Courtesy ISU Media Relations
Ogden, UT --- Senior punter Jon Vanderwielen and sophomore linebacker A.J. Storms were both selected First Team All-Big Sky Conference as the Big Sky released their postseason honors this afternoon. Storms and Vanderwielen were the only Bengals on the first or second teams, and five others, Kelvin Krosch, Ryan Henry, Phil Arias, Chris Holmesley, and Jarrett Huk all earned honorable mention honors.
Quarterback Matt Nichols of Eastern Washington was named Offensive Player of the Year for the second time in three years, while Montana State defensive end Dane Fletcher was the Defensive Player of the Year. Junior college transfer Zach Schraeder of Sacramento State was the Newcomer of the Year, rounding out the individual honors.
Vanderwielen and Storms were both honorable mention selections last year. Vanderwielen, from Upland, California, finished the season second in the nation in punting with a 44.7 average, just 0.14 behind the national leader. Vandy also had just three touchbacks on 74 punts, while pinning his opponents inside the 20-yard line 21 times, and forcing 24 fair catches. He averaged at least 44.4 yards per punt in eight of the 11 games this season, and he banged a remarkable 22 punts of 50 yards or more. He was at his best when he averaged 47.2 against Eastern Washington on eight punts, with five 50 yarders and five inside the 20. He tied a school record with three 70-yard punts in a season, and had 71 and 74-yard punts that were both downed inside the 10 on the road at Montana State. Vanderwielen shared first team honors with Mike Snoy of Weber State.
Storms, a true sophomore from Meridian, Idaho who earned honorable mention All-Big Sky last year as a safety, played linebacker for the first time in his football career, and registered 120 tackles, and had less than seven in any game this season, with six double-figure tackle games including 18 against Central Washington. His 5.5 tackles for loss led ISU, and his 120 tackles was second in the league only to Buck Buchanan candidate J.C. Sherritt of Eastern Washington. He also had three fumble recoveries, tied for second in the league, and he also had one forced fumble and an interception.
ISU's honorable mention honorees included Kelvin Krosch and Ryan Henry on offense, Jarrett Huk on special teams, and Chris Holmesley and Phil Arias on defense. Krosch, a sophomore from Mackay, tied for second on the team with 37 catches, and was second with 540 yards. He led with six touchdowns, including three in the season-ending win over Portland State. Henry, from Upland, California, started all 11 games at center for ISU, and all 23 in his two-year career.
Huk, from Pleasanton, California, was 9-for-13 on field goals, including 2-for-2 from 50 yards and beyond. He also hit 17 of his 34 kickoffs for touchbacks and was perfect on all 15 extra point attempts in his career.
Holmesley, a junior from Mission Viejo, California, was third on the team in tackles with 82, and that was the most among ISU's defensive backs. He recorded a pair of interceptions to tie for the team lead, and tied for second in the league with three fumble recoveries. He also had 3.5 tackles for loss, three breakups, two quarterback hurries and a blocked extra point. Arias, a junior from Nampa, Idaho, didn't start the season as a starter, but became a central force at middle linebacker, recording 113 tackles, second on the team and third in the conference. He also added 3.5 tackles for loss, four breakups, two forced fumbles, and an interception.
The Big Sky's All-Conference team ended up being a literal who's who of FCS football, including six unanimous selections (Marc Mariani, WR, Montana; Tim Toone, WR, Weber State; Levi Horn, OT, Montana; Jeff Hansen, OG, Montana State; Dane Fletcher, DE, Montana State; J.C. Sherritt, LB, Eastern Washington) and just the third four-time first team all-conference pick in Weber State running back Trevyn Smith. The first team offense includes five Payton Award Candidates, and the first team defense had three Buchanan candidates.
