Redhawks Celebrate Successes of 2019 Football Season
12/9/2019 11:13:00 AM | Football
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Ohio Valley Conference Champion and NCAA FCS Playoff participant Southeast Missouri football team gathered to celebrate its success from the 2019 season during its year-end banquet at Houck Field House.
SEMO completed its second-straight nine-win season with a 9-4 overall record and 7-1 mark in the OVC. The Redhawks shared the conference title with Austin Peay, which is now in the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs.
The Redhawks posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in their NCAA Division I era and recorded consecutive nine-win campaigns for the first time in their 115-year football history. SEMO's OVC title marked just its second in school history and first since 2010. Meanwhile, the Redhawks made their third FCS Playoff appearance and advanced to the playoffs in back-to-back years for the first time ever.
SEMO's 17 seniors, consisting of outside linebacker Justin Swift, wide receiver Noah McWell, inside linebacker Zach Hall, wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson, inside linebacker Devin Alexander, quarterback Daniel Santacaterina, cornerback DJ Freeman, cornerback Taj Jenkins, inside linebacker Nick Thompson, tight end Bud Hilburn, defensive tackle Clarence Thornton, offensive lineman Tyler Ford, offensive lineman Elijah Swehla, tight end Eric Williams, defensive tackle Josh Avery, defensive lineman Josh Price and defensive lineman Ryan Ochoa, left their legacy as the winningest senior class in the school's Division I tenure. As a unit, they won 24 games, made two FCS Playoff appearances, recorded the school's first-ever playoff win and won a conference title.
Southeast Missouri's All-OVC Selections
First-Team All-OVC
Kristian Wilkerson, WR
Elijah Swehla, OL
Zach Hall, ILB
Second-Team All-OVC
Justin Swift, OLB
Bydarrius Knighten, DB
OVC All-Newcomer Team
Geno Hess, RB
Southeast Missouri's Team Award-Winners
Defensive Newcomer Award Rasean McCauley, ILB
Offensive Newcomer Award Geno Hess, RB
Top Offensive Back Zion Custis
Knox Award (Top Defensive Lineman) Clarence Thornton
Goddard Award (Top Offensive Lineman) Elijah Swehla
Top Linebacker Justin Swift
Mike Wood Award (Top Specialist) Jake Reynolds
Hargens Award (Top Defensive Back) Bydarrius Knighten
Ponder Award (Top Wide Receiver) Aaron Alston
Vogelsang Offensive MVP and Team MVP Kristian Wilkerson, WR
Vogelsang Defensive MVP Zach Hall, ILB
Defensive Work Team MVP Jalyn Williams
Offensive Work Team MVP Izeal Terrell
Dutch Meyr Toughest Redhawk Daniel Santacaterina, QB
Cornerstone Award (Attitude, Effort, Passion, Discipline) Bud Hilburn, TE
SEMO completed its second-straight nine-win season with a 9-4 overall record and 7-1 mark in the OVC. The Redhawks shared the conference title with Austin Peay, which is now in the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs.
The Redhawks posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in their NCAA Division I era and recorded consecutive nine-win campaigns for the first time in their 115-year football history. SEMO's OVC title marked just its second in school history and first since 2010. Meanwhile, the Redhawks made their third FCS Playoff appearance and advanced to the playoffs in back-to-back years for the first time ever.
SEMO's 17 seniors, consisting of outside linebacker Justin Swift, wide receiver Noah McWell, inside linebacker Zach Hall, wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson, inside linebacker Devin Alexander, quarterback Daniel Santacaterina, cornerback DJ Freeman, cornerback Taj Jenkins, inside linebacker Nick Thompson, tight end Bud Hilburn, defensive tackle Clarence Thornton, offensive lineman Tyler Ford, offensive lineman Elijah Swehla, tight end Eric Williams, defensive tackle Josh Avery, defensive lineman Josh Price and defensive lineman Ryan Ochoa, left their legacy as the winningest senior class in the school's Division I tenure. As a unit, they won 24 games, made two FCS Playoff appearances, recorded the school's first-ever playoff win and won a conference title.
Southeast Missouri's All-OVC Selections
First-Team All-OVC
Kristian Wilkerson, WR
Elijah Swehla, OL
Zach Hall, ILB
Second-Team All-OVC
Justin Swift, OLB
Bydarrius Knighten, DB
OVC All-Newcomer Team
Geno Hess, RB
Southeast Missouri's Team Award-Winners
Defensive Newcomer Award Rasean McCauley, ILB
Offensive Newcomer Award Geno Hess, RB
Top Offensive Back Zion Custis
Knox Award (Top Defensive Lineman) Clarence Thornton
Goddard Award (Top Offensive Lineman) Elijah Swehla
Top Linebacker Justin Swift
Mike Wood Award (Top Specialist) Jake Reynolds
Hargens Award (Top Defensive Back) Bydarrius Knighten
Ponder Award (Top Wide Receiver) Aaron Alston
Vogelsang Offensive MVP and Team MVP Kristian Wilkerson, WR
Vogelsang Defensive MVP Zach Hall, ILB
Defensive Work Team MVP Jalyn Williams
Offensive Work Team MVP Izeal Terrell
Dutch Meyr Toughest Redhawk Daniel Santacaterina, QB
Cornerstone Award (Attitude, Effort, Passion, Discipline) Bud Hilburn, TE
Players Mentioned
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