Contact: Houston Taylor, SID
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Southern Arkansas is represented by three players on the 2010 All-Gulf South Conference football team, released by the league office Thursday. Defensive tackle Cedric Thornton (6-4, 297, Sr., Star City) and wide receiver/return specialist Rafael Thomas (5-8, 180, So., Lufkin, Texas) were named as first team members, while defensive back Daren Lewis (6-4, 200, Sr., Irving, Texas) received second team laurels.
A first team All-America and All-GSC selection a year ago, Thornton finished third on the team this season with 52 total tackles (26 unassisted), with 13 going for 35 yards in loss, including 1.5 sacks for minus seven yards. The senior led the squad with five quarterback hurries, and forced one fumble and had one pass breakup.
Thornton’s 13 tackles behind the line currently leads the league and is ranked 16th nationally in averaging 1.63 per game.
Thomas made the conference first team as one of two return specialists. He had 15 punt returns, with a long of 44 yards, averaging 12.7 per return, currently third in the GSC and ranked 19th in Division II. His 18 kickoff returns for 446 yards and a 24.8 return average is currently ranked second in the league.
Thomas’ seven kickoff returns against North Alabama matched a 
league high this season and set the new Mulerider school record. His combined 187 yards on kickoff and punt returns at Arkansas Tech was also tops in the conference, with 173 coming on kickoff returns, second all-time in SAU history behind only Jordan Babineaux’s 208 at Delta State in 2003. Thomas had an 88-yard return for a touchdown against Tech.
Lewis was a main cog in a stellar Southern Arkansas defensive secondary that ranked second in the GSC in pass defense, allowing just 191.1 yards per game. His 80 tackles (55 unassisted) led the Muleriders and ranked fifth in the conference, and included 2.5 tackles for seven lost yards. Lewis also had four pass breakups, one interception for a six-yard return, and forced one fumble and 
recovered two. He had a career-high 17 tackles, 16 solo, against Arkansas-Monticello in this year’s Boomtown Classic.
North Alabama and Ouachita Baptist led the way on the all-conference football team with 11 and 10 players selected, respectively. The Lions placed six players on the first team, while the Tigers landed five. GSC tri-champions Delta State and Henderson State added eight total players apiece, and Valdosta State had six.
Henderson State senior quarterback Nick Hardesty was named the GSC offensive player of the year, while defensive player of the year laurels went to Valdosta State senior linebacker Larry Dean. West Georgia offensive tackle Brandon White and Delta State linebacker Xavier Triplett were voted as the freshman offensive and defensive players of the year. For the first time in GSC history, three coaches were named coach of the year, with the honors going to Harding’s Ronnie Huckeba, Henderson State’s Scott Maxfield and Valdosta State’s David Dean.
The All-GSC team is selected by the head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players. Ballots ending in a tie are not broken.
