Posted: Nov 24, 2014
KANSAS CITY - Central Methodist had 21 different players recognized when the 2014 All-Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) Football team was announced Monday.
Ten Central Methodist offensive players were honored by the conference office.
On the offensive line, redshirt senior center Alika Nonies-Lewis (Mililani, Hawaii) was a third-team selection, while senior left guard Jake McSpadden (Branson, Mo.) and redshirt junior right guard Wayman Yeldell (San Diego) were honorable mention picks. All three players helped pave the way for an Eagles' offense that ranked 24th in the NAIA in passing offense with 2533 yards.
Sophomore Keenan Honore (Anchorage, Alaska) was a second-team pick as a kick returner and ranked eighth nationally in kickoff return yards (637) with one score. Sophomore Shawn Whitley (St. Louis) was a third-team choice as a punt returner and honorable mention pick as a wide receiver. Whitley was fifth in the country in punt return yards (288) and totaled a league-best two scores while ranking 36th in receptions (52). Senior Paul Stevens (Branson, Mo.) was a third-team pick as a wide receiver and honorable mention selection as an athlete. Stevens was 29th nationally in receptions (57) and 33rd in receiving yards (777) with four receiving touchdowns to go along with 12 kickoff returns for 234 yards. Junior wide receiver Jamall Williams (Kansas City) was an honorable mention pick and ranked 49th in receiving yards per game (63.4) while totaling 29 receptions, 571 yards and nine touchdowns, second best in the HAAC. Stevens and Williams, who was named HAAC Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 13, each had three 100-yard receiving games.
Sophomore running back Tyler Steinkamp (New London, Mo.) was an honorable mention selection. He led the team in rushing yards (703), including three 100-yard games, and rushing touchdowns (4).
Senior quarterback Nic Stephens (Los Angeles) was an honorable mention pick, ranking 25th nationally in passing yards per game (207.3) and 36th in total offense per game (201.2). He was 170-of-317 passing for 2073 yards with 12 touchdowns and four interceptions.�
Senior tight end Kelly Malloy (Branson, Mo.) was an honorable mention choice after catching four passes for 58 yards this season.
Ten Central Methodist players were honored by the league's 10 head coaches for a defensive unit that set a single-game school record with 10 sacks against Kansas Wesleyan and ranked 35th in the NAIA in sacks per game (2.2), 46th in rushing defense per game (176.5) and 49th in pass defense efficiency (124.7).
On the defensive line, junior defensive tackle Damien Stevens (Piscataway, N.J.), redshirt senior defensive tackle Hunter Kelley (Kirksville, Mo.), sophomore defensive end Ryan Tate (Thayer, Mo.) and senior defensive end Collin Sizemore (Perry, Mo.) were honorable mention picks. Stevens was third on the team with 64 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and three blocked kicks. Kelley was fourth on the squad with 54 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, a forced fumble, fumble recovery and pass defensed. Tate, who was named the HAAC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept 15 and tied a single-game school record with three sacks against Kansas Wesleyan, ranked 33rd in the NAIA in sacks per game (0.6) and 47th in forced fumbles per game (0.2) to go along with 36 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick. Sizemore was 40th in sacks (6.0) to go along with 52 tackles, 13.0 tackles for loss, two passes defensed and one fumble recovery.
Junior middle linebacker Matt Harmon (Kansas City) and redshirt senior outside linebacker Conner White (Jefferson City, Mo.) were honorable mention picks. Harmon ranked second on the team with 77 tackles, two tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, two interceptions and three passes defensed. White, who was named HAAC Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 6, made 33 stops with 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception and two passes defensed.
In the secondary, senior cornerbacks Collin Teal (Fair Grove, Mo.) and Chris Porter (Houston), junior cornerback Brandon Justin (Fairfield, Calif.) and senior free safety Skyler Jameson (Center, Mo.) were honorable mention choices. Teal had 12 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, one interception and five passes broken up in 2014. Porter made 36 stops to go along with one tackle for loss, one sack, two interceptions and nine passes defensed. Justin ranked 18th in the NAIA in passes broken up per game (1.3) and 47th in forced fumbles per game (0.2), totaling 43 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, 14 passes defensed and a blocked kick. Jameson led the unit with 78 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, a forced fumble, nine passes defensed and a blocked kick.
Senior kicker Ezequiel Rivera (Corona, Calif.) was named honorable mention, ranking 32nd nationally in made field goals (7) and 49th in scoring (46). He exits as the school's all-time leader in made field goals (28) and extra points (89).
Central Methodist finished the 2014 campaign 5-6 overall.
