QUICK LINK: 2011 All-Northwest Conference Football Team
FOREST GROVE – In each of his first two seasons, Jordan Fukumoto (So., Mililani, Hawaii) has been the primary offensive spark plug for the new Pacific football program. League coaches have recognized his ability officially with selection to the 2011 All-Northwest Conference Football First Team.
Fukumoto is Pacific's first All-NWC top team selection since 1984, when the league's football teams joined the Columbia Football Association, and the first first team selection for Pacific in any football league since 1991.
Fukumoto leads a list of seven Pacific players selected by coaches to the All-NWC Team, which was announced on Wednesday. Joining Fukumoto on the offensive side of the ball as honorable mentions are quarterback T.C. Campbell (So., Kaimuki, Hawaii), tight end Brian Taylor (So., Lewiston, Idaho) and kicker Moses Villareal-Gomez (Fr., Stockton, Calif.). Pacific's defensive honorable mention selections include defensive back Craig Bailey (So., Fairfield, Calif.), safety Bryan Mills (So., Imbler, Ore.) and defensive lineman Devin Lagorio (So., Stockton, Calif.).
"All of the young men honored exemplify the character and work ethic we look to build our football program around," said Pacific Head Football Coach Keith Buckley. "I am proud of the effort these guys, and our entire team, put in to advance Pacific football in year two and I look forward to adding to this list of honorees in coming years."
Fukumoto ranked as one of the most exciting offensive players in the NWC to watch and backed his play up with solid statistics. He ranked second in the NWC with 844 receiving yards and an average of 93.8 yards per game. His eight receiving touchdowns ranked third in the league and were the most for a Pacific player since 1988. Fukumoto finished the season ranked 33rd among NCAA Division III players in receiving yards per game and was tied for 62nd with 5.56 receptions per game.
A graduate of St. Louis High School in Honolulu, Fukumoto finished with four games with over 100 yards receiving, topped by 131 yards against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. The game included an 87-yard touchdown reception that ranks as the second longest in school history. Fukumoto punched in for three touchdowns against Lewis & Clark on Oct. 1 and finished with 115 yards and two scores in the Boxers' 44-25 win over Puget Sound on Oct. 29.
"Jordan proved week in and week out that he should be considered one of the elite receivers in the Northwest Conference," Buckley said. "He is a complete player that works to better himself as a receiver everyday, which bodes well for his continued growth and production over the next few years."
Campbell continued to grow in his second year as quarterback, setting the stage for some of the Boxers' top games of the season. Campbell ranked fourth in the NWC with 1,858 yards passing and was ranked fifth with 130 yards, 219 attempts and 13 touchdowns. His pass efficiency rating of 141.08 ranked 47th among Division III quarterbacks. He passed for over 200 yards in four games. He tied his own record with five touchdown passes and had a season-high 387 yards on 21 of 27 completions in the win over Puget Sound on Oct. 29.
Taylor earned honorable mention at tight end, finishing the season with 141 yards on 15 receptions and three touchdowns while starting all nine games. He had a touchdown in the Boxers' win over Puget Sound on Oct. 29 and had one of three touchdowns in Pacific's comeback attempt against Pacific Lutheran on Nov. 5.
After a rough start to the season, Villareal-Gomez finished the season as a consistent place kicker. He finished the year making 6 of 10 field goals and was 17 of 19 in point-after conversions. Villareal-Gomez went 2 for 2 against both Linfield on Oct. 15 and Whitworth on Oct. 22, which included a season-long 38-yard field goal against the Pirates. He went 6 for 6 on PAT attempts against Puget Sound. He made an impact in Pacific's comeback attempt against Pacific Lutheran on Nov. 5 when he was successful in two of three onside kick attempts that kept the Boxers in the game.
Bailey started all nine games for the Boxers at cornerback and was a key part of the team's pass defense. He finished with 18 tackles, including 13 solo tackles, and led the conference with 11 pass breakups. Bailey's season was highlighted by an interception in the end zone against Puget Sound on Oct. 29, which led directly to a Pacific score that opened the third quarter of the game.
Mills led Pacific and ranked eighth in the NWC with 62 tackles. He also ranked sixth in the league with 6.9 tackles per game and 35 solo tackles. Mills came up with a Pacific season-high 12 tackles against Whitworth on Oct. 22, had nine tackles at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Sept. 17 and seven tackles and an interception against Puget Sound on Oct. 29. Mills earned the national spotlight against Lewis & Clark on Oct. 1 when he returned a blocked point-after attempt 100 yards for a rare defensive two-point conversion. The play was selected by ESPN's SportsCenter as it's Top Play of the Day.
Lagorio also played a key role in Pacific's defensive effort, coming up with 27 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss as a defensive lineman. He notched season highs of five tackles against Lewis & Clark on Oct. 1 and Whitworth on Oct. 22. He had the blocked kick against the Pioneers that led to Mills' now famous 100-yard two-point conversion on Oct. 1.