JACKSON – Following an undefeated regular season that earned Northwest a seventh consecutive playoff berth and the fifth MACCC Championship game appearance in six seasons, the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference has placed six Ranger student-athletes on its annual list of all-conference honorees.

All six players were voted as first team selections, highlighted by Offensive MVP Michael Hiers and Defensive Back MVP Desmyn Baker. Other first team selections included tailback Jaquerrious Williams, receiver Jacoby Jones, offensive lineman Vance Van Every and defensive back Byron "Tank" Pearson.

Additionally, head coach Benjy Parker was also announced as the MACCC North Division Coach of the Year on Friday afternoon, capturing the award for the first time since 2017. Parker holds a 38-11 overall coaching record since taking over the head coaching reins in 2016 and has led the Rangers to the postseason every year. This season, Parker became the second winningest coach in Northwest history, behind only Bobby Franklin (201-57-6).

A native of Bruce, Parker has kept the Rangers in the national spotlight as one of the nation's best JUCO football programs. In addition to playing for the MACCC Championship four of the last five years, Parker and his staff have been directly responsible for developing 98 next-level players since 2016, including 73 at the Division I level alone.

A two-time MACCC Offensive Player of the Week award winner, Hiers has guided the Northwest offense with 78 pass completions on 111 attempts, 1,213 yards and 12 touchdowns, for an average of 242.6 passing yards per game. The Murray State transfer and Birmingham, Ala. native posted his two best performances in an overtime victory at Northeast and a 41-13 rout at Holmes, throwing for over 300 yards and no interceptions in either contest. 

Additionally, Hiers' 31 completions in the win at Northeast ranks fifth in a single game by a Northwest quarterback. He also became the first Ranger quarterback to finish with multiple games of 300 or more passing yards since Jacob Free in 2018.

As the team's second leading tackler this season, Baker has emerged as the Rangers' primary force at linebacker, along with fellow sophomore Kylan Robinson. A native of Clinton, Baker has accumulated 29 total tackles as a sophomore with 3.5 tackles-for-loss, two pass breakups, a sack, a fumble recovery, an interception and a blocked field goal that helped Northwest hold on in a season-opening win against Itawamba.

As part of a loaded backfield during his two seasons in Senatobia, Williams has found himself in the spotlight across the MACCC and in the national ranks as well. After a stellar freshman season that saw him earn conference and national Player of the Week awards, the Tupelo product has rushed for 314 yards and four touchdowns on 59 attempts as a sophomore, while also catching four passes for 116 yards and a touchdown.

Despite being part of a crowded unit of receivers, Jones has managed to stand out during his two seasons at Northwest. The Tunica native followed up his solid freshman campaign by hauling in 15 receptions for 171 yards and two touchdowns, despite battling injuries and playing in just three games this season.

As one of the few returning sophomores on the Northwest offensive line, Van Every has used his veteran presence to establish himself as the Rangers' leader up front. The offensive line is an area that has steadily improved over the span of the 2020 season, thanks in part to the efforts of Van Every.

Pearson was the only Northwest freshman to earn All-MACCC honors and his season stats prove why. The Oxford native has totaled 18 tackles and 2.5 tackles-for-loss this season, but his most impressive efforts have come in pass coverage, where he leads the team with four pass breakups. 

Northwest will take on Mississippi Gulf Coast on Saturday night at 7 p.m. in a rematch of last year's title bout. The Rangers are 19-19-2 all-time against the Bulldogs and 1-1-1 all-time in conference title games against MGCCC.

Northwest and Mississippi Gulf Coast last met for the conference title in 2019, where the Rangers fell by a close 22-19 final in Senatobia. The Rangers got the best of the Bulldogs by a 34-24 result in the 2015 title contest and the two teams tied 7-7 in the 1982 edition of the conference championship.

Coverage of the Rangers' championship matchup can be found on nwccrangers.com/watch with Jeremy Kennedy and John Luke McCord on the call. Live stats can also be found here.