March 29, 2024

Five from Central receive league football honors

PELLA— Sophomore Central College kicker Kevin Sheldon is a first-team pick for the second time on the all-Iowa Conference football team.

Junior defensive lineman Danny Samson — a 2010 Collins-Maxwell-Baxter graduate — also is a first-team choice. Junior linebacker Mike Young is a second-team selection, as is junior offensive lineman Travis Hook and sophomore defensive back Eric Larson.

Meanwhile, senior offensive lineman Colton Smith, senior running back Ross Doehrmann and sophomore running back Josh Osborn received honorable mention.

Sheldon led the league in extra-point conversion percentage (100.0) and field goals (12). He earned league special teams player of the week recognition Oct. 29. Samson led the Dutch with 5.5 sacks for a loss of 43 yards. He also had 11.5 tackles for loss.

Young was Central’s leading tackler with 79 stops, including 34 solo tackles and 12 tackles for loss, good for fourth in the league. He received player of the week honors Sept. 10. Larson had 27 tackles and three interceptions for 26 yards.

Doehrmann ran for a team-high 584 yards on 126 carries with two touchdowns. Osborn also had two touchdowns on 116 carries for 548 yards. Doehrmann ranked fifth among the league’s rushers while Osborn was seventh.

Central posted a 5-5 overall record with a 4-3 league mark, finishing tied for second in conference action. The Dutch have not had a losing season since 1960.