Whitworth has 14 selected to All-Northwest Conference football teams

Fourteen Whitworth Pirates have been recognized on the 2015 All-Northwest Conference football team, which was released Monday by the conference office.

Five Whitworth players were named to the first team, eight to the second team and one received honorable mention.

Two offensive players, two defensive players and a kicker earned first-team recognition. Senior Kyle Cosby (University) earned first-team All-NWC as a left tackle for the second straight season. Listed at 6-foot7 and 305 pounds, Cosby has been an imposing presence on the Pirates offensive line since he arrived on campus.

Joining Cosby on the first team offense is sophomore tight end Nick Kiourkas (Shadle Park). Kiourkas ended the regular season with 35 receptions for 575 yards and seven touchdowns. He finished third in the NWC in touchdown receptions and led the Pirates in receiving yards.

Junior defensive end Daniel Portillo (Gig Harbor, Washington) was first team honoree on the defensive side of the ball. He led Whitworth with 10 tackles for loss, including 6.0 sacks for a total of 32 yards. He finished the regular season with 43 total tackles.

Outside linebacker Dalin McDonnell (junior, East Wenatchee, Washington) had a breakthrough season. He led the NWC with six interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. He also broke up three passes and forced three fumbles. McDonnell finished the year with 50 total tackles.

It was a record-setting season for freshman kicker Rehn Reiley (Moses Lake), who was named to the All-NWC first team. Reiley made 14 of 21 field goals with a long of 51 yards. He shattered the previous school record of nine field goals made in a season. He made four field goals of 45 yards or longer.

Running back Duke DeGaetano (junior, Bend, Oregon) is a second-team All-NWC selection following an All-NWC honorable mention year in 2014. DeGaetano averaged 85.0 yards per game this season and 4.1 yards per carry. He finished second in the NWC in rushing touchdowns with 11.

Sophomore Michael McKeown (Post Falls) was named to the second team as wide receiver. He finished the regular season with 46 receptions for 484 yards (an average of 10.5 yards per catch) with three touchdowns.

Junior Trevor Woodall (Lake City) is on the second team as an offensive guard. He is in his second year as a starter.

Senior defensive end Danny Welstad (Gig Harbor) is on the second team after earning first-team honors in 2014. He led the team in negative yardage (49) on 9.5 tackles for loss this season. He had 30 total tackles.

Junior outside linebacker JT Phelan (East Valley is a second-team selection after picking up honorable mention honors in 2014. He finished the year with 44 total tackles, including 8.0 for losses of 32 yards. He added an interception and two fumble recoveries.

Sophomore corner back Taylor Roelofs (Tacoma) tied for the Northwest Conference lead in pass breakups (12) and tied for second in the league in passes intercepted (4). That led to second-team All-NWC recognition. He finished with 41 tackles.

Senior safety Kelvin Mackey (Lynwood, California) was Whitworth’s final defensive selection to the second team. He had 46 total tackles, two interceptions and five pass breakups in his second season as a starter.

Senior punter Robert Thullen (Tulare, California) was the only other special teams player named to the first or second team besides Reiley. Thullen averaged a league-leading 39.1 yards per punt, 17 of which were downed inside the 20.

Sophomore linebacker Patch Kulp (Santa Clarita, California) was Whitworth’s only player on the honorable mention list. He led Whitworth with 53 tackles and added three interceptions and a fumble recovery.

The 14 players helped lead the Pirates to a regular-season record of 9-1, only the fifth time in school history Whitworth has won nine or more games in a season. The 22nd-ranked Pirates will play at 2nd-ranked Linfield in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs on Saturday.

Linfield had both Players of the Year – QB Sam Riddle on offense and DE Alex Hoff on defense.