Plant’s Dvornik, McDowell make college decisions

Posted May 30, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated May 30, 2012 at 03:11 PM

Plant defensive end Michael Dvornik and Panthers defensive back Justin McDowell, both members of last season’s Class 8A state championship squad, have made their college choices, Panthers coach Robert Weiner announced Wednesday.

The 6-foot-3, 230-inch Dvornik will sign with New Mexico Military Institute while the 5-9, 170 McDowell will sign with Marietta College. (5-9, 170) with Marietta College in Ohio.

Dvornik was a key starter on the defense that throttled opposing teams all season, including the state title game against Miramar. Dvornik recorded 87 tackles and a team-high 13 sacks. One of those sacks came in the championship game, which produced a 14-yard loss for Miramar quarterback Camren Hudge. Dvornik was also a state medalist in the discus for Plant this spring, taking third in the Class 4A state finals.

NMMI is a two-year school in Roswell, N.M., and is the only state-supported military college located in the western United States. There’s typically about 1,000 students there and they are referred to as “Cadets,” 95 percent of whom go on to a four-year university.

The school’s football team competes in the Western States Football League against other two-year programs in Arizona, Utah and Idaho. Last season, NMMI went 9-3 and played in the Hot Bowl, where it lost to Navarro (Texas) College in Copperas Cove, Texas.

McDowell was a part-time starter in the Panthers secondary. Marietta College is a co-ed liberal arts private college in Marietta, Ohio. A Division III school, Marietta competes in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Founded in 1902, the OAC is the third oldest existing collegiate conference in the nation