Jacobs, Ofstedal headline Northland Conference award winners

Jarell Jacobs of the Cass Lake-Bena boys basketball team captured the Northland Conference Most Valuable Player award on Wednesday, while fellow Panther Leroy Fairbanks won the Rookie of the Year award and Blackduck's Pete Ofstedal captured Coach of the Year honors.

Jacobs led the conference with 28.8 points per game, and he even averaged a double-double by grabbing 10.6 rebounds a night. His totals respectively ranked first and second in the conference, while Red Lake's Delwyn Holthusen was second in points (27.0 ppg) and first in rebounds (17.5 rpg).

Miguel Reyes and Timmy Smith joined Jacobs and Fairbanks on the All-Conference Team, while Brent Fowler and Kaydin Lee were honorable mention picks for Cass Lake-Bena.

Red Lake's representatives included Aaron Chaboyea, Riley Chaboyea and Holthusen on the all-conference team, while Daylen French and Gerald Kingbird Jr. received honorable mention recognition.

Blackduck's Dylan Moen (23.4 ppg, 9.5 rpg) and Ethan Merrill (12.4 ppg) were also all-Northland picks, and Shawn O'Brien, Quick McKeeman and Sawyer Nendick received honorable mention nods.

In all, 16 players were named to the all-conference team, while 12 others were honorable mention selections.

Cass Lake-Bena and Nevis shared the conference title, each posting an 11-3 record. Red Lake was third at 9-4 and Blackduck placed fourth at 9-5. Northome/Kelliher (2-12) and Laporte (0-13) were seventh and eighth, respectively.