2019 G-MAC All-Conference Football Release
In its short three-year history in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, the Hillsdale College football team is adding items to its trophy case at a rapid pace.
Three players earned individual G-MAC season awards and a total of 15 players were named All-Conference as the G-MAC released its postseason award winners Friday afternoon.
Senior offensive lineman Mark Konkle was named the G-MAC Offensive Lineman of the Year. It's the second year in a row a Charger has captured that award, after Drew Callahan won it in 2018. Konkle started the last 24 games of his career at left tackle and was the team's most consistent performer on the offensive line this season. Konkle was also named First-Team All-Conference.
Senior safety Drake Temple was named the 2019 G-MAC Defensive Back of the Year. Temple had an extraordinary season for the Chargers, intercepting seven passes, the most by any Hillsdale player in 19 years. He picked off three passes against eventual conference champion Tiffin and finished with 65 total tackles, two fumble recoveries and six pass break-ups on the season.
Freshman quarterback Luke Keller was named the 2019 G-MAC Co-Freshman of the Year. Keller was thrust into the starting role in Week 1, becoming the first Charger signal-caller to start a season opener as a freshman since 2000. He started all 11 games, throwing for 2,108 yards and 16 touchdown passes in his rookie season. Filling in as the team's punter over the final 10 weeks, he averaged 40.6 yards per punt, and was named Second-Team All-Conference in the punter slot.
Senior tailback David Graham was named First-Team All-Conference following a season where he racked up 1,049 rushing yards and 17 total touchdowns. The Chargers; 2019 team MVP, Graham finished his career with 52 total touchdowns, tied for second-most in a career in Hillsdale history.
Temple was joined on the First-Team by sophomore Zach Herzog, who had a terrific first year as a starter. Herzog led Hillsdale with 103 total tackles this season and was named G-MAC Defensive Player of the Week following his Week 1 performance where he had 20 total tackles, most by any player since 2007.
Senior placekicker Bryce Sealock missed just two kicks all season, and his productivity - 62 total points - and accuracy landed him a First-Team All-Conference selection. He was 38-for-39 on extra point attempts and hit 8 of 9 field goal tries on the season.
Second-Team All-Conference selections included: wide receiver Konnor Maloney, offensive lineman Mitchell Albert, linebacker Nate Jones, safety Alex Anschutz and cornerback Jason McDonough.
Honorable mention selections for Hillsdale were: defensive lineman Nate Canterbury, defensive lineman Nate Chambers, offensive lineman Cole Johnson, tight end Martin Petersen, defensive lineman Joe Royer and linebacker Dan Shanley.