It was another strong season for several Butler Grizzlies football players and those performances were reflected in the Jayhawk Conference Awards that were released on Thursday.
Two Butler players received first team all conference honors and seven players were awarded second team, as well as 11 players getting honorable mention. Of the Grizzlies 20 players that received honors, seven hail from the state of Kansas.
Darius Lassiter, a third year wide receiver, and Seth Falley, a third year center, were named to the first team on offense.
Lassiter, from Lawrence, Kansas, played in 10 games and led the conference in receptions with 37. His 707 yards was good for second in the league, and his 70.7 yards per game was third. He also led the league in touchdowns with 10.
Falley, out of Haysville, Kansas, also came back for a third year. An offensive captain who played in every game this season, he anchored the offensive line and was the motivational leader of the Grizzlies team all season.
Third year players Adarius Thomas and Colten Cable, as well as sophomore Flavio Gonzales, were awarded second team all conference on offense along with transfer Shaylon Roberts who played guard. Defensive backs Nickendre Stiger and Jaxon Gibbs were also both selected for second team defense and Carson Arndt was awarded second team for his role on special teams.
Thomas, a running back hailing from Newton, Georgia, starred for the Grizzlies on the ground all season. In a league full of great rushers, Thomas finished 3rd in yards, with 634, and 4th in yards per game, with 634. His 63.4 yards per game was good enough for 4th, and he finished the season with five touchdowns and only one fumble. His biggest game of the season came on the road against national champions Hutch, finishing the day with 11 carries for 114 yards.
Cable, a lineman out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Gonzalez, out of Tucson, Arizona, and Roberts out of Pflugerville, Texas helped anchor an offensive line that helped the Grizzly offense average 215 yards per game on the ground and 221 yards through the air.
Stiger, a defensive back hailing from Wichita, ended the season with 48 tackles, one sack and one interception in nine games in his sophomore season. Jaxon Gibbs, who was a transfer player for the Grizzlies out of Frisco, Texas, finished the season with 24 tackles to go along with his two interceptions and two pass breakups on the year.
Carson Arndt, freshman kicker from Wichita, KS, scored 68 points on the season finishing 53 of 56 on extra points and knocking through five field goals with his longest being 47-yards.
The Grizzlies were well represented in the honorable mention category as 11 players were recognized for their efforts this season on the field. On the defensive side of the ball, linebackers Blake Barron (Rockwall, TX), MJ Cunningham (Portland, OR) and Dylan Jordan (Pittsburg, KS), were all recognized along with defensive ends Bralen Taylor (Cuero, TX) and Chester Geffrard (Ocoee, FL) and defensive lineman Caylen Lowery (Wichita, KS). On the offensive side of the ball, running back Jordan Kempf (Kemp, TX), quarterback Gavin Screws (Jacksonville, FL), wide receiver AJ King (Wichita, KS), tight end Karter Johnson (Pickerington, OH) and punter Crimmins Hankinson III (Augusta, GA), were all awarded all conference honorable mention Jayhawk honors.
Complete KJCCC All-Conference List- HERE
