All-Mississippi Valley Conference football teams

CEDAR RAPIDS - How good is Cedar Rapids Xavier's defense? Good enough to have five members of it placed on the first team of the Mississippi Valley Conference's all-Valley Division football team.

All of the conference teams were released Monday.

Saints linemen Matt Nelson and Daniel Vega, linebackers Logan Clarahan and Sean Ickes and defensive back Miles Sullivan were named to the first team via vote of division coaches. Nelson, of course, is a University of Iowa commitment.

Interestingly, Xavier had no first-teamers on offense, with running back Brendan Miller and lineman Cole Turner selected to the all-Valley second team. Ryan Persick was division's first-team kicker.

The Saints - who have posted seven shutouts this season - host Cedar Rapids Kennedy in a Class 4A playoff quarterfinal Friday night at Saints Field. Kennedy has four first-teamers in the Mississippi Division in offensive lineman Austin Holzer, tight end Drew Heitland, running back Miles Moa and linebacker Terrance Hall.

Iowa City West placed five players on the all-Mississippi first team in linebacker Micah Kelsay, offensive lineman Zak Ranshaw, quarterback Nate Boland, wide receiver Anthony Batie and running back Devin Raffensperger. Boland - who accounted for nearly 2,300 yards rushing and receiving - was selected the Mississippi Division's Player of the Year.

West's Brian Sauser and Dubuque Hempstead's Bob McIntyre and their staffs were named division co-coaches of the year. Cedar Rapids Washington's Paul James and his staff earned those honors in the Valley Division.

Quarterback Alex Young of Waterloo West is the Valley Division's Player of the Year.

Here are all of the all-MVC teams:

2013 MVC Football All-Division Selections-FINAL by Jeff Johnson