Damaschke named NACC Offensive Player of the Year

WAUKESHA, Wis. – Junior quarterback Austin Damaschke spent the 2013 Football season giving opposing Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference coaches, coordinators and players headaches trying to stop him. Damaschke put up big numbers week in and week out in leading his team to a NACC championship and as a result was named the league's Offensive Player of the Year, according to the postseason awards released Tuesday morning.

The Falcons were well represented on the all-conference teams as 18 players earned recognition and head coach Greg Etter was named Coach of the Year. Etter guided his team to a perfect 6-0 record in conference play and a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Damaschke (Bristol, Wis.) led the NACC with 3,171 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and a 62.8 completion percentage. In addition to throwing the ball all over the field, he proved to be a dual-threat quarterback rushing for 61 yards per game and 12 touchdowns. He was named NACC Offensive Player of the Week three times throughout the season.

Three other Falcons joined Damaschke on the First Team All-NACC Offense, including his leading wide receiver, junior Garrett Wenzelburger (Hartland, Wis.). Wenzelburger led the conference in most receiving categories, including receptions (101), yards (1,193) and touchdowns (11). Also joining on the First Team were offensive lineman Wil Goodman (Waukesha, Wis.) and Nick Smith (Cudahy, Wis.). Those two helped pave the way for the record-setting offense CUW produced in 2013.

Three Falcons were selected to the First Team Defense in seniors Taylor Witty (Milwaukee, Wis.) and John Palese (West Bend, Wis.) and sophomore Luke Scheuerlein (Thiensville, Wis.). Witty, a defensive lineman, finished the season with 49 tackles, 11 for a loss, three sacks and also forced two fumbles, while recovering three. Palese recorded 34 tackles, intercepted one pass and broke up six from his defensive back position, while Scheuerlein posted 38 tackles, three for a loss and intercepted one pass as a key linebacker for CUW.

CUW also had seven players earn Second Team All-NACC honors, as four offensive players, one defensive, and two special teamers were selected. Running back LaCurt Evans (Bloomingdale, Ill.), wide receiver Cody Johnson (Brookfield, Wis.) and offensive linemen Anthony Quinones (Riverview, Fla.) and Sean Jones (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) were the offensive selections.

Evans ran for 532 yards and seven touchdowns this season, but was also a factor in the passing game, catching 24 passes for 216 yards. Johnson was a big play wide receiver, catching 38 passes for 701 yards (18.4 yards per catch) all while hauling in six touchdowns. Quinones and Jones were key cogs to the offensive line that saw four of five starts receive All-NACC recognition.

On defense, junior defensive lineman Uzziel McDermit (Kansasville, Wis.) was named to the Second Team. McDermit recorded 4.5 sacks in addition to his 46 tackles and was a force in the opponent's backfield all season long, recording 14.5 tackles for a loss. He also forced two fumbles.

Junior kicker David Gonzalez (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) and punter Hunter Breunig (Lodi, Wis.) were also Second Team selections. Gonzalez, who is now the NACC's career points leader for kickers, led all at his position with 85 points. He finished second in the conference with nine field goals made and was 58-for-61 on extra point attempts. Breunig punted 35 times for 1,315 yards, or a 37.6 yards per punt average. He pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line on 10 of those 35 punts.

Four CUW players earned Honorable Mention recognition. On defense, freshmen QuRon Hall (Jacksonville, Fla.), Bryan Thomas (Lowell, Ind.) and senior Joe Paul (West Bend, Wis.) were honored, while senior wide receiver James Saunders (Riverview, Fla.) also was an honorable mention selection.

Hall and Thomas were talented newcomers in the Falcons secondary as Thomas made 56 tackles in his rookie season, while Hall led the team with three interceptions. Paul made 87 tackles, ranking second in the conference, forced one fumble and recovered another. Saunders hauled in 54 passes for 610 yards and scored three times.

2013 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Football Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Austin Damaschke, Concordia Wisconsin
Defensive Player of the Year: Luke Sebald, Wisconsin Lutheran
Freshman of the Year: Jarrett Lecas, Benedictine
Coach of the Year: Greg Etter, Concordia Wisconsin

First Team All-Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
Offense
Austin Damaschke, Concordia Wisconsin, QB, Jr. Bristol, Wis.
Jake Apple, Aurora, RB, So. Davis, Ill.
Kendrick Burks, Lakeland, RB, Jr. Pontiac, Mich.
Artie Monaco, Benedictine, RB, Jr. Bloomingdale, Ill.
Mike Reeves, Wisconsin Lutheran, RB, Jr. Hoffman Estates, Ill.
Delroy Russel, Jr., Rockford, WR, Sr. Richmond, Calif.
Kezlow Smith, Lakeland, WR, So. Pontiac, Mich.
Garrett Wenzelburger, Concordia Wisconsin, WR, Jr. Hartland, Wis.
Ryan Mizgate, Aurora, TE, Sr. Lansing, Ill.
Andy Crivellone, Lakeland, OL, Jr. Oak Lawn, Ill.
Wil Goodman, Concordia Wisconsin, OL, Sr. Waukesha, Wis.
Nick Smith, Concordia Wisconsin, OL, Jr. Cudahy, Wis.
Alvin Taylor, Benedictine, OL, Jr. Chicago, Ill.
Zach Trisilla, Aurora, OL, Jr. South Elgin, Ill.

Defense
Niko Paaloalo, Benedictine, DL, So. Zion, Ill.
Luke Sebald, Wisconsin Lutheran ,DL, Jr. Menomonee Falls, Wis.
Tyler Simmons, Aurora, DL, Sr. Crystal Lake, Ill.
Trevor Tanck, Lakeland, DL, Jr. Baileys Harbor, Wis.
Taylor Witty, Concordia Wisconsin, DL, Sr. Milwaukee, Wis.
Trent Altieri, Benedictine, LB, Sr. Highland, Ind.
Brandon Haase, Aurora, LB, Sr. Minooka, Ill.
Jestin Heimbruch, Wisconsin Lutheran, LB, Jr. Manawa, Wis.
Luke Scheuerlein, Concordia Wisconsin, LB, So. Thiensville, Wis.
Seth Swinehart, Rockford, LB, Jr. Rockford, Ill.
Stefan Herron, Benedictine, DB, Jr. Springfield, Mo.
Jarrett Lecas, Benedictine, DB, Fr. Frankfort, Ill.
Cody Lemke, Lakeland, DB, Sr. Kewaskum, Wis.
John Palese, Concordia Wisconsin, DB, Sr. West Bend, Wis.
Jordan Rabe, Wisconsin Lutheran, DB, Sr. Oshkosh, Wis.

Special Teams
Fernando Albarran, Aurora, K, Sr. Oak Lawn, Ill.
Ryan Mizgate, Aurora, P, Sr. Lansing, Ill.
Artie Monaco, Benedictine, RET, Jr. Bloomingdale, Ill.

Second Team All-Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
Offense
Dylan Van Straten, Lakeland, QB, Sr. Shiocton, Wis.
LaCurt Evans, Concordia Wisconsin, RB, So. Bloomingdale, Ill.
Michael McNulty, Benedictine, RB, Sr. Elmhurst, Ill.
Donavin Tucker, Wisconsin Lutheran, RB, Sr. Brookfield, Wis.
Blake Anders, Benedictine, WR, So. Mokena, Ill.
Cody Johnson, Concordia Wisconsin, WR, Sr. Brookfield, Wis.
Mitch Skarban, Wisconsin Lutheran, WR, So. Appleton, Wis.
Dane Kirk, Rockford, TE, Jr. Rochelle, Ill.
Alex Cebular, Aurora, OL, Sr. Brookfield, Ill.
Scott Illich, Concordia Chicago, OL, Sr. Crystal Lake, Ill.
Sean Jones, Concordia Wisconsin, OL, Jr. Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Anthony Quinones, Concordia Wisconsin, OL, Sr. Riverview, Fla.
Sam Spaeth, Lakeland, OL, Sr. Appleton, Wis.

Defense
Alex Davis, Benedictine, DL, So. Livonia, Mich.
Jake LaFleur, Lakeland, DL, So. Manitowoc, Wis.
Uzziel McDermit, Concordia Wisconsin, DL, Jr. Kansasville, Wis.
Tanner Behnke, Wisconsin Lutheran, LB, So. Brillion, Wis.
Dylan Rose, Benedictine , LB, So. Oak Lawn, Ill.
Eric Zeitler, Wisconsin Lutheran, LB, Sr. Waukesha, Wis.
Yaphay Harvey, Lakeland, DB, Jr. Milwaukee, Wis.
Reginald Haynes, Rockford, DB, So. Chicago, Ill.
Ben Manske, Lakeland, DB, Sr. Neenah, Wis.

Special Teams
David Gonzalez, Concordia Wisconsin, K, Jr. Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Hunter Breunig, Concordia Wisconsin, P, Jr. Lodi, Wis.
Mike Wynn, Lakeland, RET, Fr. Detroit, Mich.

Honorable mention: Tim Bahr (Fr., DL, Concordia Chicago); Jordan Blair (So., DB, Rockford); Dylan Busch (Jr., OL, Lakeland); QuRon Hall (Fr., DB, Concordia Wisconsin); Cody Jones (Sr., DL, Aurora); Chris Klueger (Sr., OL, Wisconsin Lutheran); Aabed Nekrawesh (Sr., QB, Rockford); Joe Paul (Sr., LB, Concordia Wisconsin); Jake Sakal (Sr., DL, Benedictine); James Saunders (Sr., WR, Concordia Wisconsin); Bryan Thomas (Fr., DB, Concordia Wisconsin); Javon Toland (So., OL, Lakeland); Mike Wynn (Fr., WR, Lakeland).