Seven Saints Named To All-UMAC First Team

Nov 15, 2012

Northland Sports Online

Seven St. Scholastica football players were named to the All-Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) first team, including Defensive Player of the Year Zack Dubanoski (New Prague, Minn./New Prague HS) and Special Teams Player of the Year Mike Theismann (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Apollo HS); it was announced on Thursday.

After having 10 first team All-UMAC selections a year ago and the offensive, defensive, special teams and coach of the year, seven Saints earned first team laurels this season with Dubanoski named the UMAC Defensive Player of the Year and Theismann named the UMAC Special Teams Player of the Year for the second straight season.

Dubanoski has had another steady season, anchoring the CSS defense in 2012. He has been major part in the Saints leading the conference in total defense, rush defense and sacks. Dubanoski is second on the team with 70 tackles, marking his second consecutive season with at least 70 tackles. He leads the team and the conference with 4.5 sacks in league play and is second on the team with nine tackles for a loss.

For his career, Dubanoski is the program leader in career tackles for a loss (35) and forced fumbles (9) and ranks second in tackles (257). He is named first team All-UMAC for the second straight season.

Theismann took the CSS kicking game to another level this season, making 11-of-12 attempts. In the previous four years of the program, the Saints made just nine total field goals. Theismann made his first 11 field goal tries this season and his first 15 of his career, until missing one vs. Presentation in the second-to-last game of the season. He redeemed himself in that game, by kicking the game-winner in overtime.

Theismann made the second-longest field goal in the conference this season (36 yards) and also led the league by making 94 percent of his extra point attempts. He finished fourth in the league overall with 67 points this season.

The only offensive member to garner first team accolades was sophomore center Pete Stanley (Rogers, Minn./Rogers HS). Stanley was the only CSS lineman to start and play in every game this season. The Saints offense finished second in the conference in rushing (200.3 y/g).

Sophomore defense end Blake Cedarleaf (Mahtomedi, Minn./Mahtomedi HS) earns All-UMAC accolades for the first time in his career. Cedarleaf leads the team with 14.5 tackles for a loss and two forced fumbles. Cedarleaf, who was not a starter at the beginning of the season, got his opportunity and solidified the spot. Cedarleaf has 50 tackles and four sacks, which is the seventh-most in the league.

A pair of defensive backs also earned first team All-UMAC honors. Junior Alec French (Isanti, Minn./St. Francis HS) leads the team with 80 tackles this season and also has three interceptions, including one for a touchdown. His 42 solo tackles are ranked fourth in the league. French was also named to the Sportsmanship team.

Another junior, Mike LaValley (Superior, Wis./Superior HS), leads the team with four interceptions and seven pass breakups this season. One of his four interceptions went back for a score. LaValley’s four interceptions were the second-most in the conference. Both French and LaValley earn all-conference honors for the first time in their careers.

The final CSS player to earn first team laurels was junior Cory Gebhard (St. Croix Falls, Wis./St. Croix Falls HS) as a punt returner. Gebhard led the conference as a punt returner this season, accumulating 232 yards and finished second in the league with 10.1 yards per return. Gebhard has had four of the top 10 longest punt returns in program history this season.

The only Saint to earn second team all-conference honors was senior wide receiver Nick Thiry (Braham, Minn./Braham HS). Thiry, who was a second team selection a year ago, leads the team with 44 receptions for 562 yards. His seven touchdowns were fifth in the league this season. Thiry was the third CSS receiver in program history to catch over 100 passes in career and the fourth to over 1,000 career receiving yards.

Running back Immanuel Gamble of Greenville College (Ill.) was named the Offensive Player of the Year. Defensive lineman Josh Swore of Northwestern College was named the Lineman of the Year and his head coach Kirk Tally was the Coach of the Year.

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