Zeh, Jones represent Hounds on All-LSC first team

RICHARDSON, Texas – Freshmen Elijah Zeh and Andre Jones were named to the All-Lone Star Conference football team on offense in an announcement on by the league office on Thursday.

Jones was also chosen the offensive freshman of the year in the conference.

Zeh, from Burleson, Texas, helped lead a rushing attack which finished third in NCAA Division II at 284 yards per contest. He carried 194 times for 792 yards and five touchdowns, highlighted by a two-touchdown, 194-yard performance in a last second loss at Midwestern State.

Jones, from San Antonio, caught 32 passes for 727 yards and seven touchdowns, including a four-catch, 162-yard performance with two TDs in a 35-27 victory over West Texas A&M at Greyhound Stadium. He also caught the game-winning score in the closing moments of a 30-29 win at home over Western Oregon on Sept. 16.

Meantime, sophomore defensive back Talon Sanders of Roswell earned second-team honors on defense. He made 41 total tackles and collected seven pass breakups.

Nine Hounds earned honorable mention status, including Clovis High grads Hunter St. John, a senior, in the offensive line and Robert Nora, a freshman, as a return specialist. Nora had 21 kick returns to 452 yards (21.5 average), highlighted by a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at Central Washington, and also carried the ball 24 times for 191 yards and a score.

Others on the honorable mention list were sophomore Christian Griego and junior Bailey Adair in the offensive line, freshman punter Francisco Moreno, sophomore long snapper Dillon Hein, sophomore quarterback Mario Sanchez, junior running back Jonathan Watson and sophomore tight end Jace Martin.

Sanchez had an impressive campaign, completing 62 percent of his passes (66-of-107) for 1,184 yards and 13 touchdowns, while rushing 135 times for 558 yards and 12 TDs.

St. John and Adair were among 11 LSC players chosen for the league’s all-academic team. St. John is a physical education major while Adair is pursuing studies in education.

League champion Texas-Permian Basin dominated the LSC’s special awards. Falcons honored were Kenny Hrncir, offensive player of the year; Jeremiah Cooley, receiver of the year, Dominique Varela, defensive lineman of the year, Hayden Kelly, linebacker of the year, and Kris McCullough, coach of the year.

Joining them along with Jones were Central Washington’s Tyler Flanagan, offensive back of the year, and Tanner Volk, defensive player of the year; Angelo State’s Noah Plsek, offensive lineman of the year; Texas A&M-Kingsville’s Amos Coleman, defensive back of the year, and West Texas A&M’s Jimmy Harrison, newcomer of the year. Meantime, Kingsville’s Eti-Ini Bassey and Western New Mexico’s Cole Lalama were named co-defensive freshmen of the year.

UTPB defeated Central Washington 42-14 in last weekend’s regular-season finale to tale its first LSC crown. The Falcons and Wildcats were chosen to represent the LSC in the 28-team NCAA Division II playoffs, which began on Saturday.

Hounds’ Garvin honored – ENMU senior outside hitter Mikaela Garvin was ENMU’s lone selection to the All-LSC volleyball squad, earning a spot on the second team in selections released on Wednesday by the conference.

Garvin was the LSC freshman of the year and a member of the all-freshman team in 2021, and also earned second-team honors last season. She led the team this season with 386 kills, placing her fifth in the league in kills per set (3.54), while contributing eight solo blocks and 89 block assists.

Garvin, from San Antonio, finished her ENMU career with 883 kills, the 10th-most in the history of the program.

Special awards for the conference went to Dallas Baptist’s Delaney Fuller, player of the year and offensive player of the year, and Jordan Fish, coach of the year; Arkansas-Fort Smith’s Hannah Watkins, defensive player of the year; Texas A&M International’s Emma Lade, setter of the year; West Texas A&M’s Bryli Contreras, libero of the year; Texas-Tyler’s Shaye Koski, freshman of the year, and Texas Woman’s Grace Reynolds, newcomer of the year.