The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

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December 13, 2012

Williams, Brown, Dreiling named to AP Little All-America team

The Joplin Globe

Missouri Southern’s Brandon Williams and Pittsburg State’s John Brown and Nate Dreiling received more All-America hardware on Thursday.

Williams, a defensive tackle, and Brown, a return specialist are first-team selections on the Associated Press’ Little All-America team. Dreiling, a linebacker, made the third team.

The Little All-America team honors players from NCAA Divisions II and III and the NAIA.

Williams, 325-pound senior, was named national defensive player of the year by Beyond Sports Network. He also was the defensive player of the year in both the MIAA and the Central Region, and he’s accepted an invitation to play in next month’s Senior Bowl.

Brown, a junior, ranked second nationally with 2,000 all-purpose yards.

Dreiling, also a junior, led the Gorillas in tackles for the third consecutive season.

The three finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy — running backs Michael Hill of Missouri Western and Franklyn Quiteh of Bloomsburg and quarterback Zach Zulli of Shippensburg — all made the first team. The Harlon Hill winner will be announced tonight at a banquet in Florence, Ala. — site of Saturday’s Division II championship game between Valdosta State and Winston-Salem State.

Hill averaged 154.9 rushing yards per game, second nationally behind Quiteh.

Quiteh, a Little All-American in 2010 as a freshman, went over 2,000 yards for the second time in his career. He leads Division II at 176.8 yards per game and scored 24 touchdowns.

Zulli tied a Division II record with 54 touchdowns passes, set a record for TDs responsible for (56) and threw for 4,747 yards.

Running back James Clay of Mount St. Joseph, who led Division III with 212 yards per game, also was a first-team selection.

The receivers are Jeff Janis from Saginaw Valley and Isaiah Voegeli from Merrimack. Janis caught 106 passes for 1,635 yards and 17 touchdowns. Voegeli led Division II with 150 yards receiving per game.

The first-team defense also includes lineman Ethan Westbrooks of West Texas A&M, who logged 19.5 quarterback sacks this season, and defensive back Jack Moro of St. Cloud State, who intercepted 11 passes.

Missouri Western, the MIAA champion who lost in the quarterfinals of the Division II playoffs, is also represented by defensive end David Bass on the second team and offensive lineman Macon Allan on the third team.

From Northwest Missouri State’s secondary, Nate DeJong made the second team and Brandon Dixon is on the third team.

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