HILLSBORO, Ore. – Nineteen Whitworth Pirates garnered recognition on the 2025 All-Northwest Conference football team, and Rod Sandberg was selected as the 2025 NWC Coach of the Year, according to today's release by the conference office.
Whitworth has six first team honorees, five second team and eight third team selections, befitting a squad that captured the 2025 league title.
Sandberg, who won his third NWC Coach of the Year award in his 11th season as Pirate head coach, directed Whitworth to an 8-2 regular season record that included a 7-0 mark in the NWC. The Bucs, rebuilding with nine new starters on each side of the ball, bounced back from a 1-2 non-conference record to sweep through NWC play and earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Div. III playoffs. Sandberg is now 92-27 in 11 years at Whitworth.
Jaysen Akahi-Vida and Isaiah Sittauer, who were in their first years as starters on the offensive line, each earned first team recognition. Akahi-Vida started at left tackle and Sittauer was the starting left guard. Both are juniors. Whitworth averaged 352 yards of offense per game and 5.5 yards per play in 2025.
Iden Bone earned recognition as the first team place kicker. Bone, a junior, finished the season as the league's leading scorer in overall points (82) and points per game (7.5). He made 16 of 19 field goal attempts and all 34 of his extra points. Bone ranks second in NCAA Div. III in field goals per game and top ten in field goal percentage (.842). He set the school record for most field goals made in a season, breaking the previous record of 15 set in 2015.
Lane Watkins, a senior team captain who started at three different positions on the defensive line, earned first team after leading the Pirates in tackles for loss (11.0 for 58 yards) and sacks (7.5 for 52 yards). Watkins finished with 53 total tackles.
Drew Cody made the first team as an inside linebacker. A sophomore, Cody led the NWC in total tackles (106), tackles per game (9.6) and solo tackles per game (5.4). He also had 7.0 tackles for losses of 23 yards.
Omari Williams claimed first team recognition in 2025 after earning second team as a sophomore in 2024. He led the conference in total passes defended (11) which included nine breakups and two interceptions. He finished with 50 tackles.
The Pirates had three players selected to the second team offense, led by junior QB Logan Lacio. Lacio led the NWC in completion percentage (69.4%), completing 238 of 343 passes for 2471 yards with 19 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Running back and offensive co-captain Luis Salgado battled through persistent injuries for much of the season to finish 932 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns in 10 regular season games. He averaged 4.8 yards per run. He added one receiving touchdown to tie for the NWC lead in touchdowns scored (12).
Tyson Hoke was named to the second team as a wide receiver. The sophomore finished with 28 receptions for 323 yards. Both totals are second on the team. He caught three touchdown passes.
Junior Matthew Herzog made the second team as a punter. He finished second in the NWC with a 39.9 yards per punt average and had six kicks of over 50 yards. Whitworth led the conference in net punting (37.1 yards per kick).
Trey Rose, a senior and a defensive co-captain, made the second team as a safety. He finished with 59 tackles and tied for the team lead with nine pass breakups. Rose also forced two fumbles and had one interception.
Whitworth had three players on the third team offense, led by junior WR Deacon Dietz. Dietz led the Pirates in receptions (38), receiving yards (521) and touchdown catches (5) in 2025.
Sophomore Nate Peterson was the only tight end from the entire league to make the All-NWC team this fall. He had 27 catches for 198 yards.
Evan Gaylord became a starting guard on the offensive line during his freshman season and earned third team recognition.
Junior kicker Jake Gaffaney is the Bucs' third kicker honored this fall. He led the conference in average kickoff distance (60.7 yards) and touchbacks (15).
Nate Hummel is the first of four Pirates named to the third team defense. An honorable mention selection in 2023, Hummel had 21 tackles, including 4.0 for losses of 24 yards.
Iosepa Lyman, a sophomore, was a part time starter at outside linebacker (Pirate) in 2025 and had 23 tackles and a forced fumble.
Fifth-year cornerback Chris Knutson finished with 43 tackles, including 30 solo stops, six pass breakups and two interceptions.
Sophomore safety Wyatt Hess led the Pirates with three interceptions, to go along with seven pass breakups and 39 total tackles.
