Football lands three on All-MIAC first team

November 25, 2003
St. Thomas had three players named to the 38-man All-MIAC football first team announced Tuesday. Coach Don Roney's team also had three players among 33 honored on the second team.

For the second year in a row, the all-conference teams were selected by a vote per position by MIAC head coaches.

DB Paul Sommerstad (JR-Apple Valley/Eastview), LB Andrew Ubbelohde (SO-Red Wing) and RB-KR Walter Dosh (SO-Green Bay, Wis./Notre Dame) were the Tommies' first-team honorees. Dosh was selected as the Utility player.

Second-team honorees were OT Matt McLaughlin (SR-Excelsior/Minnetonka), DB Steve Groth (JR-Apple Valley/Eastview) and DT Ben Kessler (SO-Janesville, Wis./Craig).

St. Thomas tied for sixth in the MIAC at 3-5. Their 3-7 overall finish included three losses by three or less points. The Tommies had a two-point loss at St. Norbert and a three-point loss to St. John's, and those teams play this Saturday in an NCAA round of 16 playoff game.

Ubbelohde finished 15th in Division III in total tackles per game at 12.4 and also had a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception. His 112 tackles in nine games were one off the Tommie season record. He had four tackles for loss among his 15 total tackles in the 15-12 loss to No.-ranked St. John's. He joined Groth and Sommerstad in helping hold St. John's All-American WR Blake Elliott to just 88 all-purpose yards.

Sommerstad, a three-year starter with five career interceptions, has a 3.563 gpa in Finance and made third team Academic All-District.

Dosh missed the last two games with an injury. He had seven touchdowns in three home games. In eight games he had 973 all-purpose yards, including 358 rushing yards, 45 receiving yards 202 punt return yards (13.5 ypr) and 368 kick return yards (20.4 ypr). He had seven plays of 38 or more yards in six conference games.

Groth was out of football for five years before joining the Tommies in 2002. He has five interceptions in his two seasons as a starter.

McLaughlin was a three-year line starter, including the 2002 season as a defensive tackle.

Kessler, who has a 4.00 gpa as a Theology major, is also on the national ballot for Academic All-America consideration.

Kessler started all 10 games this season and recorded six sacks among his nine tackles for loss and had three fumble recoveries and one QB hurry. He had two sacks and fumble recovery in last Saturday's 34-20 loss to 7-2 Concordia-Moorhead. He also had one sack and four tackles vs. unbeaten St. John's. Last season, he had 21 tackles and two sacks as a part-time starter.

see All-MIAC football teams here