Heart all-conference football team

In its first season as a member of the Heart of America Athletic Conference, St. Ambrose placed six players on the league's all-conference team as announced Thursday.

Brock Mason was named to the first team while five Bees - Tomele Staples, Kaden McCombs, Nolan Obert, Colin Gudella and Joe Jummati - were selected to the second team.

Mason is the first Bee defensive back to earn first-team all-conference honors since Jeremiah Jackson received the honor from the Mid-States Football Association in 2019. Mason, a junior safety from Fulton, Ill., picked off five of SAU's eight total interceptions this season. He finished third on the team with 58 total tackles, which included 27 solo stops. He was also credited with four pass breakups. In the six Heart of America contests, Mason totaled 40 tackles.

In his first season with the Bees, Staples proved to be an explosive threat under center. The redshirt-sophomore quarterback completed better than 59 percent of his passes (184-of-311) for 2143 yards and 19 touchdowns. The Kankakee, Ill., native also rushed for 107 yards and six scores. Staples set a school record by throwing for 452 yards in a win at Clarke. In that game, he threw six touchdown passes, just one off another school mark.

Leading the way up front for St. Ambrose was McCombs. The junior right guard from Plainfield, Ill., started all 11 games. He helped the Bees rush for 1470 yards, an average of more than 133 yards per contest.

On the defensive side, Obert led SAU with nine tackles for loss. He recorded three sacks. The junior defensive end from Quincy, Ill., was in on 44 total tackles, including 17 solo tackles. He also broke up five passes.

Gudella posted a team-best 93 tackles from his linebacker position. The junior from Carol Stream, Ill., made six tackles behind the line of scrimmage and forced and recovered a fumble this season.

Jummati was the team's final second-team selection. The junior long snapper from Chicago, Ill., earned it for his work on special teams.

Three Bees received all-conference honorable mention.

Junior center Noah Allen, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, lined up alongside McCombs to power the SAU offense. Junior linebacker Rolando Sepulveda, from Evergreen Park, Ill., was fourth on the team with 57 total tackles. He recorded seven tackles for loss, including 3.5 sacks. Senior wide receiver Jalen Coleman, from Bloomington, Ill., led the team with 45 receptions, 558 receiving yards and 10 touchdown catches.