 265, Southern Arkansas; Eddie Vallery, junior, 6-2, 220, Wittenberg.
Linebackers - Michael Johnson, 6-4, 255, North Alabama; Kyle Gesswein, junior, 6-2, 228, Delaware Valley; John Jacobs, senior, 6-2, 230, Saginaw Valley State.
Backs - Derek Evans, 5-8, 180, senior, West Liberty State; Josh Jones, senior, 5-10, 185, Harding; Quintez Smith, senior, 6-0, 180, Shaw; Dominique Dixon, 6-1, 195, Montclair State.
Punter - Justin Hinson, senior, North Carolina-Pembroke.
Second team
Offense
Quarterback - Nick Graziano, senior, Arkansas Tech.
Running backs - Levell Coppage, sophomore, Wisconsin-Whitewater; Jonas Randolph, sophomore, Mars Hill.
Linemen - Michael Tribue, senior, Carson-Newman; Ben Stagg, senior,West Liberty State; Andy Schoonover, senior, Minnesota-Mankato; Josh Ostrue, senior, St. Thomas (Minn.); Jack Hiett, senior, Nebraska-Kearney.
Tight end - Jarrell NeSmith, senior, Tusculum.
Wide receivers - Jake Soy, sophomore, Northwest Missouri State; A.J. Jackson, senior, California, Pa.
All-purpose player - Jared Manzer, senior, Alfred.
Kicker - Jeff Schebler, senior, Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Defense
Linemen - Danny Richard, junior, Grand Valley State; Calvin France, senior, Angelo State; Andre Bernardi, senior, North Greenville; Marcus Ball, senior, Wisconsin-Stout.
Linebackers - Lardester Hicks-Green, senior, Delta State; Scott Driscoll, senior, Curry; Robbie Aurich, junior, Minnesota-Duluth.
Backs - Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, senior, Indiana, Pa.; Corry Stewart, senior, Hanover; Giorgio Durham, sophomore, Central Oklahoma; Myles Burnside, senior, Northwest Missouri State.
Punter - Tyler Funk, sophomore, Carthage.
Third team
Offense
Quarterback - Lorenzo Brown, senior, Sioux Falls.
Running backs - Jim Bower, senior, Maine Maritime; Buck Wakefield, senior, Carson-Newman.
Linemen - Scott Millenbach, senior, Linfield; J'Marcus Webb, senior, West Texas A&M; Caleb Crowl, senior, Mount Union; Calvin Wilson, senior, North Alabama; Cameron Bradfield, junior, Grand Valley State.
TE - Bryan Crider, junior, Missouri S&T.
WR - Adam Saur, senior, Colorado Mines; Michael Zweifel, junior, Dubuque.
All-purpose player - Trevar Deed, junior, Delta State.
Kicker - Travis Atter, senior, Chadron State.
Defense
Linemen - Drew Berube, senior, Hillsdale; Eugene Sims, senior, West Texas A&M; Xavier Brown, junior, C.W. Post; Chris Mayes, sophomore, Wesley.
Linebackers - John Peters, senior, Union, N.Y.; Matt Freed, junior, East Stroudsburg; Buddy Wood, senior, Central Washington.
Backs - Bryson Tucker, senior, Mary Hardin-Baylor; Ron Parker, junior, Newberry; Trevor Holleman, senior, Sioux Falls; Justin Hamilton, senior, Elizabeth City State.
Punter - Will Batson, senior, North Alabama.
