KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The MIAA released the 2018 All-MIAA Football selections on Tuesday afternoon. Sixteen Griffon football student-athletes were named All-MIAA following the team’s 6-5 season. Missouri Western had eight offensive selections, seven defensive selections, and two on special teams.
Missouri Western had 17 total awards over the 16 players selected, as Brandin Dandridge earned All-MIAA as both a returner and defensive back. All five starters on the offensive line received All-MIAA honors.
ALL-MIAA FIRST TEAM
Hayden Eatinger – OL
Brandin Dandridge – KR/PR
ALL-MIAA SECOND TEAM
Tyler Basch – K
Brandin Dandridge – DB
ALL-MIAA THIRD TEAM
Shawn Rouse – OL
Tanner Hale – OL
Tyler Baska – DL
Jabbar Miles – DB
ALL-MIAA HONORABLE MENTION
Dom Marino – QB
Shamar Griffith – RB
James Bailey Jr. – RB
Jacob Olson – OL
Isaiah Colbert – OL
Kyle Dumler – DL
James Huskey – LB
Anthony Williams – LB
Sam Webb – DB
Hayden Eatinger receives his first All-MIAA First Team selection of his career. Eatinger was named Second Team All-MIAA last season and Honorable Mention All-MIAA as a redshirt-freshman. Eatinger started all 11 games and led a Missouri Western offensive line that averaged 229 yards per game and an MIAA-best 5.6 yards per rush. The Griffon offensive line allowed just six sacks all season, which led the MIAA and was the fifth-best in all of NCAA Division II.
Brandin Dandridge was named First Team All-MIAA as a return specialist and Second Team All-MIAA at defensive back. Dandridge averaged over 13 yards per return with a season-long return of 58 yards in the Griffons’ upset over No. 5 Fort Hays State. Opposing teams began to game plan around Dandridge’s big play threat on punt returns, as his opportunities for returns lessened throughout the year. At defensive back, Dandridge had four interceptions and 11 pass breakups for an MIAA-best 15 passes defended.
Tyler Basch was tabbed Second Team All-MIAA in his last season at Missouri Western. Even with missing three games due to injury, Basch made 10 field goals, with five of those coming from over 30 yards. His season-long came against Fort Hays State at 47 yards.
Shawn Rouse and Tanner Hale were both picked to the All-MIAA Third Team. Both Rouse and Hale started all 11 games on the Griffon offensive line. They helped pave the way for a Griffon offense that amassed over 2500 yards rushing on the season.
Tyler Baska earns All-MIAA Honors in just his second season at Missouri Western. Baska finished the year with 3.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss. He had a season-high nine tackles in the Griffon’s final home game against Lindenwood.
Jabbar Miles rounds out the All-MIAA Third Team at defensive back. Miles was fourth on the team with 67 total tackles and tied for a team-high with four interceptions. Miles was named MIAA Defensive Player of the Week following Missouri Western’s upset over Fort Hays when he had two interceptions and seven total tackles.
Dom Marino earned Honorable Mention as a senior. The dual-threat quarterback finished with over 2000 yards of total offense. Marino led the Griffons in rushing with 681 total yards for an average of over six yards per carry. Marino ended the season with eight passing touchdowns and five rushing touchdowns.
Shamar Griffith and James Bailey Jr. were both named All-MIAA Honorable Mention at running back. Griffith led the team with 6.6 yards per rush and totaled 631 yards on the ground with four touchdowns. Bailey Jr. ran for a team-high nine rushing touchdowns and finished with 652 yards rushing as a freshman.
Receiving All-MIAA honors for the first time in his career is Kyle Dumler. The defensive lineman recorded 3.5 sacks and 30 total tackles. Dumler started all 11 games as a senior.
Linebacker James Huskey earns All-MIAA honors for the second time in his career after missing all of last season with an injury. Huskey was second on the team with 82 tackles and also had three sacks and an interception. Huskey ran back one of the team’s two punt return touchdowns when he snagged a line-drive punt and returned it 27 yards for the score against Fort Hays State.
Joining Huskey is fellow linebacker Anthony Williams. Williams led the Griffons with 89 tackles, including 51 solo tackles. Williams had one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries, including his 50 yard scoop-and-score against Lindenwood in the season finale.
Jacob Olson and Isaiah Colbert also earned Honorable Mention. Joining Eatinger, Rouse, and Hale, all five members of the Missouri Western offensive line received All-MIAA recognition.
Sam Webb was named All-MIAA for the first time in his career. The sophomore started 10 games and had 29 total tackles, with 21 of those being solo tackles. Webb was second on the team with six pass breakups and also had an interception.
— MWSU Athletics —