Wartburg football announces 2010 team awards

Junior wide receiver Levi Helbling of Malvern, senior linebacker Blake Suckow of West Union and junior punter Robby Salmon of Mason City earned Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Player of the Year honors for the 2010 Wartburg College football squad. The awards were released at the program's end-of-the-year banquet Jan. 16.

Helbling, a first team all-Iowa Conference selection, ended his third year with the Orange and Black with impressive numbers. He hauled in 52 catches for 832 yards and six touchdowns. Suckow, who was first team all-league and third-team D3Football.com All-American on defense, topped Wartburg's tackle charts with 106.5 including 12.5 for losses and two and a half sacks. Salmon, joining his fellow MVPs as all-conference, set a new single-season school standard for yards-per-kick at 42.7.

Other awards given out by Coach Rick Willis and his staff went to junior quarterback Danny Stiefel of Sterling Heights, Mich., (Newcomer of Year); senior offensive lineman Adam Pedersen of Jefferson (Dr. Don Canfield “Oil Can” Award); freshman defensive lineman Johnny Lopez of Sterling, Ill. (Defensive Scout Team Player of Year); sophomore quarterback Ryan Wurtz of Milford (Offensive Scout Team Player of Year); and senior fullback Mitch Blythe of Central City (Lynes-Koob Award).