JACKSON - Postseason accolades are beginning to come in for the 2021 MACCC Champion Northwest Ranger football team, starting with the annual release of the MACCC's All-Conference teams.

In all, 13 Rangers earned spots on the first and second team lists, highlighted by Offensive MVP D.T. Sheffield and Offensive Line MVP Davion Carter. Quarterback Michael Hiers, running back Jaquerrious Williams, offensive lineman Austin Wilson, defensive lineman Omar Pew and defensive back Jarvis Townsend all garnered first team recognition, while tailback Jamarien Bracey, offensive lineman Vance Van Every, defensive lineman Rayyan Buell, linebacker Kylan Robinson and linebacker Micheal Campbell earned second team honors.

Additionally, Tanner Gillis received a rare first and second team nod for both his kicking and punting duties. Gillis, the Olive Branch native and Lewisburg High School alumnus, was selected as a first team kicker and second team punter.

Sheffield, who was also recently tabbed as the MACCC Offensive Player of the Week, has been the Rangers' top receiving target all season long. Through 11 games, the Corinth native has 51 catches for 981 yards and needs 71 more receiving yards to move into fifth most receiving yards in a single season.

Currently, Sheffield owns 71 receptions through his 17-game career with 15 touchdowns and 1,339 yards. He ranks on the cusp of entering several top five statistical categories, including single-season pass receptions, career receiving touchdowns and single-season receiving touchdowns.

Carter garnered MVP honors after starting every game as part of a robust offensive line for Northwest. The Pearl native is a two-year starter for Northwest and played a crucial role in blocking for an offense that ranks third in the conference in rushing yards and seventh nationally. The Rangers' passing offense is also sixth in the nation and the highest in the MACCC.

Hiers earned his second straight All-MACCC selection following another stellar season for the Rangers. The Birmingham, Ala. native started every game this season and has passed for 2,696 yards and 19 touchdowns on 190 completions, ranking first among NJCAA Division I quarterbacks for completion percentage (71.4%), second in total completions and third in passing yards. 

For his career, Hiers has accumulated 4,122 career passing yards, 284 completions and 32 touchdowns. He now ranks fifth all-time in career passing yards and completions, while throwing only three interceptions in 17 career starts.

After a slow start to the season, Williams came alive in the Rangers' September 30 battle against East Mississippi and the Tupelo native hasn't looked back. Williams became the program's all-time leader in rushing touchdowns in an October 21 victory against Itawamba and has totaled seven consecutive games with 100 or more rushing yards, including a season-high 201 yards in last week's victory against Hinds.

On the season, Williams has rushed for 1,130 yards and 15 touchdowns on 176 carries, bringing his career total up to 2,345 rushing yards, the second-most in Northwest history. His 385 career rushing attempts also rank third, trailing only John Avery and Justin Crawford. This is also his second straight All-MACCC nod.

Like Carter, Wilson also worked his way into the starting lineup this season and has served as a strong addition to an already solid offensive front. The Oxford native was also named as a preseason All-American by JCGridiron.com.

Pew is one of many standouts on the Northwest defensive front, as the freshman has racked up 27 total tackles, six hurries, four tackles-for-loss, two sacks and a fumble recovery. The Horn Lake native had his best performance of the season in a loss against East Mississippi, earning five tackles.

In his three seasons with Northwest, Townsend has continued to develop into the Rangers' leader in the secondary. The Pearl native was most recently the recipient of back-to-back MACCC Defensive Player of the Week honors after making three critical interceptions in postseason wins against Jones College and Hinds.

For the season, Townsend has 57 total tackles and five interceptions with 105 return yards, while also racking up 123 career tackles and 14 pass breakups.

Though only a freshman, Bracey wasted no time working his way up the depth chart. In his second career game, the Bryant, Ark. native earned his first 100-yard rushing game in a road win against Holmes, before doing it again in the regular season finale at Mississippi Delta. 

Bracey's physical build has helped him bruise through opposing defenses, racking up 679 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on the season.

For Van Every, this is his second All-MACCC honor following his first team nod last season. The Hernando native also earned a nod as a preseason All-American by JCGridiron.com entering his third and final season with the Rangers.

Like his teammate Pew, Buell has been another intimidating force on the Northwest defensive line. The Hornell, N.Y. native has been a consistent starter for the Rangers over the past two seasons, collecting 30 tackles, four hurries, 3.5 tackles-for-loss, a sack and a forced fumble for the 2021 campaign.

Robinson's third and final season with Northwest has been a dominant one, as the DeSoto Central product has raked in 71 total tackles, good for second on the team. Robinson has also totaled 4.5 tackles-for-loss, four hurries, a sack, an interception and a pass breakup in 2021.

For his career, Robinson has accumulated 139 total tackles, 12.5 TFLs, six hurries and five sacks.

Campbell's 40 tackles rank sixth on this season's stats, while his nine tackles-for-loss lead the team. The Horn Lake native also has five hurries, four pass breakups and two sacks for the 2021 season, while his career is highlighted by 71 total tackles, 12.5 TFLs and eight hurries.

Gillis earned the rare distinction of two spots on the All-MACCC team, earning first team honors as a kicker and second team recognition as a punter. The Olive Branch native has primarily served as the Rangers' kickoff leader and primary punter, booting 37 punts for 1,484 yards, including five 50-yarders. His 13 punts inside the 20-yard line have him one short of tying Chase Carpenter (2011) and Kevin Buford (2010) for fourth-most in a single season.

For Northwest, these 13 selections mark the most All-MACCC honorees since the 2019 season, when the Rangers also had thirteen receive all-conference recognition.