Missouri Western head baseball coach Buzz Verduzco has announced the signing of two student-athletes for the 2013 season. Western welcomes Kyle Thurman of O’Fallon, Mo. and Payton Scarbrough of Maryville, Mo. to the baseball team.

Kyle Thurman played high school baseball at Fort Zumwalt West. The outfielder’s .500 on-base percentage ranks in the top-ten all-time at Fort Zumwalt. Thurman led the team in o.b.p. the last two years and is a two-year letter winner in baseball. Thurman has a combined, .398 batting average and is an accomplished student as well. Kyle has been named to his high school honor roll three times and was elected to the St. Louis Rotary Youth Leadership Academy.

“Kyle is a very physical player. That will allow him to compete immediately at this level,” coach Verduzco said. “He has sound mechanics at the plate and a great knowledge of the strike zone.  We are very fortunate to have him be part of the Western baseball family.”

Payton Scarbrough played catcher for Maryville High School. A three-year letter winner, Payton earned All-MEC, all-district and all-state honors. Payton hit .512 with a .986 fielding percentage his junior year.  Scarbrough is also a two-year letter winner in basketball. Off the field, Payton is a member of the National Honor Society, MHS Student Ambassadors, Smokebusters and the DARE Role Model program. Scarbrough was also named as a Rotary Student of the Month.

“We are honored that Payton will be part of our program,” coach Verduzco said. “His catching skills and leadership ability for such a young player will allow him to be an immediate success in the MIAA.  He comes from a very athletic family and has been taught the meaning of strong character, dedication and academics.  I’m very excited for the opportunity to coach him.”

— MWSU Sports Information —

Missouri Western State University’s Shane Simpson and Jack Long are the weekly nominees for the 2011 Discover Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award, to be announced at the end of the season. Simpson, a junior defensive back from Blue Springs, Mo., and Long, a senior defensive back from Parkville, Mo., rescued a toddler from a locked car on a 95-degree day last August.

Simpson and Long, starters and co-captains for the Griffons, were driving away from football practice August 23 when they noticed a woman beating on the window of a car.

“We thought maybe she had locked her keys in the car,” Long told the Associated Press, “but then thought that was kind of an extreme thing to do for keys.”

Theresa Gall’s 17-month-old grandson, Liam Snook, was locked in the car along with her keys. The toddler was throwing up and appeared to be losing consciousness. Using a hammer, Gall and others had been unable to break the car’s window.

“We were hitting the glass as hard as we could and nothing,” Gall told KSHB-TV. “All I could think was, ‘God, please send somebody.’”

“The women came running out saying, ‘My baby’s in the car, help!’” Simpson told the St. Joseph (Mo.) News-Press. “She gave me the hammer and said, ‘Break the window.’”

Simpson needed one try to break the window. Liam was dehydrated, but made a full recovery. Simpson and Long left after Liam had been rescued, but returned a few moments later to check on him.

“It was just so remarkable,” Gall told the News-Press. “Not only did they stop and save his life, but they came back. They came back because they knew about heatstroke and were worried about the little guy. I can’t even really express how grateful I am.”

Gall offered a monetary reward, which both players declined. A few days later, Liam and his grandmother attended a Griffons’ practice, and then their season opener against Pittsburg State.

“I’m just glad,” Simpson said, “I got to be able to do it.”

For the sixth straight year, the Football Writers Association of America and the Discover Orange Bowl will announce a weekly nominee for the Discover Orange Bowl/FWAA Courage Award each Wednesday during the season. A blue-ribbon panel will determine the award’s recipient from those weekly nominees. The recipient of the Courage Award will be announced in December and presented with the trophy in conjunction with this year’s Discover Orange Bowl.

The Courage Award was created by ESPN The Magazine’s senior writer Gene Wojciechowski, also an FWAA member. A select group of FWAA members vote on the recipient each year. The requirements for nomination include displaying courage on or off the field, including overcoming an injury or physical handicap, preventing a disaster or living through hardship.

Previous winners of the FWAA’s Courage Award are Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand (2010), the University of Connecticut football team (2009), Tulsa’s Wilson Holloway (2008), Navy’s Zerbin Singleton (2007), Clemson’s Ray Ray McElrathbey (2006), the Tulane football team (2005), Memphis’ Haracio Colen (2004), San Jose State’s Neil Parry (2003) and Toledo’s William Bratton (2002).

About the Orange Bowl

The Orange Bowl is a 341-member, primarily-volunteer non-profit sports organization that promotes and serves the South Florida community. The Orange Bowl Festival features a year-round schedule of events culminating with the Discover Orange Bowl on January 4, 2012. Other OBC core events include the MetroPCS Orange Bowl Basketball Classic, Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance presented by Sports Authority, Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships, Orange Bowl Sailing Regatta Series and Orange Bowl Paddle Championships. For more information on the 2011-12 Orange Bowl Festival and its events, including promotional and volunteer opportunities through the Ambassador Program, log on to www.orangebowl.org.

About the Football Writers Association of America

The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,200 men and women who cover college football for a living. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include gameday operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tigerfwaa@aol.com or 972-713-6198.

2011 Discover Orange Bowl Courage Award Nominees
·         Sept. 28: Shane Blissard and Robbie Stewart, Middle Tennessee
·         Oct. 5: Carson Tinker, Alabama
·         Oct. 12: Blaine Irby, Texas
·         Oct. 19: David Lerner, Florida
·         Oct. 27: Mike James, Miami University
·         Nov. 2: Arthur Ray Jr., Michigan State
·         Nov. 16: Shane Simpson and Jack Long, Missouri Western

— FWAA Press Release —

The Missouri Western football team placed 16 players on All-MIAA teams which is tied for the most in the MIAA with Northwest and Pittsburg State. Western received 18 honors in all, with Greg Zuerlein being named the MIAA’s Special Teams Player of the Year.

Western’s five first team selections were the most in the MIAA. The Griffons had two second team selections and nine players named honorable mention. It is the fourth time in program history that at least five Griffons received First Team All-MIAA honors. Seven selections in 2005 were the most, with six in 2006 and five in 1994.

Zuerlein set an MWSU record, with 20 field goals in the regular season. He also broke a school record, with a 58-yard field goal against Northwest Missouri State. His 18 consecutive field goals made were an MIAA record, and he led the conference with 10.7 points per game average. His 2.2 field goals per game average is the best in the nation, and his .952 field goal percentage leads the nation for any kicker with at least 12 attempts.  Zuerlein became Western’s first MIAA Special Teams Player of the Year and is just the third Western kicker named first team all-conference. Zuerlein was named the conference’s Special Teams Player of the Week three times which includes the last two weeks against Northwest Missouri State and Fort Hays State. Zuerlein was also named the D2Football.com Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts in the Griffons 31-28 victory over Northwest Missouri State.

Michael Hill received his first nod as a first team selection. The junior running back led the conference in rush attempts (244) and rushing yards (1,240). Hill broke the school record for rush attempts in a game with 41 carries, for a career best 246 rushing yards against Southwest Baptist. Hill was named MIAA Offensive Player of the Week for that performance. His 1,498 all-purpose yards were fourth in the MIAA and his 12 touchdowns and 30 receptions were both tops on the team.  Hill is currently 5th all-time in rushing yards with 2,736 just 36 yards shy of tying Rodney Stephenson for 4th. Hill is second all-time in carries with 596 just 97 shy of tying Thomas Hodges for the lead with 693. Hill has rushed for over 100 yards five times this season and has helped the Griffons to a 8-0 record when rushing for over 200 yards as a team.

Macon Allan joined Hill as a first time member of the first time. The 6-4, 310 lb. offensive tackle helped pave the way for the Griffons’ rushing attack, which ranked second in the MIAA (2,794 yards). The King City, Mo. native started all 11 games this season, and has started every game since 2009 (35). The Griffon s are averaging 5.6 yards per rush and 254 yards per game on the ground.

David Bass also garnered first team status for the first time in his career. The junior defensive end broke a school record with 20 tackles for loss.  His 14.5 sacks leads the conference and left him one-half sack short of the single season school record. He is 1.5 sacks short of the career record with 28.5. His two, four sack performances each tied a school record for most in a game. Bass earned MIAA Defensive Player of the Week honors twice and was the D2Football.com Player of the Week once.

Safety Shane Simpson also made the first team for the first time in his career. The junior compiled 41 total tackles and four interceptions. His four interceptions were second most on the team, and his 47 interception return yards led the team. Simpson recorded two pass break ups, six passes deafened and one fumble recovery.

Simpson’s fellow safety, Jack Long was named to the second team. Long recorded 42 total tackles, three pass break ups, three passes deafened and one fumble recovery. The senior from Parkville, Mo. started 23 consecutive games and was a first-team All-Conference selection in 2010.

Ben Pister joined Long as a second team selection for the first time in his career. The junior defensive end’s 8.5 sacks were the fourth most in the MIAA. The St. Joseph native finished with 38 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, one interception, two pass break ups, three passes deafened and one forced fumble.

Western also placed a conference best, nine players on the honorable mention list: Travis Partridge, QB; Tarrell Downing, WR/PR/KR; Colt Schulte, OL; Brian Chiles, OL; Austin Baska, DL; Tom Madget, LB; Ben Jackson, DB; Jeremy Weston, DB and Scott Groner, P.

Missouri Western will host their first ever home playoff game on Saturday, November 19 against rival Northwest Missouri State. Game time is set for 12:00 pm from Spratt Stadium.

— MWSU Sports Information —