Six Eagles earn D2CCA All-Region honors
PEMBROKE, N.C. - A total of six Eagles, four on the first team and two on the second, have earned All-Region accolades from the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association, the organization announced Friday afternoon.
PEMBROKE, N.C. - A total of six Eagles, four on the first team and two on the second, have earned All-Region accolades from the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association, the organization announced Friday afternoon.
Running back Antonio Wimbush (Kingsland, Ga.), offensive lineman Phillip McDowell (Boiling Springs, S.C.), linebacker Rondrow Peebles (Knoxville, Tenn.) and defensive back Desmond Fairell (Miami, Fla.) all made the first team, while wide receiver Braxton Westfield (Simpsonville, S.C.) and safety Darius Williams (St. Petersburg, Fla.) garnered second team honors.
Wimbush, McDowell, Peebles and Fairell all move on to the national ballot for All-America honors.
McDowell, recognized last year with All-America honors from Don Hansen's Football Gazette, becomes Carson-Newman's first two-time All-American since offensive lineman Michael Tribue was recognized in 2009 and 2010. He previously earned All-America honors from the AFCA earlier this year.
McDowell has helped clear the way for an offense that ranks fifth in the country in rushing with 292.7 yards per game, 25th in scoring in 36.8 points per game and 39th in total offense at 417.3 yards per game.
McDowell extended his school-record for knockdowns by an offensive lineman with another 44 knockdowns this year. He has a whopping 101 for his career, more than double Robby Ignagni, the previous record holder.
Additionally, McDowell cleared the way for a 1,000-yard rusher in his final three seasons in and orange and blue jersey. Through his blocking, he helped Antonio Wimbush (Kingland, Ga.) become the program's third 4,000-yard rusher.
Fairell has put his name in the record books on Carson-Newman's all-time interceptions list. Fairell finished his Carson-Newman career with 19 career picks, that's the third most all-time.
The seven interceptions Fairell has this year are tied for the third most for a single-season in school history. Fairell led the South Atlantic Conference in interceptions, he is eighth nationally.
Fairell has also broken up 11 passes this year and is ninth nationally in passes defensed.
He helmed a secondary that picked off 22 passes this season, the fifth most in a single season in school history.
Wimbush, the 2018 All-American and Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year has turned in one of the best careers by a Carson-Newman football running back.
Wimbush became the third member of Carson-Newman's 4,000-yard rushing club. He finishes his career third all-time in rushing yards with 4,003.
Wimbush had 17 100-yard rushing performances for his career, good enough for second on the all-time list. Wimbush is the sixth player in program history with 40 career rushing touchdowns. He had 41 in his career.
This year, Wimbush has tallied 1,123 yards rushing on 150 carries and 11 touchdowns. He is the sixth playing in Carson-Newman history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing campaigns. He has joined the likes of Kenneth Tyson, Robert Thomas, Tyrone Westmoreland, Brandon Baker and Nate Inman.
The senior has especially had a gleam in his eye down the stretch of his career. Over the last four weeks, Wimbush averaged 135 yards per game on the ground. He had eight rushing touchdowns in that span.
Peebles has earned a pair of SAC Defensive Player of the Week awards this year. He is Carson-Newman's leading tackler with 93 stops. Peebles also had 18.0 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks. He tallied a game-changing interception against Limestone. Peebles was named national player of the week following his 12-tackle, 3.5-tackle for loss, 1.5-sack performance on opening night against West Florida. The 12 tackles are one of four double-digit tackle efforts on the year. He had 11 stops against Catawba, Newberry and Limestone. Peebles tied Temoris Coats for the third most TFL in a single season in program history with 18. His nine sacks are the most by a Carson-Newman linebacker in a single season.
Westfield becomes Carson-Newman's first first-team all-conference and all-region wideout in a decade and the first since Reggie Hubbard earned a spot on the first team in 2009.
Westfield has been a big-play threat for Carson-Newman all year. In his second career game as a Carson-Newman football player, Braxton Westfield put his name in the record books. In a week two loss to Wingate, Westfield grabbed three passes, all for touchdowns, for a whopping 169 yards receiving. His scores traversed 81, 53 and 35 yards. The 81-yard catch is the seventh longest reception in school history. His 169 yards are the 10th highest single-game total in school history and the third most of the option era. Additionally, his 56.3 yards per catch are the most of any wide out with three catches or more in a single game and the fourth most among players with two or more receptions. His three touchdown catches are also tied a school record.
For the year, Westfield has 36 catches for 680 yards. He set an option-era record for receptions with a 10-catch, 139-yard day against Lenoir-Rhyne. Westfield has found the end zone 11 times this season, the second most receiving touchdowns by an Eagle in a single season all-time and the most in the option era.
Williams earns all-region honors for the second time in his career. He had 65 tackles and 7.5 for loss on the year. The 7.5 tackles for loss are a school record by a defensive back. He had back-to-back double-digit tackle efforts in weeks two and three against Wingate and UVA-Wise. He followed a then-career best 12 stop day against the Bulldogs with a 13-tackle day against the Highland Cavaliers. He had a 76-yard interception return, one of two picks on the year, against UVa-Wise.
