Among the many recognitions available to NCAA Division II college athletes, the Don Hansen All-Super Region Three Team is one that stands out to five Harding football players.
Sophomore kicker John Gay and senior cornerback Roderick Cohn received third team honors, senior defensive-end Ty Powell and senior offensive tackle Austin Smithey received second team honors and sophomore fullback Romo Westbrook was named to first team.
Gay was flattered to be selected for the team.
“It is a great honor to be on any All-Super Region Team because it means you were picked as one of the top performers out of the region,” Gay said. “I am humbled and very thankful to have been chosen.”
The Don Hansen All-Super Region Teams focus on acknowledging Division II and Division III athletes. Each year the Don Hansen committee selects a preseason All-Region team, preseason All-American team and postseason All-Region and All-American teams.
“A lot of it is stat oriented and it’s (All-Super Region Team selection)also based on the recognition they receive from our conference,” head football coach Ron Huckeba said. “Most of these guys that were recognized as a member of that team (All-Super Region Three) were recognized by our conference as good players too.”
According to Huckeba, Harding’s 9-2 record and impressive season in 2012 played a part in having five players named to All-Super Region Three Teams.
“The better the team does the more individuals are recognized,” Huckeba said. “Our focus is on the team, not on the individuals, but it’s just like we always say, when you do the little things right everyone achieves and when the team achieves then individuals are very often recognized for what they’ve done to help the team.”
Huckeba said he believes the recognition should push the two returning players, Gay and Westbrook, to work harder next season.
“If they are the right kind of people, which I’m convinced that they are, then it will just motivate them to work harder and validate the fact they were recognized,” Huckeba said. “Complacency is a killer in anything. If you feel like you’ve achieved and you can’t grow anymore it’s just a killer. We fight that every day and it takes a concerted effort to make sure you don’t allow complacency to sneak into your program.”
Westbrook was also named second team All-American by the Don Hansen football committee on Jan. 18.
Powell, who is currently training for the NFL draft, was also named second team All-American by D2football.com on Jan. 17. He is the second Bison to ever receive All-American recognition from the website.
Powell was also invited to play in the Senior Bowl. The Bowl is a post-season college football all-star game for NFL draft prospects. The game is Jan. 26 at 3 p.m.and will and air live on the NFL network from the Ladd Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala.
