(KTNC) - Peru State College senior defensive lineman Zach Lempka is one of 100 nominees for the inaugural Cliff Harris Award.  The award will be presented to the top small college defensive football player in the country, from among almost 500 NCAA Division two, three, and NAIA colleges and universities.
 Lempka, of Sterling, is one of just 17 nominees from NAIA schools and one of three from the Heart of America Athletic Conference.  He is the only nominee from the state of Nebraska.
 Lempka finished second on the Bobcats this season with 69 tackles, including three sacks, two blocked PATs, and one interception.  He helped lead Peru State to a 7-4 record this season, the Bobcats’ best record since 2009.
 Award finalists will be announced on December 4. The winner will be announced on December 24 and will be honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club’s annual award banquet in February.
 The award is named for Cliff Harris, who played college football at NAIA Ouachita Baptist University before going on to play in five Super Bowls and six Pro Bowls as a member of the Dallas Cowboys.