C-SC’s Sallay named Heart North Division Coach of the Year, 21 Wildcats earn all-conference honors

CANTON, Mo. — The Culver-Stockton College football team’s record-setting season is resulting in a bevy of all-conference honors.

The Wildcats had 21 players earn spots on the Heart of America Athletic Conference’s All-North Division team after finishing 8-3 overall and 4-1 in the Heart North. C-SC coach Tom Sallay was named the North Division Coach of the Year.

The Wildcats are 14-8 in the last two full seasons under Sallay.

Headlining the first-team all-conference selections on offense was senior left tackle Andrew Rupcich, who was a first-team pick for the fourth straight season. He is the first player in program history to be a four-time, first-team all-conference honoree.

Two other linemen — senior Alex Gonzalez and sophomore Andrew Rowe — were first-team selections. Rowe is a repeat first-teamer, while Gonzalez was a second-team selection the previous two seasons.

Senior running back Jordan Grant, junior wide receiver Connor Perrine and sophomore quarterback Jase Orndorff were first-team picks as well.

Senior wide receiver Mateen Johnson and freshman tight end Dominic Herrera were second-team picks.

Four Wildcats earned first-team honors on defense. Hannibal native Dalton Huffman was a first-team linebacker for the second straight year, while senior defensive end Jamal Beaty and senior linebacker Pat Robinson were first-team picks for a third straight season. Sophomore safety David Hernandez also was a first-team selection.

Second-team honors went to senior defensive end Aubre Sanders, junior linebacker Eric Nicks, sophomore cornerback Jahmar Bingham and freshman safety Jeremiah Ferguson.

Senior punter Maxwell Blaschke and sophomore return man Isaiah Eppinger earned second-team honors on special teams. Sophomore wide receiver Slayton Ochoa, senior nose guard Julian Pittman, Jr., and junior linebacker Shon Jackson were all honorable mention selections.

Here is a closer look at the first-team selections:

• Perrine led the Wildcats with 44 receptions this season for a team-high 816 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was seventh in the Heart with 4.0 receptions per game, fourth in yards per game (74.2), and fourth in receiving touchdowns.   

• Grant finished with 1,053 yards on 218 carries and 11 touchdowns. He is just the fourth player in school history to rush for 1,000 or more yards in a season. Grant was third in the Heart in rushing yards per game (95.2). He averaged 4.8 yards per carry.

• Rupcich, Rowe and Gonzalez anchored an offensive line that helped the Wildcats average 158.2 yards rushing and 406.8 yards of total offense. C-SC averaged 4.2 yards per carry.

• Orndorff threw for 2,133 yards and 21 touchdowns in just eight games. He completed 124 passes on 213 attempts and tossed just four interceptions. 

• Huffman led the Wildcats with 98 total tackles, including 18 tackles for loss. The 8.9 tackles per game ranked second in the Heart. Huffman also recorded 4.5 sacks, recovered three fumbles, forced five fumbles and had two passes defensed.

• Beaty registered 17 total tackles, including five tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks this season. He also had one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

• Robinson, garnered 35 total tackles, four sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss during the season. He led the NAIA with six forced fumbles, knocked down two passes and had a quarterback pressure.

• Hernandez recorded 35 tackles and led the team with four interceptions. The four interceptions were tied for fourth best in the Heart. He also registered one forced fumble, recovered three fumbles and had three pass breakups.