Trio of Wildcats Selected to 2004 Cactus Bowl

December 10, 2003

ELLENSBURG, Wash.-- Three student-athletes from the Central Washington University football program have been selected to compete in the 2004 Cactus Bowl, the NCAA Division II seniors' all-star game, on Jan. 9, 2004, at Javelina Stadium in Kingsville, Texas.

Representing the Wildcats on the West team of senior all-stars will be punter Joe Smith (Enumclaw, Wash.), and receivers Moses Lewis (Yakima, Wash./A.C. Davis HS) and Jake Roberts (Spokane, Wash./University HS). That trio is part of a 41-player contingent that will square off against a team of senior all-stars from the Eastern United States. Western Oregon's Brad Satran, who won Great Northwest Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors, is the only other representative from the GNAC.

Smith, who earlier was named a first team Division II All-American by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), led the NCAA Division II in punting this season. Smith was the national leader in each week of the statistical report, finishing the campaign with a 44.2-yard average on his 36 punts.

Roberts and Lewis were Central Washington's top pass receivers in 2003, combining for 108 receptions for 1,502 yards and 19 touchdowns. Roberts, a unanimous first team all-Great Northwest Athletic Conference selection, led the Wildcats in three receiving categories - catches (67), yards (838) and touchdowns (12). Lewis played in nine of Central's 10 games, totaling 41 grabs for 664 yards and seven scores. His 16.2 yards per catch were tops on the team and ranked second in the GNAC. Lewis was a second team all-GNAC selection for the second consecutive season.

Central's trio of players in this year's contest comes on the heels of having two selections for last year's contest. Defensive end Lance Gibson and safety Jeremy Jacobs both competed in the Cactus Bowl in 2003.

More information on this year's Cactus Bowl game can be obtained by visiting the game's official Web site at www.cactusbowl.com. The game, formerly known as the Snow Bowl when it was played in Fargo, N.D., is in its 11th year of existence.