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All-Conference Football Team

1st Team Offense 1st Team Defense
2nd Team Offense 2nd Team Defense
Individual Honors Honorable Mention
Academic All-Conference

RICHARDSON, Texas -- The 1998 American Southwest Conference Football All-Conference team has been announced. Coaches from all eight football-playing schools voted for the first and second team recipients and for special individual awards.

Seven of the eight teams in the Conference are represented on the Offensive and Defensive First Teams. Hardin-Simmons University, this year's conference champion leads all teams with 11 players on the first team (six offense, five defense). Howard Payne University placed seven players on the first team with three on offense and four on defense. Mississippi College, last season's conference champs, had four players on the First Team defense, and McMurry University had three players on the First Team Offense. Sul Ross State University, Austin College and University of Mary Hardin-Baylor each had a player named First Team All-Conference.

Hardin-Simmons senior quarterback Bill Poe has been voted Offensive Player of the Year, narrowly beating out McMurry junior quarterback Braxton Shaver. Poe led the conference in total offense with 2,653 yards and averaged 265.3 yards of total offense per game. He also led the ASC in passing efficiency with a 163.3 rating, and was second in passing yards per game with 246.0. Hardin-Simmons junior guard Gary Gutierrez was voted ASC Offensive Lineman of the Year. On the defensive side of the ball, Hardin-Simmons' senior defensive end Dustin Kiserr was named both Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year. Kiser led the conference in sacks with 8 for losses of 72 yards, tackles for loss (18 for 96 yards) and averaged 6.3 tackles per game. Coaches selected Mary Hardin-Baylor running back Anton Holloway as Freshman of the Year. Holloway led the ASC in rushing with 106.7 yards per game and helped the Crusaders to a 3-7, 2-5 in the ASC record in their inaugural season of football. Hardin-Simmons head coach Jimmie Keeling is the choice for ASC Coach of the Year, guiding the Cowboys to a 9-1 record this season, a perfect 7-0 in the conference. After an opening-day loss, Hardin-Simmons rolled up nine straight wins to earn the 1998 ASC Football Championship, clinching the title with a thrilling 30-24 overtime victory over McMurry in front of 4,300 fans at Shelton Stadium.

1998 All-Conference Football
FIRST TEAM - Offense
Quarterback Bill Poe, Hardin-Simmons, Senior, 5-11, 195, McKinney, Texas
Wide Receivers Cory Hailey, Austin College, Sophomore, 5-10, 175, Pittsburg, Texas
Mitch Ables, Hardin-Simmons, Senior, 6-0, 185, Mineral Wells, Texas
Slot Back Cliff Hall, Howard Payne, Senior, 5-9, 168, Kerens, Texas
Running Backs Dameian Vallery, Howard Payne, Senior, 6-1, 210, Aldine, Texas
Anton Holloway, Mary Hardin-Baylor, Freshman, 5-9, 180, Temple, Texas
David Harmon, McMurry, Junior, 6-1, 215, Odessa, Texas
Tight End Jason Ingram, Howard Payne, Senior, 5-11, 227, LaGrange, Texas
Guards Gary Gutierrez, Hardin-Simmons, Junior, 6-0, 265, San Antonio, Texas
Victor Picon, McMurry, Senior, 5-6, 260, Houston, Texas
Tackles Rocky Smart, Hardin-Simmons, Senior, 6-3, 265, Clyde, Texas
Jon Rhiddlehoover, McMurry, Junior, 6-4, 270, Abilene, Texas
Center Jesse Burleson, Hardin-Simmons, Senior, 6-1, 260, Clyde, Texas
Place Kicker Mark Smith, Hardin-Simmons, Sophomore, 6-1, 180, Abilene, Texas
Return Specialist Tim Matthews, Sul Ross State, Senior, 6-2, 205, Houston, Texas
FIRST TEAM - Defense
Defensive Line Dustin Kiser, Hardin-Simmons, Senior, 6-4, 250, Munday, Texas
Bryant Shaw, Mississippi College, Junior, 6-3, 250, Ocean Springs, Miss.
Link Harris, Hardin-Simmons, Junior, 6-0, 250, Palestine, Texas
Barrett Allen, Howard Payne, Sophomore, 6-3, 216, Boling, Texas
Linebackers Mike Tates, Howard Payne, Sophomore, 5-10, 217, Bryan, Texas
Robert Brown, Hardin-Simmons, Senior, 5-8, 200, Ferris, Texas
Ryan Jacobs, Hardin-Simmons, Junior, 6-2, 210, Corpus Christi, Texas
Michael Brown, Mississippi College, Junior, 6-1, 225, Columbus, Miss.
Defensive Backs Sedrick Medlock, Howard Payne, Senior, 5-11, 185, Mart, Texas
David Rausch, Hardin-Simmons, Junior, 6-2, 195, Abilene, Texas
Michael Meurrier, Mississippi College, Junior, 5-10, 170, Batesville, Miss.
J.J. Davis, Howard Payne, Senior, 6-2, 160, Tidehaven, Texas
Punter Robert Andrews, Mississippi College, Senior, 6-0, 200, Ocean Springs, Miss.
SECOND TEAM - Offense
Quarterback Braxton Shaver, McMurry, Junior, 6-1, 184, Haltom City, Texas
Wide Receivers Matt Murphy, Mississippi College, Junior, 5-11, 180, Cordova, Tenn.
Reggie Sterns, McMurry, Senior, 5-10, 170, Waxahachie, Texas
Slot Back Andrew Cox, McMurry, Sophomore, 6-0, 175, Lubbock, Texas
Running Backs Richard Green, Howard Payne, Sophomore, 5-9, 204, Mart, Texas
Patrick Baca, Hardin-Simmons, Senior, 6-2, 215, College Station, Texas
Aaron Kernek, Austin College, Sophomore, 6-2, 205, Sunset, Texas
Tight End Stewart Chalmers, Hardin-Simmons, Junior, 6-2, 230, Jacksboro, Texas
Guard Matt Calvert, Mississippi College, Junior, 6-2, 270, Gulfport, Miss.
Shawn Mahan, Austin College, Junior, 6-1, 235, Midland, Texas
Tackle Chad Carey, Austin College, Senior, 6-2, 250, Bowie, Texas
Mickey Anderson, Hardin-Simmons, Junior, 6-4, 310, Abilene, Texas
Center Brian Clayton, Howard Payne, Senior, 6-1, 204, Wimberly, Texas
Place Kicker Jeremy Bond, Mississippi College, Junior, 5-8, 160, Demopolis, Ala.
Return Specialist Keidric Dixon, McMurry, Sophomore, 5-8, 170, Lufkin, Texas
SECOND TEAM - Defense
Defensive Line Defensive Line Brian Valenzuela, McMurry, Junior, 6-1, 220, Andrews, Texas
Damenion Miller, Howard Payne, Senior, 6-0, 197, Palestine, Texas
Tony Kosub, Texas Lutheran, Freshman, 6-2, 225, LaVernia, Texas
Kurt Evans, Hardin-Simmons, Sophomore, 5-11, 245, Clyde, Texas
Linebackers Charles Gurley, Austin College, Sophomore, 6-1, 210, Wichita, Falls, Texas
Reed Heim, Austin College, Junior, 5-10, 215, Dallas, Texas
Manse Draper, McMurry, Junior, 6-2, 210, Lufkin, Texas
Navorus Pullings, Mary Hardin-Baylor, Sophomore, 5-9, 205, Williston, Fla.
Defensive Backs Gordon Smith, Hardin-Simmons, Senior, 6-1, 185, Houston, Texas
Carlos Soto, Austin College, Senior, 5-11, 175, Arlington, Texas
Andrew Hufford, Mary Hardin-Baylor, Sophomore, 5-9, 170, Midland, Texas
Jon Loudermilk, Hardin-Simmons, Senior, 6-0, 170, Stephenville, Texas
Punter Jackie Warren, Hardin-Simmons, Sophomore, 6-4, 196, Waco, Texas
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Offensive Player of the Year: Bill Poe, quarterback, Hardin-Simmons
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Gary Gutierrez, tackle, Hardin-Simmons
Defensive Player of the Year: Dustin Kiser, defensive end, Hardin-Simmons
Defensive Lineman of the Year: Dustin Kiser, defensive end, Hardin-Simmons
Freshman of theYear: Anton Holloway, running back, Mary Hardin-Baylor
Coach of the Year: Jimmie Keeling, Hardin-Simmons
Honorable Mention
Quarterback: Joe Newton (Austin College). Receiver/Slot Backs: A.C. Hood (Sul Ross State), Tim Matthews (Sul Ross State), Rory Peacock (McMurry), Barry Donham (Hardin-Simmons), Brandon Mays (Austin College). Running Backs: Tim Pharo (Hardin-Simmons), Jerry Barbee (Texas Lutheran). Tight Ends: Reid Dreher (Mississippi College), Nathan Cooper (McMurry). Offensive Linemen: Roy Garcia (Hardin-Simmons), Ralph Pleasant (Mary Hardin-Baylor), Paul Samartin (Austin College), Matthias Royals (McMurry), Jason Starin (Sul Ross State), Clinto Loewer (Howard Payne), Wes Tidwell (McMurry), Josh Heimann (Texas Lutheran). Center: Billy Royston (Mississippi College), Buddy Brooks (McMurry). Place Kicker: Clint Potter (Sul Ross State), Phillip Garlin (Texas Lutheran). Defensive Linemen: David Dart (Mississippi College), Stuart Bowie (Austin College), Donny Safford (Austin College), Brad Banks (Sul Ross State), Kevin McQueen (Howard Payne), Adam Boland (McMurry), Shawn Boyd (McMurry), Johnny Golden (Hardin-Simmons). Linebackers: Will Andrews (Mississippi College), Alonza Esparza (Mary Hardin-Baylor), Sid Ortiz (Sul Ross State), David Jackson (Howard Payne), Cale Melton (McMurry). Defensive Backs: Jeremy Jones (Mississippi College), Toby Collums (Mississippi College), Rogue Vela (Hardin-Simmons), Patrick Sanders (Sul Ross State), Tanner Etheridge (Howard Payne), Jeremy Hampton (McMurry), Charles Alexander (McMurry), Kenneth Epps (McMurry). Punter: Michael Lopez (Sul Ross State). Return Specialist: David Lyons (Texas Lutheran).