Nov. 15, 2006

Lutes Place Five on All-NWC Football First Team

SPOKANE, Wash. – Three members of the Pacific Lutheran offense and two Lute defenders earned All-Northwest Conference Football first team honors as selected by the conference coaches. The good news is that all five PLU players are juniors and will be back next year.

Andrew Eisentrout

Wide receiver Craig Chiado and running back Chase Reed both earned first team honors for the second straight season, though Reed was a slotback selection in 2005. Lineman Kelly Totten joined them on the first team offense.

Defensive end Andrew Eisentrout and linebacker Chad Blau were selected to the first team defense.

Chiado finished second in the NWC in receptions per game (4.8) and receiving yards per game (97.3). His season statistics showed 55 receptions for 849 yards and seven touchdowns.

Reed’s versatility earned him a first team running back selection as he finished 10th in rushing yards per game (36.8), eighth in receptions per game (3.2), seventh in receiving yards per game (54.3) and tied for third in scoring per game (6.0). For the season, Reed led the team in rushing (309 yards, four touchdowns), was second in receptions (33 for 523 yards and five touchdowns) and led in scoring (54 points).

Totten, a three-year starter on the offensive line, helped clear the way for an offense that averaged 331.7 yards and 29.3 points in conference games.

Eisentrout spent a good deal of his season in the opponents’ offensive backfield. He finished fourth in the conference in tackles per game (7.7), and easily led in quarterback sacks (11.5 total, seven more than any other player) and in tackles for loss (17 total), and also forced two fumbles. For the season, Eisentrout finished with 67 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 quarterback sacks and three forced fumbles.

Blau was third in tackles per game (7.8), sixth in tackles for loss (6.5 total) and also recovered two fumbles. During the nine-game PLU regular season he led the Lutes with 70 total tackles while contributing 15.0 tackles for loss, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.

Sophomore lineman Thomas Coffman earned second team All-NWC honors on offense. Lutes selected to the second team defense were junior lineman Robert Thomsen, senior linebacker Jon Hergert and senior defensive back Andy Hamilton.

PLU honorable mention selections including senior linebacker Kelly Brown, senior defensive back Brent Frank and junior defensive back Jeff Ebel.

Craig Chiado	Chase Reed	Kelly Totten	Chad Blau

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