RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Tuesday, following a vote of the Great American Conference’s head football coaches, the league announced its All-Conference teams and year-end individual awards. Harding’s Park Parish, Trevon Biglow and Ronnie Huckeba claimed the Offensive, Defensive and Coach of the Year awards. Ouachita’s Allie Freeman picked up the Freshman of the Year honor.
Parish, Biglow and Huckeba led the Bisons to their first outright conference championship in program history, an 11-0 regular season and their first home NCAA Division II Playoff game. From the quarterback position Parish orchestrated the nation’s top rushing attack as he led Harding with 910 rushing yards. His 17 touchdowns ranked 11th in the country. Biglow helped the Bison defense finish the regular season with the best scoring defense, run defense and total defense in the country. He led the GAC in sacks, tackles for loss and fumbles forced. Huckeba, in his final season as the Harding head coach, guided Harding to its third trip to DII Playoffs in the last five seasons. Harding produced the third-best scoring margin the country, outscoring its 11 opponents by more than 30 points per game.
2016 ALL-GAC FOOTBALL TEAM
Allie Freeman became the second Tiger to earn an individual award, joining Casey Cooper, who claimed the inaugural Player of the Year award. Freeman ranked third among all freshmen in Division II in all-purpose yards at 1,416 and scored his eight touchdowns by three different methods – six as a receiver, one rushing and one on a punt return.
A total of 12 Bisons earned First-Team All-GAC honors. Corey Bassett garnered First-Team spots at cornerback and as the return specialist. He helped the Bisons rank seventh in the nation in pass defense. As a returner, he led the GAC and ranked sixth in kick return average. Two of Harding’s top ground gainers – Michael Latu and Zach Shelley – along with three linemen - Bryce Bray, Gavin De Los Santos and Eric Mitchell made the First Team. Latu ran for 763 yards and 13 touchdowns while Shelley averaged 9.4 yards per carry and ran for 547 yards.
In addition to Biglow, defensive tackle Jensen Jackson, linebackers Daylan Skidmore and Scott Middleton and safety Daylon Markham represented the Bisons on the First Team. Skidmore and Markham ranked first and second on the team in tackles. Middleton took second to Biglow in tackles for loss and intercepted two passes. Jackson joined Biglow on the defensive line.
Henderson State produced five First-Team All-GAC selections, including four on the defensive side of the ball. Defensive end Sam Johnson tied Biglow for the GAC lead in sacks. Linebackers Cameron Sonnier and Josh Davis along with Gary Vines made the First Team. Sonnier led the team in tackles, with Davis ranking second and Vines third. Sonnier also registered 15.0 tackles for loss. Davis became a three-time First-Team selection and Vines made the First Team for the second straight year. Darius Thomas earned the First-Team slot as the top special team performer.
Southeastern Oklahoma State placed four on the First Team, led by running back Ronnie Green, who set the GAC single-season record for rushing yards. Cornerback Raheem Wilson, who leads the country in passes defended made the First Team along with kicker Joel Carlos and offensive linemen Garrett Westphal. Westphal helped the Southeastern offense third in the GAC in rushing offense and total offense while Carlos placed second in the GAC in scoring for kickers and he added 40.2 yards per punt.
Southwestern Oklahoma State became the only other school with multiple First-Team honorees. DJ Jones earned a spot on the First Team for the second straight year after ranking second in receptions, receiving yards and all-purpose yards. Collin Bricker claimed the spot at tight end. He caught 21 passes for 343 yards and pair of touchdowns.
In addition to Jones, Arkansas-Monticello’s Jalen Tolliver and East Central’s David Moore made up the First-Team wide receiver group. Tolliver led the GAC in receiving yards (1,090) and receiving touchdowns (14) in earning his spot by unanimous consent. Moore became a two-time First-Team selection and a three-time All-GAC pick. He totaled 878 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Oklahoma Baptist running back Isaiah Mallory, Ouachita’s Brannon Kotch, Southern Arkansas’ Travis Williams and Arkansas Tech’s Clayton Watson rounded out the All-GAC First Team. Mallory set the Bison single-season rushing record with 1,083 yards. Williams ranked second on the Muleriders with 8.0 tackles for loss. Watson produced the eighth-best punting average in the country at 42.6 yards per punt.
In total, the Bisons led the way 18 All-GAC selections, followed by 13 from Southern Arkansas and 12 from Southeastern Oklahoma State and Ouachita.
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