Norse measure up for IIAC All-Conference

Six members of the Luther football team ended the fall 2009 season with All- Conference honors. Josh Patterson (‘11), Kyle McGivney (‘11), Bobby Kuennen (‘10), Cody Edwards (‘10), Darren Oxton (‘10) and John Stoltenberg (‘10) received All- Conference accolades for their performances throughout the fall competition. These selections were made by the head coaches of the nine Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schools, who compiled a list of the top 54 football players among their programs.

Patterson, McGivney and Kuennen were First Team Defensive selections. Kuennen was also a Second Team All-Conference selection during the 2008 season.

Kuennen, a team co-captain, credited much of his success to the help of his teammates.

“I would have to attribute my successes to the players and coaches around me,” Kuennen said. “I have always been able to go against great offensive linemen throughout my years at Luther and that made me better, having to go against them every day at practice.”

The IIAC awards are payoff for months of effort.

“This success has come from hard work in the offseason, a desire to get the job done and our defensive scheme.”

Oxton and Stoltenberg both received Second Team Offensive honors. Stoltenberg is a repeat honoree, having received this honor during the fall 2008 season. Edwards received Honorable Mention honors for his performances on the Norse defensive line.

Oxton was pleased with this end to his last season.

“As a senior, to go out that way is an added bonus to being a part of a good group of guys.”

Luther Head Coach Mike Durnin commented that these players have held significant roles in the team’s success over the past seasons.

“Each of these young men have been a pleasure to work with on a daily basis because of their dedication to being the best they can be on and off the field,” Durnin said.

Luther Football also featured nine Academic All-Conference selections for the 2009 season. Paul Pierson (‘10), Zach Topping (‘10), Peter Wehr (‘10), Peter Ferrell (‘11), Zach Kotz (‘11), Jacob Ryan (‘11), George Zacharakis-Jutz (‘11), Ryan Fett (‘12) and Chris Reynolds (‘12) received this honor. In order to receive Academic All-Conference honors, an athlete must compete at the varsity level, be at least a sophomore in academic standing and maintain a 3.5 or higher grade point average (on a 4.0 scale).

These honors cap off a 5-5, 4-4 in the Iowa Conference season for the Norse that landed them in the middle of a competitive IIAC season. For the senior team members, these honors come as a solid conclusion to their years playing at Luther. For the younger members, including McGivney, they are an extra source of motivation to propel them into the 2010 season.

“We have a lot of work to do in order to become better than a 5-5 team,” McGivney said. “Looking forward to the 2010 year, I think some guys we have are capable, but we need some younger guys to step up in many key positions.”

With these honors winding up the 2009 campaign, the task ahead for the Norse football program is to reflect and prepare for the 2010 season.

“We will critically analyze every phase of the football program during the coming weeks and months,” Durnin said. “In addition, we will continue to recruit prospective players to join the Norse Football Program. From these efforts we will determine the best methods of adjusting our plan to accomplish our goal of being 1 - 0 every day in every way and becoming a championship level program.”