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CJ grad to play in national junior college football championship

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By Sean McClelland, Staff Writer 9:53 PM Friday, December 2, 2011

It’s not on an ESPN platform and, OK, it lacks the allure of tonight’s inaugural Big Ten football championship.

But the national junior college football champion nevertheless will be crowned this afternoon at the El Toro Bowl in Yuma, Ariz.

And there’s a local connection.

Matt Miller (Chaminade Julienne) plays defensive end for undefeated Arizona Western College, which squares off with East Mississippi College. AWC is  No. 1 in the latest NJCAA poll, East Mississippi No. 2 — a fitting match, it would seem.

AWC, 11-0 for the first time, has won the Western States Football League three years running, the past two with Miller anchoring the defensive front. He had a sack and several tackles as AWC clobbered Mesa College 45-13 in the regular-season finale.

With two eligible years remaining, Miller has Division I scholarship offers from Utah State and New Mexico State, plus interest from more than 20 Division II schools. At least 30 coaches from D-I schools are expected today.

“It’s really good exposure for me and the team,” Miller said in an email. “Coaches know there is talent to be found here.”

Cam Newton played in this game. Nick Fairley, too. While Miller would like to follow in those NFL players’ footsteps, first he must decide where to spend the next two years. A good performance today, he figures, “should get me a few more (options).”

• Miller’s former CJ teammate Kurt Hess, a Youngstown State sophomore, was named first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference this week, becoming the first Penguins quarterback so honored since YSU joined the league in 1997.

Hess set YSU records for single-season touchdown passes (26), completion percentage (64.5), 200-yard games (eight), TD passes in consecutive games (11) and TD passes in one game (five vs. Missouri State). In eight MVFC contests, he averaged 245.8 yards and threw for 22 TDs.

Campus tour

• According to a source in position to know, guard Geron Johnson (Dunbar), currently starring at Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kan., will sign with the University of Kansas if he can get his grades in order and stay out of trouble. Johnson, a sophomore, is on his second junior college, having been kicked out of Chipola (Fla.).

• Every Michigan State defensive starter made first or second team All-Big Ten or received honorable mention. But junior tackle Jerel Worthy (Wayne) was the only one named first team by both the coaches and the media.

• It was a season to remember for University of St. Francis (Fort Wayne, Ind.) running back Antoin Campbell (Springboro). He helped the NAIA school make the playoffs, scored two TDs in a 28-14 first-round win at Missouri Valley College and led his team with 11 touchdowns.

• Ohio University sophomore Julie Accurso (Miami East) finished 36th at the NCAA Division I cross country championships at Indiana State. At the D-III meet in Oshkosh, Wis., Ohio Northern junior Alison Steinbrunner (Tecumseh) was ninth.

If you have information about an area athlete in college, please send an email to smcclelland @DaytonDailyNews.com.

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