 |  |
Hawkins, Henfield named Mid-South Player, Freshman of the Year
By Matt Green
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Shorter University junior linebacker Demery Hawkins has been named Mid-South Conference West Division Defensive Player of the Year and freshman linebacker Dominique Henfield has been tabbed Mid-South West Division Defensive Freshman of the Year, conference officials announced Thursday.
The honors for Hawkins and Henfield highlight 12 Hawks that appear on the All-Mid-South first and honorable mention teams.
Hawkins is Shorter's sixth Player of the Year honoree and first since A.J. Cooley and Logan Lollis repeated as Mid-South Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in 2009. Henfield becomes the first Hawk to be named Mid-South Freshman of the Year.
Hawkins, a 6-1, 240-pound native of Lyons who transferred to Shorter from Georgia Military College, led the Mid-South and ranked No. 3 in the NAIA in tackles (110) and tackles per game (11.0). His 110 stops are the second-best single-season total in school history behind Lollis and his 113 tackles in 2008.
Hawkins made 13 tackles for loss, collected 2.5 sacks, forced two fumbles and recovered another while serving as the anchor for Shorter's third-ranked defense. He recorded a career-high 15 tackles in Shorter's 21-14 loss at No. 3-ranked Georgetown (Ky.) and made double-figure stops in all but two games.
Henfield, a 6-3, 230-pounder from Savannah, lined up next to Hawkins to give the Hawks a devastating 1-2 inside linebacking punch.
Henfield ranked second on the team in tackles with 78 while making two tackles for loss and recovering a pair of fumbles. He made 11 stops in a game three different times and showed tremendous versatility in sideline to sideline pursuit.
Joining Hawkins and Henfield on the Mid-South West first team were senior offensive linemen Andy Kellogg and Nick Newborn, senior tight end Collin Wooddy, sophomore slotback and return specialist Jonny Sitton and freshman nose guard Damien Riden.
Kellogg and Newborn served as the foundation of an offensive line that helped Shorter ranked third in the country in rushing at over 271 yards a game. The All-Conference honor is the third each for both Kellogg and Newborn, who previously made the All-Mid-South roster in 2009 and 2010.
Wooddy, a native of Fayetteville, had a career season as a pass catcher from his tight end position, making three grabs for 46 yards and three touchdowns. Wooddy was best known for his physical blocking ability, but departs Shorter with five career catches for 56 yards and the three TDs.
Sitton established himself as one of the nation's premier return men while racking up plenty of all-purpose yardage. The University of South Florida transfer, who hails from Largo, Fla., ranked No. 3 in the NAIA in both kickoff return average (35.0) and punt return average (19.7). He returned a punt 59 yards for a touchdown against Faulkner and was named the Mid-South Special Teams Player of the Week twice during the season.
When he wasn't fielding kicks, the 5-7, 170-pounder was making plays as a slotback in Shorter's spread option attack. Sitton ran for 219 yards and a touchdown and caught seven passes for 161 yards and three scores. He averaged 8.4 yards per carry, 23.0 yards a catch and ended the season with 1,260 all-purpose yards.
Riden, a true freshman out of Carnesville, worked his way into the starting lineup at nose guard and turned in a solid debut season. The 6-0, 310-pound Riden ranked fifth on the team in tackles with 53, made 3.5 tackles for loss, recorded a pair of sacks and recovered two fumbles.
Five more Hawks were named to the Mid-South West honorable mention roster: senior offensive lineman Sam Robison, sophomore fullback C.J. Scott, junior defensive backs Desmond Clark and Eric Stallworth and freshman punter Aaron Mize.
Robison, a 5-10, 275-pound native of Bremen, had arguably his best season at left guard for the Hawks, starting every game despite battling nagging injuries.
Scott, who hails from Lyons, led the Hawks and ranked sixth in the Mid-South in rushing with 747 yards and five touchdowns while picking up 6.5 yards per carry. He eclipsed the 100-yard mark four times in 2011 and his 91-yard TD run against Union is the fourth-longest touchdown jaunt in school history.
Clark and Stallworth roamed Shorter's secondary and helped spearhead an improved pass defense. Clark ranked fourth on the team in tackles with 54 and returned his lone interception on the year against Webber International 100 yards for a TD for the longest scoring play in school history.
Stallworth had his best season to date with 46 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
Mize was a welcomed surprise for Shorter in the kicking game. The Chickamauga native averaged 38.9 yards per punt with a long of 59 against Belhaven, a game in which he averaged 49.5 yards per boot.
Shorter placed 24 student-athletes on the Mid-South All-Academic team: Newborn, Robison, Wooddy, Chase Bowles, Chaz Bowles, Warren Brooks, Josh Clements, Derik Cooper, Kendall Dials, Josh Dorminy, Kyle Farmer, Kenny Foster, Kevin Hall, Dylan Holtman, Anthony Hudgins, Richard Hyde, Landon Littlejohn, Gabe Miller, Bradley Moon, Michael Ozment, Ben Peterson, Tyler Thomas, Gary Tiller and Justin White.
