Jay Hilbrands has been named MIAC second-team all-conference offense. He is a senior wide receiver for Bethel from Clara City (MACCRAY). He has caught 41 passes for 488 yards and 7 TDS. In his first three seasons at the St. Paul campus, he caught 49 passes for 666 yards and 6 TDs.
The Royals (9-3) lost at UW-Oshkosh (11-0) on Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.
3 Johnnies from area named HM
St. John's University senior linebacker Taylor Dammermann (New London-Spicer), junior running back/return specialist Jake Essler (New London-Spicer) and freshman wide receiver Josh Bungum (Paynesville) were named All-MIAC honorable mention.
Dammermann finished second in the conference with 108 tackles (49 solo) and tallied 10 tackles or more in five games this season. He tied a school record with 21 tackles (eight solo) at Concordia-Moorhead Sept. 22 and made 19 stops (seven solo) in the season finale Nov. 10 at Bethel. Dammermann ended his career with 167 tackles (77 solo).
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Essler totaled 637 yards on 39 returns (19 kick returns for 370 yards and 20 punt returns for 267 yards), including an 85-yard punt return for a touchdown Sept. 29 against St. Olaf. He also averaged 6.7 yards per touch on offense, accumulating 168 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns.
Bungum led the Johnnies in all three receiving categories (42 receptions for 575 yards and four touchdowns) this fall, the first freshman to achieve such a feat in school history since Dave Arnold in 1969 (18 catches for 448 yards and six touchdowns).
Cobbers sweep
Concordia College, coached by 1985 Willmar graduate Terry Horan, swept the MIAC postseason player awards and had 23 players earn All-Conference honors.
Fullback Brett Baune (Fargo South) earned the Jim Christopherson Award as the league's Most Valuable Player and offensive tackle Tom Knowlton (Fargo South) was given the Mike Stam Award which goes to the top lineman in the conference.
Former Willmar athlete Ryan Filipek of Concordia College was named All-MIAC Honorable Mention. He is senior 6-foot-6, 290-pound offensive tackle.
