SANDPOINT — Senior Alex Charvoz was named Defensive Newcomer of the Year, headlining a strong contingent of Sandpoint seniors named to the 2012 All-Inland Empire League football team, as voted on by the league’s coaches.

Charvoz, in his first year of varsity football, proved to be a ball hawk, nabbing seven interceptions on the year to go with 49 tackles and four pass break ups.

Senior Nick Prindiville made the team as quarterback, completing 91-175 passes for 1,261 yards and eight touchdowns, the sixth highest yardage total ever for Sandpoint.

Junior Chase Rodriguez made the team as a wide receiver, despite missing four games due to injury. When he played, the lithe 6-foot-6 target was highly productive, hauling in 25 catches for 542 yards and five scores.

Senior Nik Feyen earned a spot on the offensive line, using his 280 pounds to open some gaping holes in the running game. Senior Tim Pays also earned a spot on the offensive line, combining solid pass protection with road-grading blocking.

Senior Justin Puryear was honored as a linebacker, finishing the season with team highs of 65 tackles and 16 tackles for loss, to go with four passes defended.

Senior Pete Slippy earned a spot on the defensive line. His leverage and pad level helped the Bulldogs excel in short yardage situations, finishing with 32 tackles, including eight for a loss, a big number for an interior lineman.

Junior Harley Newhart rounded out the Bulldogs with a spot at defensive back, and figures to be one of the defensive leaders next year.

Sandpoint head coach Satini Puailoa on what each player did to earn a spot on the all-league team:

n Charvoz — “He was our fastest player. When we got him on the field, he was a really good athlete and we wanted to play him both ways, but he hadn’t been in the system long enough. He surprised because we didn’t know what he was capable of.”

n Prindiville — “He had the most passing yards in the league and completed more than 50 percent of his passes. Accurate, strong arm, he did a pretty good job.”

n Rodriguez — “One of the best athletes on the team. A 6-foot-5 target, he plays fearless. I haven’t had a guy with those physical attributes. He goes after people physically, and losing him and Tommy (Fury) early in the season really hurt.”

n Feyen — “Our strongest player, a real physical presence. If he got locked up with you, he hurt you, and we had a lot of production running behind him. When he pulled, he’d take the wind out of you, and opponents did not enjoy going against him.”

n Pays — “It’s hard to separate Tim and Todd. Tim’s success has to be accredited to his brother, they work so well together. He did a lot of really good things this year.”

n Puryear — “A leader on defense. He got to where he could read on the run, a guy that could play sideline to sideline. He was good in pass coverage, and got his hands on a lot of balls.”

n Slippy — “He never played defense until this year, and he got better every week. 8.5 tackles for loss for a nose tackle is pretty phenomenal. He stopped a lot of third and shorts with a push.”

n Newhart — “He started at inside linebacker, and had never played corner. He just got better every week. A physical kid, and he can run. He did a lot of great things for us.”

ALL-4A INLAND EMPIRE LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Coach of the Year — Phil Helbling, Moscow.

Offensive Most Valuable Player — Kyle Snyder, sr., Moscow.

Defensive Player of the Year — Bo Olmstead, sr., Moscow; Troy Carr, sr., Lakeland.

Offensive Newcomer of the Year — Nate Baker, sr., Moscow.

Defensive Newcomer of the Year — Alex Charvoz, sr., Sandpoint.

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Nick Prindiville, sr., Sandpoint. Running back — Chadley Miller, sr., Lakeland; Brady Braun, sr., Moscow. Utility — Hunter Redinger, sr., Moscow. Wide receiver — Chase Rodriguez, jr. Sandpoint; Jack Akey, so., Moscow. Kicker — Cade Coffey, so., Lakeland. Offensive line — Joey Ledbetter, jr., Lakeland; Kellen Davis, jr., Moscow; T.J. Lewis, jr., Moscow; Nik Feyen, sr., Sandpoint; Tim Pays, sr., Sandpoint.

DEFENSE

Defensive back — Matt Horne, sr., Lakeland; Sean Kiblen, jr., Moscow; Harley Newhart, jr., Sandpoint; Cal Criner, fr., Moscow. Linebackers — Alex Lewis, jr., Moscow; Brandon Bunch, jr., Lakeland; Justin Puryear, sr., Sandpoint. Defensive line — Ivan Mucy-Ngebo, jr., Moscow; Scott Simpson, sr., Lakeland; Tyler Finlay, jr., Lakeland; Pete Slippy, sr., Sandpoint.