13 November 2001
CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, 309-556-3206
 
 

IWU Lands 11 on All-CCIW Football Teams

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- Illinois Wesleyan, who shared the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football championship, placed 11 players on the two all-league squads selected by league coaches today in Rock Island.

Defensive backs Brad Andrekus and Kevin Kaplan were repeaters on the first team, joined this season by linebacker Mike Clark, defensive end Steve Schilsky, junior offensive tackle Adam Miller and sophomore wide receiver Tim Snyder.

Kaplan was named as both a defensive back and as a return specialist.

On the all-CCIW second team are, all seniors, tight end Shaun Friziellie, running back Aaron Telford, defensive lineman Keir Thirus, linebacker Andy Rader and defensive back Creighton Drescher.

IWU head coach Norm Eash, whose squad was picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll, was chosen as the "Bob Reade Coach of the Year", an honor he also won in the league championship seasons of 1992 and 1996. The Titans were 6-1 this fall in winning their first back-to-back league titles since 1964-65.

Augustana running back David Chorney won the "Art Keller Offensive Player of the Year" award and Millikin lineman Mike Lindsey won the "Don Larson Defensive Player of the Year" honor.

The league honors are named for long-time former CCIW coaches Don Larson of Illinois Wesleyan, Bob Reade of Augustana and Art Keller of Carthage.

First Team All-Conference

Andrekus, a senior from Carol Stream (Glenbard North HS), led the CCIW for the second straight year with four interceptions and 50 return yards. He was third on the IWU team with 41 tackles, recovered two fumbles and had five pass breakups.

Kaplan, a junior from Cary (Cary Grove HS), made 13 tackles and had an interception. He had a league-high 22.7 punt return average and returned a punt for a school-record 85 yards for a score against Carthage.

Clark, a junior from Joliet (West HS), was fifth in the league with 67 total tackles and made three quarterback sacks. He averaged 1.2 tackles for loss per game and returned an interception 70 yards for a touchdown at Millikin.

Schilsky, a junior from Springfield (Sacred Heart Griffin HS), made 5.5 tackles per game and 1.25 tackles for loss per game against CCIW opponents. He tied for fourth in the league with four quarterback sacks.

Miller (Elgin, Larkin HS), a second team selection a year ago, led an offensive line that allowed the offense to average 344.3 yards per game of total offense against CCIW opponents.

Snyder (Glen Ellyn, Glenbard South HS) was second in the league in both receptions per game (3.33) and receiving yards per game (53.5). Snyder made 20 catches for 321 yards and a touchdown.

Second Team All-Conference

In addition to being a solid blocker on the offensive line as a tight end, Friziellie (Prospect HS) made seven catches for 57 yards against CCIW opponents.

Telford (Bloomington, Central Catholic HS) finished fourth in the CCIW with an average of 87.4 rushing yards per game. With 116 carries, Telford had 612 yards and seven touchdowns and also made 14 catches for 114 yards and a touchdown.

Thirus (Country Club Hills, Rich Central HS), in his first season as a starter, made nine solo tackles and assisted on 13 more in CCIW games.

Rader (Carlock, Normal U High) was fourth on the team with 37 tackles in CCIW games. He had three tackles for loss and recovered a fumble.

Drescher (Palatine HS) was second on the team with 44 tackles, including 27 solo, in CCIW play. He had three tackles for yardage loss, broke up two passes and recovered a fumble.