GO Knights!!!!!

FB: Ten Knights Earn Preseason Honors

BUENA VISTA, Va. (May 22, 2008) – The 2008 Preseason NAIA All-Independent Football Team was announced on Wednesday and it included 10 athletes from Southern Virginia, including six who garnered first-team mention.

With 10 honorees the Knights had the second most among the 10 independent schools in the NAIA. Southern Oregon led the way with 12. Southern Virginia's six first-team selections tied Southern Oregon and Azusa Pacific for first.

Quarterback Luke Taylor (Litchfield Park, Ariz./Mesa CC) was one of four Knights named to the first-team on offense. The record setting quarterback passed for 3,292 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2007, both school records.

Two of the men who provided Taylor’s protection last season, linemen Ben Burningham (Richmond, Utah/Skyview HS) and Tyler Card (West Valley City, Utah/Cottonwood HS), were named to the first team. Receiver Marc Hadfield from Lehi, Utah, who caught 15 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns, also earned first-team honors.

Safeties Shea Owens (Alpine, Utah/Lone Peak HS) and Devin Huch (Buena Vista, Va./Parry McCluer HS) were named to the first-team defensive unit. Owens had 115 tackles, including 11.5 for loss, while Huch led the Knights with three interceptions.

Earning second team honors were offensive lineman Conorie Richmond (Mesa, Ariz./Mesa CC), wide receiver Tye Hiatt (Vale, Ore./Vale HS) and defensive linemen Jawan Hendrix (Blackstone, Va./Nottoway HS) and Tim Meyer (Boise, Idaho/Capital HS). Richmond started the 2007 season on the offensive line, Hiatt had 27 receptions for 280 yards and two touchdowns in 2006, Hendrix had 55 tackles with 10.0 for loss in 2007 and Meyer tied for the team lead with 5.0 sacks for 33 yards last season.