Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Iowa Central's Mario Sanders reacts after scoring a touchdown inside Dodger Stadium. Sanders, now headed for the University of Illinois, was named a first team NJCAA All-American.

Five Iowa Central football players were named to the NJCAA All-American team, the organization announced recently.

Triton stars Mario Sanders and Jonathan Young were placed on the first team, while Eli West made the second squad. Dodge Sauser and Dan Knudsen each were named to the third team for Iowa Central, which went 7-4.

The Tritons finished the year ranked seventh nationally after defeating then-No. 5 Snow in the Game One Bowl inside the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. It marked the program’s 13th consecutive postseason win, dating back to 2004.

“These guys all put in the time and effort needed to achieve the level of success they had both as individuals and a collective unit,” ICCC head coach Jesse Montalto said. “We are so proud of them as a coaching staff and excited to see them continue to grow in the future.”

Sanders, who has enrolled at the University of Illinois, led the nation with 72 receptions while finishing tied for first with 12 touchdowns and third overall with 942 yards.

Young, a member of the offensive line who committed to Memphis, helped the Tritons average 355 yards of total offense and almost 30 points per game. Sauser, a Kennesaw State commit who transferred from Iowa State, played alongside Young in the trenches.

West, a sophomore defensive back still fielding offers, recorded 51 tackles and had one interception with two fumble recoveries.

Knudsen, who is headed to Louisiana-Monroe, recorded 24 tackles with 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an interception.

Iowa Western, who won the ICCAC crown and claimed a second consecutive national title, had three players on the first team, four on the second and one more on the third.

Since Montalto’s first season in 2018, the Tritons have had 32 players named an All-American. They are a perfect 6-0 in bowl games during his tenure.