November 14, 2018
KJCCC -- Jayhawk Conference champion Garden City earned two of the three major postseason awards presented to the league's best, while a Hutchinson freshman snared the third as the 2018 All-Jayhawk Conference Football Team is released.
Garden City running back Charles West was named the 2018 Jayhawk Conference Offensive Player of the Year after propelling his team into the NJCAA national championship game. Broncbuster head coach Jeff Sims was named the league's 2018 Coach of the Year, taking the Busters to a national title game for the second time in four seasons.
Hutchinson linebacker Monty Montgomery was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year.
LINK to the 2018 All-Conference Teams : http://kjccc.org/sports/fball/2018-19/2018_ALL-KJCCC_FOOTBALL.pdf
CHARLES WEST, GARDEN CITY – OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
West was one of two main cogs that helped Garden City to lead the nation in rushing in 2018 at 307.6 yards per game this season.
West was second in the nation in rushing with 1,382 yards on 229 carries with nine touchdowns. Right behind him was teammate Dedrick Mills, who had 1,358 yards and 19 touchdowns. He averaged 6.0 yards per carry. West also caught nine passes for 91 yards and one touchdown.
Playing in nine games this year, West had eight 100-yard rushing games and two 200-yards games – 237 at Fort Scott and 201 vs. Dodge City.
He rushed for 131 yards in a huge 24-21 win at No. 4 Hutchinson when he caught a game-winning touchdown pass with 18 seconds left in the game.
MONTY MONTGOMERY, HUTCHINSON – DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
The freshman linebacker from Grayson, Georgia, proved to be an impact player on one of the Jayhawk Conference's top defenses in 2018.
Montgomery led the Blue Dragons with 79 total tackles. He tied a Hutchinson single-game record with 24 tackles in a game against No. 2 Garden City. Montgomery had 14 tackles for loss, five quarterback sacks with three interceptions, four quarterback hurries and a pair of fumble recoveries.
Montgomery became the first Blue Dragon to score two defensive touchdowns in a single game with a fumble and interception return for a touchdown. He had three defensive touchdowns this season.
JEFF SIMS, GARDEN COACH – COACH OF THE YEAR
For the second time in four seasons, Jeff Sims guided the Broncbusters to an undefeated Jayhawk Conference championship and a spot in the national championship game. The 2018 Busters were the nation's leading rushing team at 307.6 yards per game.
The 2018 NJCAA title game will be Sims' swan song at Garden City. Next year, Sims will be the head coach at Missouri Southern State. Sims is 32-12 at Garden City, but 29-4 over the last three seasons, winning the 2016 NJCAA National Championship.
This is Sims' third Jayhawk Conference Coach of the Year Award. He won the other two at Fort Scott in 2009 and Garden City in 2016.