Portland State linebacker Andy Schantz, cornerback Deshawn Shead and receiver/kick returner Aaron Woods were named second team All-Big Sky Conference today as the league released its' post-season awards. Voting for the All-Conference teams was done by league coaches.

    Schantz, who was named the team Most Valuable Player on Sunday, led the Vikings in tackles this season with 115. The Viking senior also had team-highs of 15 tackles for loss and nine pass breakups while making one interception, one fumble recovery and forcing one fumble. Schantz ranked second in the league in total tackles and 15th in the nation. He is on the Buck Buchanan Watch List for the top defensive player in the nation at the NCAA I FCS level.

    Shead, a redshirt freshman, had a big season for the Vikings. He led the Big Sky with six interceptions and ranked fifth in the nation. His interception total was the most by a Viking since 1997. Shead also had 51 tackles, seven pass breakups, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble.

    Woods, a junior from Sunset High School, led the Big Sky Conference and ranked sixth in the nation in all-purpose yards with 178.9 per game. He also led the league with a 25.9 kick return average. Woods set new Portland State records with 35 kick returns and 908 kickoff return yards. The highlight was a 93-yard kick return for a touchdown at Montana State. As a receiver, Woods had 66 receptions for 1,028 yards and six touchdowns. He became the 14th Viking in history to reach 1,000 receiving yards, and was named honorable mention All-Conference as a receiver.

Other Vikings earning honorable mention: wide receiver Mario D'Ambrosio (76 receptions, 900 yards, 9 touchdowns); offensive guard Moses Punzal; fullback Bobby McClintock (93 carries, 457 yards, 6 TDs, 34 receptions, 287 yards); outside linebacker K.J. McCrae (75 tackles, 12 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries); outside linebacker Ryan Pedersen (64 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, 3 sacks, 3 forced fumbles); inside linebacker Erik Pedersen, Portland State (84 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, fumble recovery).

Schantz, McCrae and Ryan Pedersen were all honorable mention All-Big Sky in 2007. McClintock was first team All-Big Sky in 2006.

2008 ALL-BIG SKY CONFERENCE FOOTBALL TEAM
Offensive Player of the Year - Cameron Higgins, QB, Weber State
Defensive Player of the Year - Greg Peach, DE, Eastern Washington
Newcomer of the Year ? Deonte Williams, RB, Northern Arizona

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Wide Receivers    Tony Washington, Sr., Sacramento State; Tim Toone, Jr., Weber State; Marc Mariani, Jr., Montana
Tackles         Paul Carpenter, Sr., Weber State; Lou Saucedo, Sr., Montana State
Guards        Colin Dow, Sr., Montana; Lawaia Naihe, Sr., Weber State
Center        Kyle Mutcher, Jr. Weber State
Tight end    *Ryan Chelsa, Sr., Northern Colorado
Quarterback    Cameron Higgins, So., Weber State
Running Backs    #@Trevyn Smith, Jr., Weber State; Demetrius Crawford, Sr., Montana State
Fullback        *Marcus Mailei, Sr., Weber State
Place kicker    Robbie Dehaze, Sr., Northern Arizona
Return Specialist    Marc Mariani, Jr., Montana

*Two-Time Selection
#Three-Time Selection
@Unanimous Selection

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Tackles        *Bryce Scanlon, Sr., Weber State; Steve Nwogbe, Sr., Northern Arizona
Ends        *Greg Peach, Sr., Eastern Washington; Kevin Linehan, Jr., Weber State
Outside LBs    *Mike Brannon, Sr., Sacramento State; J.D. Folsom, LB, Weber State
Inside LBs    *Cyrus Mulitalo, Sr., Sacramento State; Cristian Sarmento, Sr., Northern Colorado
Cornerbacks    *KJ Gerard, Sr., Northern Arizona; Josh Morris, Jr., Weber State
Safeties        #@Colt Anderson, Sr., Montana; Beau Hadley, Jr., Weber State; Kevin Retoriano, Jr., Montana State
Punter        Robbie Dehaze, Sr., Northern Arizona

FIRST TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
Special Teams    Kenyon Blue, Sr., Idaho State

*Two-Time Selection
#Three-Time Selection
@Unanimous Selection

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Wide Receivers    Aaron Boyce, Jr., Eastern Washington; Eddie Thompson, Sr., Idaho State; Brynsen Brown, Jr., Eastern Washington
Tackles        Levi Horn, Jr., Montana; Brent Russum, Sr., Montana
Guards        Jeff Hansen, Jr., Montana State; J.C. Oram, Fr., Weber State
Center        J.D. Quinn, Sr., Montana
Tight end    Cody Nakamura, Jr., Weber State
Quarterback    Cole Bergquist, Sr., Montana
Running Backs    Chase Reynolds, So., Montana; Bryan Hilliard, So., Sacramento State
Fullback        Alexis Alexander, Sr., Eastern Washington
Place kicker    Jason Cunningham, Fr., Montana State; Felipe Macias, Sr., Eastern Washington
Return Specialist    Aaron Woods, Jr., Portland State

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Tackles        Lance Witherspoon, Sr., Eastern Washington; Craig Mettler, Sr., Montana
Ends        Dane Fletcher, Jr., Montana State; Jason Belford, Sr., Eastern Washington
Outside LBs    Ryan Phipps, Sr., Idaho State; Cody Dowd, Jr., Northern Arizona
Inside LBs    Bobby Daly, Sr., Montana State; Andy Schantz, Sr., Portland State
Cornerbacks    Deshawn Shead, Fr., Portland State; D.J. Clark, Sr., Idaho State
Safeties        Shann Schillinger, Jr., Montana; Adam Wright, Sr., Northern Arizona
Punter         Fritz Brayton, Sr., Eastern Washington

SECOND TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
Special Teams    Tom Martin, Sr., Montana

HONORABLE MENTION OFFENSE
Wide receivers ? Tony Davis, Eastern Washington; Jaron Taylor, Idaho State; Isiah Burel, Idaho State; Ed Berry, Northern Arizona; Conrad Meadows, Northern Arizona; Skyler Moore, Northern Arizona; Mike Ferriter, Montana; Desean Thomas, Montana State; Brandon Smith, Northern Colorado; Aaron Woods, Portland State; Mario D'Ambrosio, Portland State; Mike Phillips, Weber State.
Tackles ? Brice Leahy, Eastern Washington; Chris Thomas, Eastern Washington; Evan Dietrich-Smith, Idaho State; Chris Dyk, Montana; Mike Person, Montana State; Trevor Heekin, Northern Arizona; Ryan Kemp, Northern Colorado; Ray Navar, Sacramento State.
Guards ? Terran Hillseland, Montana; Kris Poindexter, Northern Arizona; Chris Jones, Northern Colorado; Moses Punzal, Portland State; Matt Lemley, Sacramento State.
Center ? Charlie Wulff, Eastern Washington; Kevin Meagher, Northern Arizona.
Tight end ? Nate Overbay, Eastern Washington; Dan Beaudin, Montana; Steven Pfahler, Montana; Brandon Bostick, Montana State; Brian Riley, Northern Arizona.
Quarterback ? Matt Nichols, Eastern Washington; Bryan Waggener, Northern Colorado; Jason Smith, Sacramento State.
Running Back ? Dale Morris, Eastern Washington; Deonte Williams, Northern Arizona, Andrew Schmidt, Montana.
Fullback ? Trevor Messersmith, Idaho State; Kevin Klaboe, Montana; Bobby McClintock, Portland State.
Place kicker ? Juan Gamboa, Sacramento State.
Return Specalist ? JD Ponciano, Idaho State; Conrad Meadows, Northern Arizona, Bryant Eteuati, Weber State.

HONORABLE MENTION DEFENSE
Tackles ? Jesse Carlson, Montana; Christian Clark, Sacramento State; Ryan Eastman, Weber State.
Ends ? Jace Palmer, Montana; Mike Stadnyk, Montana; Mike Battisti, Northern Arizona; Kyle Rath, Northern Arizona; Zach Nash, Sacramento State; Pate Moleni, Weber State.
Outside Linebackers ? JC Sherritt, Eastern Washington; Zach Johnson, Eastern Washington, Brandon Fisher, Montana; Chase Gazzerro, Montana State; Jeff Price, Montana State; Joe Kenney, LB, Northern Colorado; K.J. McCrae, Portland State; Ryan Pedersen, Portland State; Michael Hickman, Sacramento State.
Inside Linebackers ? Makai Borden, Eastern Washington; Shawn Lebsock, Montana; Tyler Corwin, Montana; Stevon Thomas, Northern Arizona; Erik Pedersen, Portland State; Biff Swan, Weber State.
Cornerback ? Ryan Kelley, Eastern Washington; Trumaine Johnson, Montana; Ramon Lewis, Montana State; Myles Hayes, Northern Colorado; Deionte Gordon, Sacramento State.
Safeties ? Matt Johnson, Eastern Washington; A.J. Storms, Idaho State; Max Hewitt, Northern Colorado; Scotty Goodloe, Weber State.
Punters ? Jon Vanderwielen, Idaho State; Erik Fisher, Montana State.

SPECIAL TEAMS HONORABLE MENTION
Nick Ramos, Eastern Washington; Anthony Evans, Northern Arizona; Beau Hadley, Weber State