St Scholastica Dominate All-Conference Selections

Nov 17, 2011

Northland Sports Online

The St. Scholastica football team had 10 players earn first team all-conference selections, including the Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Year. Greg Carlson was also named the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Coach of the Year; it was announced on Thursday.

After finishing second in the league and earning 10 second team All-UMAC selections a season ago, the Saints won the league in their fourth season with a perfect 9-0 conference record and for their efforts had 10 players named to the first team. CSS had just eight first team selections the previous three seasons combined.

Leading the first team selections were UMAC Offensive Player of the Year Alex Thiry (Cambridge, Minn./Braham HS (Minn.-Duluth)), Defensive Player of the Year Sean Graskey (Superior, Wis./Superior HS), and Special Teams Player of the Year Mike Theismann (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Apollo HS).

Senior quarterback Alex Thiry (Cambridge, Minn. /Braham HS (Minn.-Duluth)) is named the offensive player of the year and earns first team all-conference accolades for the first time. Thiry is on pace to break the NCAA record for all divisions for highest pass efficiency in a season with an average of at least 15 pass attempts per game. With 37 touchdowns and just one interception on 151-of-206 passing this season, Thiry has an efficiency rating of 235.5, which 10 points higher than the old record. He owns the four of the top 15 passer ratings in a game this season in Division III. In five games this year, Thiry has thrown as many if not more touchdown passes than incompletions in each of those games he had at least 16 pass attempts. Thiry, who was also named to the UMAC All-Sportsmanship Team, was a second team All-UMAC selection a year ago.

Senior linebacker Sean Graskey (Superior, Wis. /Superior HS) is on his way to leading the team in tackles for the third straight season and has been recognized as the conference’s defensive player of the year. Graskey, a second team All-UMAC selection the past two seasons, has recorded 93 tackles (43 solo, 50 assist) this season. His six forced fumbles are tied for a league-high and 13 tackles for a loss are second on the team. Twice this season, Graskey was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week.

Theismann was named the UMAC Special Teams Player of the Year in just his freshman season. Theismann was a perfect 4-for-4 on field goal attempts this season, including the two longest field goals in program history at 38 and 35 yards. He was 58-for-64 on extra points and led all conference kickers with 70 points, 19 more than the kicker who finished second.

Other offensive first team All-UMAC selections include senior wide receiver Keegan O’Neill (Superior, Wis. /Superior HS) and senior center Stephen Voelkner (Duluth, Minn. /Duluth Central HS). O’Neill finished in the top five of the conference in receptions per game (5.0), receiving yards per game (92.6) and second in scoring (9.6 points per game). He has 50 receptions for 926 yards and 16 touchdowns this season, all of which lead the team. O’Neill was a second team All-UMAC choice in 2010.

Voelkner is named to the All-UMAC first team for the third straight season. He was a second team choice as a freshman in 2008. Voelkner has started all 10 games at center this season and has started all, but one game in his college career. Voelkner is the anchor of the offensive line, leading the Saints offense to yards per play records and three running backs averaging over 5.5 yards per rush.

Joining Graskey as All-UMAC first team defensive performers, include senior linebacker JP Leary (South St. Paul, Minn./South St. Paul HS), senior safety Justin Trautmiller (Somerset, Wis./Somerset HS), along with junior defensive tackle Zack Dubanoski (New Prague, Minn./New Prague HS) and junior defensive end Christopher Doran (Andover, Minn./Andover HS).

Leary receives first team all-conference accolades for the first time in his career. Leary, who was a second team All-UMAC selection in 2010, is having his best year as a Saint with 74 tackles, including 34 solo. His seven passes defended lead the team and he is second on the squad with three interceptions. Leary was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week after the regular season finale.

Trautmiller is named to the conference’s first team for the second consecutive season. He has recorded 38 tackles thus far this season, which is highest output of his career. His four interceptions lead the team, including three against Westminster which tied his own program record. Trautmiller was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week after his three interception game.

Dubanoski is named to the first team All-UMAC for the first time in his career. Dubanoski, a second team selection as a freshman in 2009, leads the team and was third in the league with 14.5 tackles for a loss this season and is third on the team with 74 tackles. His 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles are also second on the team.

Doran is also named first team All-UMAC for the first time after being named to the second team the previous two seasons. He leads the team with eight sacks, which was also tied for second in the conference. He is third on the team with 12.5 tackles for a loss and is by far the team leader with seven quarterback hurries.

The final first team all-conference performer for the Saints is freshman punter Justin Bosman (Rush City, Minn. /Rush City HS). Bosman led the conference with 40-yard average and has recorded eight punts of over 50 yards. He’s landed 16 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard-line and has six of the 10 longest punts in program history, including the top three.

Junior wide receiver Nick Thiry (Braham, Minn. /Braham HS) and junior running back Travis Nehowig (Maple Grove, Minn. /Maple Grove HS) were second team All-UMAC choices. Nick Thiry (Braham, Minn. /Braham HS) was second on the team with 40 receptions for 626 yards and nine touchdowns. Thiry ranked in the top 10 of the conference in receptions per game (4.0) yards per game (62.6).

Nehowig earns second team honors after missing four games due to injury earlier in the season. Nehowig has rushed for 702 yards on 104 attempts with 646 yards came in the final five games of the season. Nehowig ran for 227 yards in a victory over Presentation.

Head coach Greg Carlson has guided the Saints to the NCAA Division III playoffs in four years since building the program from scratch when he was hired in March of 2007. Carlson, who calls the offensive plays, has the Saints offense ranked sixth in scoring in division III and 14th in total offense.

The Saints’ fourth season continues on Saturday when they face third-ranked University of St. Thomas in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.

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