The football postseason awards for the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference were announced Thursday and the all-conference team has a flock of Blue Jays.
Eight Westminster players made an appearance on the All-UMAC team. Six earned first team honors as quarterback Wyatt Ellis, running back Taylor Dobbins, Trey King and offensive lineman Ray Samuels were on offense, linebacker Dawson Brandt was on defense and Tim Branneky was on special teams as a punter and kicker - while also being named the most valuable special teams player. Offensive lineman Demetrius O'Neal was second team offense, and defensive lineman Justin Scales was second team defense.
Ellis ranked fourth in the conference among passers with his 1,168 yards and 13 touchdowns but was a dual threat all season for Westminster as he ranks sixth among all rushers with his 469 yards - for 58.6 yards per game - is tied for seventh with five touchdowns. His rushing yards only put him behind running backs and just behind Minnesota-Morris quarterback Marcus Reeb in rushing touchdowns by a quarterback.
Dobbins was the second best running back in the conference this season behind most valuable offensive player of the year award winner Greenville's Paul Garrett. Garrett paced the field for the conference champion Panthers with his 1,619 yards, 161.9 yards per game and 21 touchdowns while Dobbins ranks third, second and second in those categories. The Blue Jay running back has 1,049 yards, 131.1 yards per game and 11 touchdowns.
King is tied for eighth in the conference with his 358 receiving yards and ranks sixth with 44.8 receiving yards per game but did all that while ranking 21st in recepions at 17. King did the most with less as he averaged a conference-best 21.1 yards after the catch while scoring four touchdowns.
Samuels and O'Neal were stationed on an offensive line that averaged 395.6 total yards per game, including 244.4 yards on the ground, while allowing a conference-best 13 sacks.
Brandt ranked 16th in the UMAC with his 56 tackles but is tied for third in fumbles forced at two. Scales finished the season with 27 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.
As a kicker, Branneky put Westminster at the top of the conference with a 54.5 average per kickoff and eight touchbacks. Branneky made 26-of-28 PATs for a second-best .929 percentage. As a punter, he put the Blue Jays at the top of the UMAC again with his 38 yard average while placing 10 inside the 20-yard line.