WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Senior center Akoakoa Kennedy continued Midwestern State's run of Lone Star Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year performers while leading a contingent of 22 Mustangs to earn all-league honors as released Friday afternoon.
 
The 6-3, 285-pound senior from Hilo, Hawaii builds on MSU's tradition of standout linemen. It's the sixth time in the past seven seasons a Mustang has been honors as Kennedy joins former All-American Amini Silatolu (2010 and 2011), Ken Van Heule (2012), Shadow Stokes (2014) and Alfredo Moreno (2015)..
 
Kennedy as joined on the first team by senior right guard Joel Onyia while senior right tackle Denzell Dotson, junior left guard Islam Sbeih and sophomore left tackle Kevin Fisher gained honorable mention status.
 
Together, the unit paved the way for the second best rushing attack in the LSC while ranking 37th nationally with 196.1 yards per game. The lined headed a unit that allowed 5.10 tackles for loss per game -- second in the LSC, 38th in NCAA II -- and 11 total sacks on the season.
 
Senior defensive lineman Darian Childers and sophomore safety Sir'Vell Ford led the MSU defensive charge this season earning first-team honors and were joined by senior defensive end Harold Wills on the second team.
 
Childers, a Copperas Cove product, made 36 stops while leading the Mustangs with 13.5 tackles for loss with 7.5 quarterback sacks. He was second in the LSC and 37th nationally with 0.75 sacks per game and trapped the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage in each of the last six games and in eight of 10 contests this season.
 
Ford, a sophomore out of Lamar Consolidated High, paced the Mustangs with 69 tackles from his safety position. He notched double-digit tackles in three games this season including matching campaign highs of 11 against Oklahoma Panhandle State and Angelo State. He also picked off two passes against OPSU.
 
Two of MSU's most dangerous weapons landed spots on the second team.
 
Junior return specialist DeAndre Black ranks second in NCAA Division II with a 19.9 yards per return as he boasts three punt returns of at least 40 yards including a 67-yard return for a touchdown against UT-Permian Basin.
 
The transfer from Division I Monmouth also leads the LSC with 552 combined kick return yards, while proving to be a force at wide receiver making 26 catches for 338 yards and three touchdowns.
 
Sophomore running back Vincent Johnson ranks third in the nation with 19 rushing touchdowns while leading the LSC in scoring with 114 points.
 
The Lubbock Monterey High product led the Mustangs rushing corps for a second consecutive season with 697 yards on 131 carries, while also making 11 catches for 74 yards out of the backfield.
 
Other offensive players to gain honorable mention include senior quarterback Quade Coward (2,135 passing yards with 15 touchdowns, 376 rushing yards with four touchdowns), senior wide receiver Breion Evans (27 rec., 410 yards, 4 TDs), senior wide receiver Statron Jones (24 rec., 408 yards, 2 TDs), senior tight end Dorian Johnson (10 rec., 116 yards) and sophomore running back Adrian Seales (80 rushes, 399 yards, 3 TDs).
 
MSU defensive standouts to gain honorable mention include senior defensive lineman Edgar Luna (43 tackles, 4.0 TFL), senior cornerback Cullen Craft (43 tackles, 1 int., 6 PBUs), senior linebacker Jordan Meyers (33 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 1 sack), redshirt-freshman cornerback DaMarcus Wilson (25 tackles, two interceptions) and freshman safety Jaydon Cunigan (35 tackles, 2 PBUs).
 
Junior punter Mitchell Henton (38.1 yards per punt) and junior deep snapper Bobby Joe Nielsen earned honorable mention on special teams.
 
Midwestern State takes on Ferris State (Mich.) Saturday at Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids, Mich. in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. (Central Time).
   
  

J.W. Rollins Offensive Player of the Year
Myles Carr, Texas A&M-Kingsville
Offensive Back of the Year
Kamal Cass, Eastern New Mexico
Receiver of the Year
Xavier Ayers, Western New Mexico
Offensive Lineman of the Year
Akoakoa Kennedy, Midwestern State
Freshman of the Year
Wyatt Strand, Eastern New Mexico
J.V. Sykes Defensive Player of the Year
Brandon Jones, Texas A&M-Kingsville
Defensive Lineman of the Year
Brandon Jones, Texas A&M-Kingsville
Linebacker of the Year
Cody Burtscher, Tarleton State
Defensive Back of the Year
Uriah Harris, Texas A&M-Commerce
Coach of the Year
Daren Wilkinson, Texas A&M-Kingsville
First Team Offense
Player	Team	Pos.	Year	Hometown
Joel Onyia	Midwestern State	OG	Sr.	Dallas, Texas
Stuart Sanchez	Texas A&M-Kingsville	OG	Jr.	Corpus Christi, Texas
Jared Machorro	Texas A&M-Commerce	OT	Jr.	Coldspring, Texas
Bo Villarreal	Texas A&M-Kingsville	OT	Sr.	San Antonio, Texas
Akoakoa Kennedy	Midwestern State	C	Sr.	Hilo, Hawaii
Stehly Reden	Texas A&M-Kingsville	TE	Jr.	Valley Center, Calif.
Xavier Ayers	Western New Mexico	WR	Sr.	Albuquerque, N.M.
Del'Michael High	Tarleton State	WR	Jr.	Dallas, Texas
Anthony Autry	Texas A&M-Kingsville	WR	Sr.	Atlanta, Ga.
Lance Evans	Texas A&M-Commerce	WR	Sr.	Mansfield, Texas
Luis Perez	Texas A&M-Commerce	QB	Jr.	Chula Vista, Calif.
Kamal Cass	Eastern New Mexico	RB	Jr.	Clovis, N.M.
Richard Cooper	Texas A&M-Commerce	RB	Sr.	Angleton, Texas
Torrey Thomas	Texas A&M-Kingsville	FB	So.	Katy, Texas
Julio DeLaGarza	Texas A&M-Kingsville	PK	So.	Brownsville, Texas
Shawn Hooks	Texas A&M-Commerce	RS	Jr.	Daingerfield, Texas
First Team Defense
Player	Team	Pos.	Class	Hometown
Brandon Jones	Texas A&M-Kingsville	DE	So.	Houston, Texas
Markus Jones	Angelo State	DE	So.	Crowley, Texas
Darian Childers-Brown	Midwestern State	DT	Sr.	Copperas Cove, Texas
Tavita Faaiu	Texas A&M-Commerce	DT	Sr.	San Francisco, Calif.
Cody Burtscher	Tarleton State	ILB	Sr.	Glen Rose, Texas
Brad Hardin	Eastern New Mexico	ILB	Jr.	Aztec, N.M.
Justin Jackson	Angelo State	OLB	So.	Missouri City, Texas
Braedon Robinson	Texas A&M-Kingsville	OLB	Jr.	San Antonio, Texas
Uriah Harris	Texas A&M-Commerce	CB	Sr.	Frostproof, Fla.
Lee Anthony Dawson	West Texas A&M	CB	So.	Austin, Texas
Devontae Merriweather	West Texas A&M	S	Sr.	Palmdale, Calif.
Sir'Vell Ford	Midwestern State	S	So.	Rosenberg, Texas
Todd Countee	Eastern New Mexico	S	So.	Albuquerque, N.M.
Hector Dominguez	Texas A&M-Commerce	P	Sr.	Hacienda Heights, Calf.
Stephen Dugas	Angelo State	DS	Sr.	Cypress, Texas
Second Team Offense
Player	Team	Pos.	Year	Hometown
Christian Rodriguez	Texas A&M-Commerce	OG	Sr.	Port Isabel, Texas
Jason Osei	Texas A&M-Commerce	OG	Sr.	London, England
Zach Andrews-Worline	Western New Mexico	OT	Sr.	San Diego, Calif.
Isaiah Talbert	Eastern New Mexico	OT	Jr.	Denver, Colo.
Austin Carson	West Texas A&M	C	Sr.	San Antonio, Texas
John Thomas	Texas A&M-Commerce	TE	Sr.	Bossier City, La.
Bubba Tandy	Tarleton State	WR	Sr.	Hopkinsville, Ky.
Junior Pomee	West Texas A&M	WR	Jr.	Perris, Calif.
Darby Smith	Texas A&M-Commerce	WR	Sr.	Ennis, Texas
Aaron Johnson	Eastern New Mexico	WR	Sr.	Colorado Springs, Colo.
Myles Carr	Texas A&M-Kingsville	QB	Jr.	Arcadia, Calif.
Devon Paye	West Texas A&M	RB	Sr.	Columbia, Md.
Josh Stevens	Angelo State	RB	Jr.	Ormand Beach, Fla.
Vincent Johnson	Midwestern State	RB	So.	Lubbock, Texas
Brandt Baily	Tarleton State	FB	Fr.	Eastland, Texas
Kristov Martinez	Texas A&M-Commerce	PK	So.	Edinburg, Texas
DeAndre Black	Midwestern State	RS	Jr.	Pittsburgh, Pa.
Second Team Defense
Player	Team	Pos.	Class	Hometown
Daelin Young	West Texas A&M	DE	Jr.	Mesquite, Texas
Harold Wills	Midwestern State	DE	Sr.	Gainesville, Texas
Bright Ihegworo	Angelo State	DT	Fr-RS	Sugar Land, Texas
Samula Tupou	Eastern New Mexico	DT	Sr.	Kapahulu, Hawaii
ZeMarcus Green	Texas A&M-Kingsville	ILB	Jr.	Houston, Texas
Dominic Barry	Western New Mexico	ILB	Jr.	Moreno Valley, Calif.
Willie Brown	Angelo State	ILB	Sr.	San Angelo, Texas
Desmond Blue	Eastern New Mexico	OLB	Jr.	Sarasota, Fla.
E.J. Speed	Tarleton State	OLB	So.	Crowley, Texas
Fred Lawrence	Angelo State	CB	Jr.	Abilene, Texas
Jarrod Sanders	Texas A&M-Kingsville	CB	Jr.	Flomation, Fla.
Richard Franklin	Angelo State	S	Sr.	Dallas, Texas
Devonte Williams	Texas A&M-Kingsville	S	So.	Houston, Texas
Alfonzo Wilson	Western New Mexico	S	Sr.	San Diego, Calif.
Tyler Vargas	Western New Mexico	P	Fr-RS	Ramona, Calif.
Kolter West	Eastern New Mexico	DS	Sr.	Fort Sumner, N.M.
Honorable Mention from Midwestern State
Player	Team	Pos.	Class	Hometown
Islam Sbeih	Midwestern State	OG	Jr.	East Oakland, Calf.
Denzell Dotson	Midwestern State	OT	Sr.	Phoenix, Ariz.
Kevin Fisher	Midwestern State	OT	So.	Lakeland, Fla.
Quade Coward	Midwestern State	QB	Sr.	Cleburne, Texas
Adrian Seales	Midwestern State	RB	So.	Stafford, Texas
Dorian Johnson	Midwestern State	TE	Sr.	Houston, Texas
Breion Evans	Midwestern State	WR	Sr.	Austin, Texas
Statron Jones	Midwestern State	WR	Sr.	Manor, Texas
Cullen Craft	Midwestern State	CB	Sr.	Houston, Texas
Damarcus Wilson	Midwestern State	CB	Fr-RS	Fort Worth, Texas
Bobby Joe Nielsen	Midwestern State	DS	Jr.	Lampasas, Texas
Edgar Luna	Midwestern State	DL	Sr.	Cameron, Texas
Jordan Meyers	Midwestern State	OLB	Sr.	Lewisville, Texas
Mitchell Henton	Midwestern State	P	Jr.	Dallas, Texas
Jaydon Cunigan	Midwestern State	S	Fr.	Beaumont, Texas