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Six HBCU products named to Cactus Bowl roster
December 6, 2007
Kingsville -- Six players from HBCUs have been named to participate in the 2008 Valero Cactus Bowl. Rosters were released Thursday for the Division II All-Star game to be played at Javelina Stadium in Kingsville, Texas on Friday, January 11, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.
 Brian Witherspoon and Denatay Heard from Stillman College will be joined by Johnson C. Smith's De’Audra Dix, Virginia State's Anthony Hailstock, Fayetteville State's Eric Lamoureux and St. Augustine's Alex Hall on the East squad.
The selection committee picked from among the best seniors in NCAA Division II football for the game which will be retionally televised on Fox Sports Southwest..
Headlining the East team is Harlon Hill Trophy finalist Michael Eubanks. Eubanks is a linebacker from Delta State (Miss.) and is one of only two players in the history of the award, given annually to the best player in NCAA Division II, to make the three finalists as a defensive player.
Other standouts on the East team include Shepherd (W.va.) running back Drevon Wallace who finished second in the nation in rushing with 2138 yards and 24 touchdowns.
The two quarterbacks for the East team were the Players of the Year in their respective conferences. Mark Nicolet of Hillsdale (Mich.) was the Player of the Year in the Great lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference after throwing for 3,335 yards and 31 touchdowns. Brad Roach of Catawba (N.C.) was the Offensive Player of the Year in the South Atlantic Conference after compiling 3,332 yards and 32 scores.
The West team includes wide receiver Nick Smart of Southwest Baptist (Mo.) who set the NCAA All-Division record for most pass catches in a season with 143.
West quarterbacks include Daniel Polk of Midwestern State (Texas), who was the only player in college football to pass for at least 2,000 yards and rush for at least 1,000 yards, and Ben King of Minnesota State-Mankato who led NCAA Division II with 4,096 yards passing.
Valero is a part-owner of the San Antonio Spurs franchise, stepping in to help organize a bid when the franchise was being pursued by out-of-town buyers who, potentially, could have relocated the team.
Valero has also been the title sponsor of the Valero Texas Open since 2002. In that time, the tournament has gone from the bottom of the PGA TOUR in terms of charitable fundraising to raising more for charity than any other event in PGA TOUR history.
The Cactus Bowl began as the Snow Bowl in 1994 at the Fargo Dome in Fargo, North Dakota. After its initial seven-year run, the game moved to Kingsville in January 2001.
The game was played in Kingsville for six years, took a hiatus last year and will return to Javelina Stadium in 2008.
2008 Cactus Bowl West Team
| Donovan Alexander |
DB |
6-0 |
181 |
North Dakota |
Winnipeg, Man. (St. Paul’s High School) |
| Amos Allen |
RB |
5-8 |
180 |
South Dakota |
Miami, Fla. |
| Steve Allen |
LB |
6-4 |
235 |
West Texas A&M |
Del Ray Beach, Fla./Atlantic Community |
| Jerale Badon |
WR |
5-8 |
180 |
Abilene Christian (Texas) |
Abilene, Texas |
| Brandon Borchardt |
OL |
6-5 |
262 |
Western State (Colo.) |
Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield |
| Eric Butler |
DT |
62 |
305 |
Washburn (Kan.) |
Leawood, Kan.Northeast |
| Will Clewis |
LB |
6-1 |
240 |
Central Oklahoma |
Fort Worth, Texas (Eastern Hills HS) |
| Weston Dressler |
WR |
5-8 |
164 |
North Dakota |
Bismarck, N.D./Bismarck High School |
| Derek Dykstra |
WR |
6-3 |
200 |
Colorado Mines |
Seibert, Colo./ Hi-Plains H.S. |
| Jeff Fielder |
TE |
6-5 |
260 |
Minnesota State-Mankato |
Salina, Okla./Salina |
| Dallas Flynn |
DE |
6-5 |
280 |
Northwest Missouri |
Blair, Neb./Blair HS |
| Matt Frankel |
P |
6-0 |
200 |
Central Missouri |
Overland Park, Kan.Shawnee Mission |
| Ashton Gronewold |
WR |
5-10 |
190 |
Missouri-Rolla |
Carthage, Ill./Carthage HS |
| Floyd Headen |
OL |
6-7 |
330 |
West Texas A&M |
Tampa, Fla. |
| Willie Hopson |
RB |
5-8 |
185 |
Ouachita Baptist |
Nashville, Ark. |
| Chris Johnson |
TE |
6-3 |
275 |
Abilene Christian (Texas) |
Fort Worth, Texas |
| Bobby Jones |
NG |
6-4 |
285 |
Nebraska-Omaha |
Yankton, S.D./Yankton HS |
| Ben King |
QB |
6-1 |
215 |
Minnesota State-Mankato |
Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield/ |
| Kurt Kissner |
DT |
6-3 |
245 |
Mesa State (Colo.) |
Cedaredge, Colo. / Cedaredge |
| Jake Krause |
TE |
6-4 |
270 |
Nebraska-Omaha |
Omaha, Neb./Millard South HS |
|
| Rob Lewis |
DE |
6-5 |
292 |
Nebraska-Omaha |
Kearney, Neb./Kearney HS |
| Johnny Lopez |
RB |
5-8 |
188 |
Central Washington |
Federal Way, Wash./John F. Kennedy |
| Christian Morton |
OL |
6-5 |
286 |
South Dakota |
Norfolk, Neb./Norfolk HS |
| Rod Mosley |
DB |
5-10 |
175 |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
Austin, Texas/ Reagan |
| Tywain Myles |
DL |
6-2 |
305 |
Tarleton State (Texas) |
Nacogdoches, Texas |
| Ranardrick Phillips |
DB |
5-10 |
202 |
Tarleton State (Texas) |
Madison, Fla./Madison County |
| Daniel Polk |
QB |
6-2 |
202 |
Midwestern State (Texas) |
Dallas, Texas/South Oak Cliff HS |
| Kendall Ricketts |
DB |
5-10 |
190 |
Central Missouri |
Raytown, Mo/Raytown South HS |
| Jon Roberts |
K |
6-0 |
190 |
West Texas A&M |
Houston, Texas/Cypress Falls |
| Matt Robertson |
LB |
6-1 |
235 |
Northwest Missouri State |
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. |
| Tim Schneider |
OL |
6-7 |
283 |
South Dakota |
Adams, Minn./Southland HS |
| Pat Schwenke |
OL |
6-5 |
300 |
West Texas A&M |
Taylorsville, Utah/Taylorsville |
| Shane Simmons |
LB |
6-1 |
230 |
Western Washington |
Kent, Wash./Kentlake |
| Nick Smart |
WR |
6-1 |
185 |
Southwest Baptist (Mo.) |
Marionville, Mo. |
| John Strand |
OL |
6-8 |
280 |
Chadron State (Neb.) |
Imperial, Neb. |
| Brett Stray |
LB |
6-2 |
251 |
Central Washington |
Sammamish, Wash./Skyline |
| James Thabuteau |
DB |
6-1 |
218 |
Truman State (Mo.) |
Palatine, Ill./Palatine |
| Beau Wendling |
DB |
6-2 |
212 |
Chadron State (Neb.) |
Rock Springs, Wyo. |
| Cary Williams |
DB |
6-2 |
190 |
Washburn (Kan.) |
Miami, Fla.(Madonna College Prep) |
| Rod Windsor |
WR |
6-2 |
205 |
Western New Mexico |
Bessemer, Ala./Jess Lanier High School |
| Nathan Young |
OL |
6-4 |
295 |
Abilene Christian (Texas) |
Plainview, Texas |
2008 Cactus Bowl East Team
| Almonzo Banks |
WR |
6-2 |
220 |
West Liberty State |
Washington, D.C/(Dunbar |
| Mackenzy Bernadeau |
OL |
6-4 |
303 |
Bentley (Mass.) |
Waltham, Mass./Waltham |
| Vince Black |
LB |
6-2 |
245 |
Fairmont State (Wva.) |
Marietta, Ohio/Parkersburg Catholic |
| Bill Bourdlais |
OL |
6-4 |
290 |
Ferris State (Mich.) |
Newberry, Mich. |
| Jamar Brittingham |
RB |
6-0 |
203 |
Bloomsburg (Pa.) |
Levittown, Pa./Neshaminy/Kiski Prep |
| Mike Butterworth |
OL |
6-7 |
330 |
Slippery Rock (Pa.) |
Northern Cambria, Pa./N. Cambria |
| Kyle Clement |
DE |
6-4 |
266 |
Northwood (Mich.) |
Hudsonville, Mich/Hudsonville |
| Chris Conklin |
TE |
6-4 |
255 |
Wingate (N.C.) |
Snow Camp Southern Alamance |
| De’Audra Dix |
DB |
5-10 |
160 |
Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) |
Merritt Island, Fla./Merritt Island |
| Michael Eubanks |
LB |
6-2 |
225 |
Delta State (Miss.) |
Cleveland, Miss./Cleveland HS |
| Kory Fisher |
RB |
5-10 |
195 |
Catawba (N.C.) |
New Bern, N.C./New Bern |
| Bobby Floyd |
LB |
6-3 |
215 |
Wingate (N.C.) |
Fairmont, N.C./Fairmont |
| Nate Forse |
WR |
6-4 |
220 |
California (Pa.) |
Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands |
| Alex Hall |
DL |
6-6 |
260 |
St. Augustines’s (N.C.) |
Glenarden, Md. |
| Anthony Hailstock |
DB |
5-10 |
170 |
Virginia State |
Danville, Va. |
| Denatay Heard |
DB |
6-0 |
180 |
Stillman College (Ala.) |
LaGrange, Ga./Troup HS |
| Tim Hunt |
DL |
6-5 |
274 |
North Alabama |
Mobile, Ala./Alma Bryant |
| Kurt Hout |
DL |
6-2 |
276 |
Ferris State (Mich.) |
Arvada, Colo./West |
| Kurt Kutscher |
OL |
6-7 |
315 |
Henderson State (Ark.) |
Navarro, Texas |
| Eric Lamoureux |
PK |
5-11 |
178 |
Fayetteville State (N.C.) |
Roxbury, N.H./Monadnock Regional |
| Maurice Leggett |
DB |
6-0 |
180 |
Valdosta State (Ga.) |
Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Zion |
| Jason Messing |
WR |
6-1 |
200 |
North Alabama |
Knoxville, Tenn. Farragut |
| Dan Marshall |
OL |
6-4 |
298 |
Northwood (Mich.) |
Belmont, Mich./Rockford |
| Keith McCleary |
DL |
6-2 |
300 |
University of Mary (N.D.) |
Napoleon, N.D./Napolean HS |
| Tim McCutcheon |
OL |
6-4 |
305 |
California (Pa.) |
Sewickley, Pa./Quaker Valley |
| Jermaine Moye |
WR |
6-3 |
215 |
California (Pa.) |
Rochester, Pa./Rochester |
| Mark Nicolet |
QB |
6-1 |
220 |
Hillsdale (Mich.) |
Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville |
| Jacob Owens |
DL |
6-5 |
270 |
Fairmont State (Wva.) |
Franklin, W.Va./Pendleton County |
| Elfren Quiles |
WR |
6-2 |
205 |
Kutztown (Pa.) |
New Britain, Conn./New Britain |
| Brad Roach |
QB |
6-6 |
245 |
Catawba (N.C.) |
Williamston,N.C./Williamston |
| Eric Rice |
LB |
5-11 |
205 |
Carson Newman (Tenn.) |
Thomasville, Ga./County |
| Jeremy Ricks |
WR |
5-9 |
175 |
Delta State (Miss.) |
Hollandale, Miss./Hollandale-Simmons |
| Paul Tetzel |
DB |
5-10 |
195 |
Bentley (Mass.) |
Millbury, Mass./Milbury |
| Rory Thomas |
OL |
6-3 |
300 |
Indiana (Pa.) |
Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls |
| Matt Vanover |
P |
5-10 |
195 |
Hillsdale (Mich.) |
Adrian, Mich./Adrian |
| Dervon Wallace |
RB |
5-6 |
177 |
Shepherd (Wva.) |
Lusby, Md. |
| Jamarcus Wiggins |
DB |
6-3 |
215 |
Delta State (Miss.) |
Cantonment, Fla./Tate HS |
| Brian Witherspoon |
DB |
6-1 |
180 |
Stillman College (Ala.) |
Butler, Ala./Choctaw Co. HS |
| Kyle Witucki |
TE |
6-4 |
249 |
Edinboro (Pa.) |
Tarentum, Pa./ Highlands |
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