Redhawks place three on OVC first team

~ Komondoreas, Schermann and Simonhoff are among nine Southeast players to receive recognition.

Despite going just 2-9 and finishing toward the bottom of the Ohio Valley Conference standings, Southeast Missouri State was represented well as the OVC released its postseason honors on Tuesday.

The Redhawks had three first team selections, four second team picks and two members of the all-newcomer team, as voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.

Redhawks making the first team were senior defensive end Justin Komondoreas, junior punter David Simonhoff and redshirt freshman kicker Colin Schermann.

Komondoreas led the OVC in sacks with 7.5 and he tied for the lead in tackles for loss with 14.

"I'm really excited for Justin," said Tim Billings, the Redhawks' coach the past six seasons who announced his resignation on Friday. "He's just a tough, hard-nosed kid, and he worked so hard. He really came through."

Simonhoff repeated on the first team as he led the conference with a 42.8-yard punting average, which ranks sixth nationally in Division I-AA.

Last season, Simonhoff set Southeast and OVC records by averaging 46 yards per punt, which was second nationally and earned him All-American honors.

"David is just David. He had another great year, and we expected that out of him," Billings said.

Schermann, a Cape Girardeau Central High School product, made 12 of 14 field-goal attempts as he led the OVC in accuracy at 85.7 percent.

"Colin basically took over for an All-American [Derek Kutz] and just had a great year for a freshman," Billings said. "He was pretty much automatic for us."

Southeast players on the second team are senior wide receiver T.J. Milcic, sophomore tight end Joseph Tuineau, junior defensive end Edgar Jones and senior safety Mike Miller.

Milcic was the Redhawks' big-play receiving threat, leading the team with 41 receptions for 783 yards, a 19.1-yard average. He was third in the OVC in receiving yards per game, and scored eight touchdowns.

Tuineau caught 25 passes for 305 yards, Jones was second in sacks on the Redhawks with four and Miller was Southeast's leading tackler with 88.

"I'm excited for all those guys," Billings said. "Mike Miller had a great career and it was great to see him finally healthy."

Schermann and true freshman tailback Tim Holloman made the all-newcomer team. Holloman led the Redhawks in rushing with 688 yards and was also first with 10 touchdowns.

Added Billings, "The year we had, it was pretty tough, but I'm glad the OVC coaches recognized all those guys. They're all very deserving."

Greco, Sellers honored

Eastern Kentucky sophomore quarterback Josh Greco and Eastern Illinois junior linebacker Clint Sellers won the league's offensive and defensive player of the year awards.

Greco led the league in nearly every passing category while re-writing the Colonels' record books, topping the conference and establishing new school single-season marks for pass completions (222), attempts (387), yardage (2,861 yds.) and touchdowns (25).

Sellers, a junior college transfer in his first season at Eastern Illinois, led the OVC in solo (79) and total tackles (111) while averaging a league-high 10.1 stops per game. He also had three sacks and ranked fourth in the OVC in tackles-for-loss (11.5).

Tennessee State tailback Javarris Williams was named OVC freshman of the year as he rushed for 872 yards.

Eastern Illinois' Bob Spoo was coach of the year honors after leading the Panthers to an undefeated OVC record and a berth in the Division I-AA playoffs.

OVC runner-up Eastern Kentucky had a league-high six players on the first team, followed by Eastern Illinois with five and third-place Jacksonville State with four.

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2005 All-OVC Football

First Team

Offense

QB -- Josh Greco, So., Eastern Kentucky

RB -- Clay Green, Jr., Jacksonville State

RB -- Don Chapman, So., Tennessee-Martin

WR -- Andre Ralston, Sr., Eastern Kentucky

WR -- Larry Shipp, So., Tennessee Tech

TE -- Patrick Bugg, Jr., Eastern Kentucky

C -- Rod Olds, Sr., Jacksonville State

OG -- Jon Rueter, Jr., Eastern Illinois

OG -- Kimani Brown, Sr., Jacksonville State

OT -- Eric Johnson, Jr., Eastern Illinois

OT -- Sean Dumford, So., Eastern Kentucky

K -- Colin Schermann, Fr., Southeast Missouri

RET -- Cortland Finnegan, Sr., Samford

Defense

DL -- Mark Cristiani, Jr., Eastern Kentucky

DL -- Justin Komondoreas, Sr., Southeast Missouri

DL -- Kory Lothe, Sr., Eastern Illinois

DL -- Andre Plummer, Sr., Tennessee-Martin

LB -- Clint Sellers, Jr., Eastern Illinois

LB -- Brandon Rosser, Jr., Eastern Kentucky

LB -- Wesley Holmes, Sr., Tennessee State

DB -- Tristan Burge, Jr., Eastern Illinois

DB -- Jamar Landrom, Sr., Tennessee State

DB -- Kenny Brown, Jr., Jacksonville State

DB -- Cortland Finnegan, Sr., Samford

P -- David Simonhoff, Jr., Southeast Missouri

Second Team

Offense

QB -- Brady Wahlberg, Sr., Tennessee-Martin

RB -- Vincent Webb, Jr., Eastern Illinois

RB -- Javarris Williams, Fr., Tennessee State

WR -- Taurean Stephens, Jr., UT Martin

WR -- T.J. Milcic, Sr., Southeast Missouri

TE -- Joseph Tuineau, So., Southeast Missouri

C -- Pascal Matla, Sr., Eastern Illinois

OG -- Alex Atkins, Jr., Tennessee-Martin

OG -- Shaun Sherrill, Sr., Tennessee Tech

OT -- Anthony Rubican, So., Eastern Illinois

OT -- Kevin Pughsley, Sr., Samford

K -- Josh Foster, Sr., Tennessee Tech

RET -- Nick Turner, Sr., Murray State

Defense

DL -- Ernest Jones, Sr., Tennessee State

DL -- Cardius Dowell, So., Eastern Kentucky

DL -- Edgar Jones, Jr., Southeast Missouri

DL -- John Jackson, So., Tennessee Tech

LB -- Lucius Seymour, Jr., Eastern Illinois

LB -- David Gilmore, Jr., Tennessee-Martin

LB -- Marcus Mayes, Jr., Eastern Kentucky

DB -- Brandon Fields, Sr., Tennessee Tech

DB -- Tremayne Perkins, Sr., Eastern Kentucky

DB -- Mike Miller, Sr., Southeast Missouri

DB -- Haneef Haqq, Sr., Jacksonville State

P -- Tom Schofield, Sr., Eastern Illinois

All-Newcomer Team

RB -- Tim Holloman, Fr., Southeast Missouri

RB -- Javarris Williams, Fr., Tennessee State

RB -- Cameron Kirnes, Fr., Tennessee Tech

WR -- Maurice Marchman, So., Murray State

OL -- Keith Gergel, Fr., Jacksonville State

K -- Zach Yates, Fr., Eastern Illinois

K -- Colin Schermann, Fr., Southeast Missouri

LB -- Clint Sellers, Jr., Eastern Illinois

LB -- Greg Rolfes, Fr., Tennessee Tech

DB -- Darren Williams, Sr., Jacksonville State

DB -- Maurice Smith, Fr., Tennessee Tech

OVC Offensive Player of the Year: Josh Greco, Eastern Kentucky

OVC Defensive Player of the Year: Clint Sellers, Eastern Illinois

OVC Freshman of the Year: Javarris Williams, Tennessee State

OVC Coach of the Year: Bob Spoo, Eastern Illinois