:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/6ZL6DQOPTWM5ITHF4X2D73SSVA.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/RLJ5NK25LYL23QMHLM46SRFSCY.jpg)
All-American
PELLA — Central College men’s basketball forward Colby Taylor, senior from Creston, has been selected to the Sporting News Magazine Division III Preseason All-America Team.
Taylor was placed on the second team by Sporting News and is the only player from an Iowa Conference school selected at any level of All-American.
Taylor led the Dutch in scoring (20.2 ppg) and rebounding (9.7 rpg) last season. He also recorded 12 double-doubles and shot over 80 percent from the free throw line. His 42-point outburst against Simpson on Feb. 7 is tied for the fifth most in a single game in Dutch history. He is currently eighth on Central’s career scoring list with 1,306 points.
The Dutch are coming off an Iowa Conference tournament championship and a berth to the NCAA Division III Championships, where they lost to the eventual national champion University of St. Thomas (Minn.).
Central, 19-10 last year, opens the 2016 campaign on Nov. 15 in Mount Pleasant against Iowa Wesleyan University at 8 p.m.
Bearcats roll
MARYVILLE, Mo. — Defensive end Collin Bevins of Creston had one solo tackle, two assisted tackles and two quarterback hurries in Northwest Missouri State’s 74-29 rout of Northeastern State Saturday in Bearcat Stadium.
The Bearcats won their 22nd straight game in front of a crowd of 7,296 fans on Military Appreciation Day. Senior quarterback Kyle Zimmerman completed 16 of 22 passes for 270 yards and five touchdowns.
Northwest, ranked No. 1 in the AFCA Top 25, improved to 7-0 overall and in MIAA play. Northeastern State fell to 1-6 and 1-6.
The Bearcats travel to St. Charles, Missouri, on Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. game against Lindenwood.
Returning home
PELLA — After five road trips in the season’s first seven weeks, the Central College football team returns to Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium to take on preseason Iowa Conference co-favorite Wartburg College at 1 p.m Saturday.
Central is 5-2 overall and 3-2 in the Iowa Conference and Wartburg is 4-2 and 3-1.
Cole Tanner of Creston/O-M is the senior right guard in the offensive line nicknamed the “Rhinos.” After at 587-yard offensive effort at Nebraska Wesleyan, the group was named to the D3football.com team of the week. Junior left tackle Steven Peterman of Carroll Kuemper is also a starter in the line. Receiver Sam Markham of Atlantic is second in Division III in receptions per game (10.1) and 16th in receiving yards per game (115.1).