Tyler Junior College sophomore linebacker Xavier Benson.

Xavier Benson, TJC’s hard-hitting linebacker who helped the Apaches into the postseason, has been named the Defensive Player of the Year in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference, the league’s coaches announced.

Benson, a transfer from Texas Tech, was instrumental in Tyler Junior College having one of its best defenses in years along with making the postseason for the first time in five seasons.

The 6-3, 220-pound sophomore was among the nation’s leaders in tackles, averaging 9.9 per game. He added two interceptions, while forcing a fumble and recovering a fumble.

Benson tweeted: “From taking a whole year off for mental health, to coming back doing what I love truly I’m honored and grateful to to be ANNOUNCED 1st team all conference and DEFENSIVE MVP.”

As a senior at Texarkana Pleasant Grove High School, Benson led the Hawks to the Class 4A Division II state title with a 41-21 win over West Orange-Stark in the championship game in 2019.

At Texas Tech, Benson became a regular as a redshirt freshman, appearing in all 12 games and making 10 starts. He had 57 tackles on the season (36 solo), along with 4.0 tackles for a loss, a sack and a quarterback hurry. He had a career-high nine tackles against Texas.

Benson was also first-team selection along with teammates defensive back Kobe Savage (sophomore, Paris) and placekicker Matthew O’Brien (freshman, New Braunfels).

Savage was third on the Apaches in tackles, averaging 6.0 per game. He led the team with five interceptions.

O’Brien was 14 of 16 on field goal attempts and was 34 of 36 on PATs for 76 points.

New Mexico Military offensive lineman Tyron Webber (6-4, 295, freshman) was voted SWJCFC Most Valuable Player, while his Bronco teammate and running back Anthony Grant (6-0, 205, sophomore) was tabbed Offensive Player of the Year.

TJC second-teamers include: sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Cooley, sophomore running back Azhuan Dingle and sophomore linebacker Daryl Minor.

Apaches earning honorable mention were sophomore wide receiver Kelly Akaraiyi, freshman WR Jordan Wallace, freshmen offensive linemen Judea Milon and Markendrick Beall, sophomore OL Alex Harkey, freshman quarterback General Booty, sophomore defensive back Justic Clemons, freshman DB Kelekoli Linton, freshman punter Shea Yurkunas and freshman deep snapper Lane Gilchrist.

Blinn freshman placekicker Alejandro Quintero, who was a standout at Grace Community School, earned honorable mention.

League champion New Mexico Military, runner-up TJC and Navarro will be involved in the postseason.

TJC is competing in the 19th TIPS-C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl, which is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 4 in Commerce.

The Apaches, ranked No. 15 with a record of 6-5, will face No. 11 Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College, which sports a 6-2 record.

Kickoff is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. and will be played on Earnest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium on the campus of Texas A&M University-Commerce.

SWJCFC champion New Mexico Military Institute has qualified for the first-ever NJCAA Division I Football Playoff. The Broncos (10-1) are the No. 2 seed and will host No. 3 Northwest Mississippi (9-2) on Sunday, Dec. 5 in Roswell, New Mexico. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. (Central) at the Wool Bowl.

The other semifinal has No. 1 Iowa Western (9-0) meeting No. 4 Snow (Utah) (7-1) in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4 at Reiver Football Field.

The winners of the semifinal contests will advance to the 2021 NJCAA Division I Football Championship, presented by Bob McCloskey Insurance, set to take place in Little Rock, Arkansas at War Memorial Stadium. The championship will be televised nationally by CBS Sports Network at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 17.

Navarro College accepted an invitation to play in the inaugural Scooters Coffee Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 4, at Broncbuster Stadium in Garden City, Kansas.

The Bulldogs (5-4), making their first bowl appearance since 2018 and their 21st in school history, will face 12th ranked Garden City (7-3), the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference’s runner-up.

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All-Southwest Junior College

Football Conference Team

Most Valuable Player — OL Tyron Webber, 6-4, 295. Fr., New Mexico Military Institute

Defensive Player of the Year — LB Xavier Benson, 6-3, 220, So., Tyler Junior College

Offensive Player of the Year — RB Anthony Grant, 6-0, 205, So., New Mexico Military Institute

FIRST TEAM

Offense

Quarterback: Qua Gray, So., Navarro; Receiver: Cassius Allen, So., Kilgore; Jeremiah Aaron, Fr., Navarro; Karl Reynolds, So., Navarro; Cam Camper, So., Trinity Valley; Tight end: Logan Compton, Fr., New Mexico Military; Running back: Anthony Grant, So., NMMI; Joshua Berry, Fr., Blinn; Line: Wallace Unamba, Fr., Kilgore; Tyron Webber, Fr., NMMI; Joe Taase, Fr., NMMI; Trent Pullen, Fr., Blinn; Center: Max Johnson, Fr., Northeastern Oklahoma A&M; Placekicker: Matthew O’Brien, Fr., Tyler; Alex Lopez, So., Navarro; Return specialist: Kory King, So., TVCC

DEFENSE

Line: Maurice Westmoreland, So., Kilgore; Kamaurja Kenney, So., TVCC; Bryton Thompson, So., Blinn; Damien Lowery, So., NEO; Linebacker: Xavier Benson, So., Tyler; Keith Harris, So., Kilgore; David Powers, Fr., Cisco; Jacob Berry, So., TVCC; Darius Moore, Fr., NEO; Secondary: Kobe Savage, So., Tyler; Moses Alexander, So., Kilgore; Bobby Crosby, Fr., Cisco; C.J. Bosket, So., Navarro; Punter: Kaleb Cue, So., Cisco; Deep snapper: Tim Soules, So., Cisco

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

QB: Diego Pavia, Fr., NMMI; Receiver: Jeremiah Cooley, So., Tyler; Marquese Pearson, So., Kilgore; Quenton Lee, So., Navarro; Justin Hammond, Fr., Cisco; Tight End: Bo Estes, Fr., NEO; Running back: Isaiah Robinson, So., Navarro; Ashuan Dingle, So., Tyler; Line: Rod Chaney, So., Kilgore; Romello Watson, Fr., Kilgore; Kamon Bradford, Fr., Navarro; Elias DeLeon, So., Cisco; Kobe Sixkiller, Fr., NEO; Center: Juwaun Singletary, So., Navarro; Return specialist: Jremiah Aaron, Fr., Navarro

DEFENSE

Line: Charles Hill, So., Kilgore; Marcus Wiser, So., Kilgore; Kaghen Roach, Fr., Blinn; Will Latu, So., Cisco; Linebacker: Daryl Minor, So., Tyler; Ed Jones, Fr., Cisco; Nate Dyman, Fr., Blinn; Secondary: Jordan Moore, So., Kilgore; C.J. McClendon, Fr., NEO; Justice Ugochukwu, Fr., Blinn; Jayden Oliver, So., NMMI; Punter: James Allen, Fr., NEO; Deep snapper: Collin Brown, Fr. Blinn; Hunter Chambers, Fr., NMMI

HONORABLE MENTION

OFFENSE

Tyler: Kelly Akaraiyi, So., WR; Jordan Wallace, Fr., WR; Judea Milon, Fr., OL; Alex Harkey, So., OL; Markendrick Beall, Fr.,. OL; General Booty, Fr., QB.

Blinn: Tre Harden, Fr., WR; Tristen Hickman, Fr., Center; Alejandro Quintero, Fr., PK.

Cisco: Grant Lewis, Fr., TE; Dariyon Weeden, Fr. OL; Cade Jones, So., Center; Travis Dixon, Fr., RB; Christian Mosley, Fr., RB;.

Kilgore: Joe Hearvy, Fr, TE; Willie McCoy, So., WR; Zeek Freeman, So., WR; Bryson Norris, So., OL; Colby Hebert, So., Center; Malcolm Mays, Fr., QB.

Navarro: Elijah Bowser, Fr., OL.

New Mexico Military: Jaylin Smith, Fr., WR; Malik Phillips, Fr., WR; Terrance Moore, Fr., WR; Esafe Fetu’u, Fr., OL; Ivan Madrigual, So., OL; Curtis Stripling, Fr., Center;

Northeastern Oklahoma A&M: Owen Olsen, Fr., TE; Isaiah Wilhoite, So., WR; Kobe Washington, So., WR; Quintevin Cherry, So., QB; Jamoni Jones, So., RB; Tre’Juan Shaw, So., RB; Rylan McQuarters, So., returner.

Trinity Valley: Nathan Jones, Fr., TE; Greyson Morgan, Fr., TE; Kordell Davis, Fr., WR; Kory King, So., WR; Quition Willams, Fr., OL; Jordan Davis, So., QB; Cordrick Dunn, So., RB; Cameron Collier, Fr. RB; Jake Gaster, Fr., PK.

DEFENSE

Tyler: Justice Clemson, So., DB; Kelekoli Linton, Fr., DB; Shea Yurkunas, Fr., Punter; Lane Gilchrist, Fr., DS.

Blinn: Will Prendergast, Fr., DL; Ladarius Henry, Fr., DB; Blake Thompson, Fr., DB; Ty Warrick, So., Punter.

Cisco: Charlie Gonzalez, Fr., DL; Andrew Smith, Fr., DB; Tarik Luckett, So., DB.

Kilgore: Kadarion Johnson, Fr., DL; Kylan Guidry, So., DL; Fred Hill, So., LB; Tristan Driggers, So., DB; Demarcus Crosby, So., DB.

Navarro: Nate Maulsby, So., LB; Jayden Nichols, Fr., DS.

New Mexico Military: CJ Sunui, So., DL; Edy Dos Santos, Fr., DL; Christian Carreathers, Fr., DL; Charlie Leota, Fr., DL; William Middleton, Fr., LB; Teilor Tuioti, Fr., LB; Joshua Beaird, Fr., LB; Carlisle Johnson, Fr., LB; Tre O’Guinn, So., DB; Joseph Norwood, So., DB; William Testa, Fr., Punter.

Northeastern Oklahoma A&M: Ron Tatum, So., DL; John Goree, So., DL; Daryan Moss, Fr., LB; Devin Hembry, Fr., DB; Kendel Dolby, Fr., DB; Nate Bryant, Fr., DB; Stanley Wynn, So., DB; Daniel Howard, Fr., DB; Brandon Higgs, Fr., DB.

Trinity Valley: Darren Roberson, Fr., DL; Kerry Brooks, Fr., LB; Tristian Fletcher, Fr., LB; Joedrick Lewis, Fr., DB; Rasha Onezime, Fr., DB; Jake Gaster, Fr., Punter.