13 Crusader gridders earn All-CCIW accolades

Wheaton, Ill.

(11/17) - 13 Wheaton College football players have been named All-Conference

by the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football coaches. Wheaton

has the most all-conference selections of any CCIW team, ahead of conference

champion Augustana's 12 representatives and Millikin's 11. Wheaton finished

the season 7-2 overall and 5-2 in the CCIW for second-place in the conference.

Three Crusaders made the

All-CCIW Defense First Team. Wheaton is ranked 20th in Division III in total

defense holding opponents to 256.1 yards per game. Senior defensive lineman

Drew Pearson (Wheaton, Ill./North), junior linebacker Greg McMillin

(Nampa, Idaho/Nampa Senior) and senior defensive back John Peays (Austin,

Texas/Westlake) earned that recognition. Pearson led the Crusaders in sacks

this season with 12 (-82 yards) and tackles for lost yards with 19 (-97 yards).

Pearson posted 26 total tackles this season, 19 of which were behind the line

of scrimmage. The 6-3, 240-pound lineman also led the team in quarterback hurries

with 11 and had at least one tackle for lost yardage in every game this season.

McMillin led Wheaton in total tackles with 116, including 78 solo tackles. McMillin

also had seven quarterback sacks (-41 yards) and 11 tackles for lost yardage

(-48 yards). On three occasions this season McMillin posted 21 total tackles

in a game and seven times led Wheaton in total. John Peays led Wheaton in interceptions

with five picks and was second on the team in total tackles with 84 (57 solo).

Peays also led the team in passes broken up with seven and added two fumble

recoveries and two blocked kicks.

Three

Crusaders were named to the All-CCIW Offense First Team; junior runningback

Brian Pastermack (Merritt Island, Fla./Merritt Island), junior wide receiver

Jeremy Amos (Austin, Texas/Westlake) and lineman Chris Lagioia

(Palatine, Ill./Palatine). Pastermack (PICTURED) was Wheaton's leading rusher

with 759 yards on 136 carries for a 5.6 yards per carry average. Pastermack

also reached the endzone more than any other Crusader player with 10 touchdowns,

leading the team with 66 points. Amos was Wheaton's top receiver with 44 catches

for 499 yards for 11.3 yards per catch and four touchdowns. Chris Lagioia, was

a standout right guard on a Crusader offense that amassed 3148 yards of total

offense. Lagioia and the Wheaton line only allowed 22 sacks in nine games this

season.

Two Wheaton athletes were

named First Team Special Teams. Placekicker Chris Baughman (Fort Morgan,

Colo./Fort Morgan) and kick returner Ben Peays (Austin, Texas/Westlake).

Junior kicker Baughman set the CCIW (league games only) record for field goals

in a season with 11. He also set the Crusader school-record for field goals

in a season with 12 by going 12 of 13 on field goal attempts this season. Baughman

is second among Division III kickers in field goals per game with 1.33 field

goals a game. Baughman was 25-33 on extra point attempts with 61 total points

for second on the team in scoring. In CCIW games he was the league's leading

scorer with 51 points in league action. Senior Ben Peays is making his third

All-CCIW effort, this season as a kick returner. Peays averaged 13.5 yards per

punt return and 22.1 yards per kickoff return this season. Peays and his twin

brother John join their former high school teammate Jeremy Amos as First Team

All-CCIW selections.

Senior defensive back Ben

Wilson (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South), linebackers Dane Lundgren

(Arden Hills, Minn./Mounds View) and Mitch Clement (Garden City, Kan./Garden

City) were Second Team defensive selections. Wilson notched 47 total tackles

(30 solo) with four tackles for lost yards (-23 yards) and two quarterback sacks

(-17 yards). Wilson also found two fumble recoveries and was second on the team

in pass break-ups with four. Freshman Dane Lundgren has had a sensational rookie

campaign with 73 total tackles (46 solo). He is third on the team in total tackles

and second on the team in both quarterback sacks and tackles for lost yards.

He has eight sacks (-54 yards) and 15 tackles for lost yards (-72 yards). Senior

co-captain Mitch Clement was fourth on the team in total tackles with 59 total

tackles (25 solo). Clement also had four sacks (-27 yards), two interceptions

and a fumble recovery for a touchdown return of 35 yards.

Junior offensive lineman

Brian Brown (Wichita Falls, Texas/Rider) and senior receiver Jay Westra

(Wheaton, Ill./North) were named to the offensive Second Team. was a standout

right guard on a Crusader offense that amassed 3148 yards of total offense.

Brian Brown was the Crusaders' right tackle on an offensive line that helped

move an offense that gained 3148 yards of total offense. Westra was third on

the team in scoring with 30 points on five touchdown receptions. Westra had

31 catches this season for 300 yards with a 12.9 yards per reception average

and 50 receiving yards per game.