2009 All-PSAC East Football Teams (pdf)
Lock Haven, Pa. - Wide receiver Mike Harris of the PSAC champion Shippensburg Red Raiders has been named the PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year, while Bloomsburg linebacker Anthony Smith has been named the PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year, highlighting the 2009 All-PSAC East football teams. C.W. Post running back Thomas Beverly, who led the PSAC in overall rushing yards this year, has been named the PSAC East Freshman of the Year, while Shippensburg head coach Rocky Rees, who guided the Red Raiders to their first PSAC championship since 1981, has been named the PSAC East Coach of the Year.
Bloomsburg led all teams in the East with 12 all-conference selections while West Chester, which tied with both Bloomsburg and C.W. Post for second place in the PSAC East, led the way with eight first team selections. Bloomsburg quarterback Dan Latorre was named the first team quarterback for the second straight year and he wraps up his outstanding career as a three-time all-conference selection, including twice as a first teamer. Husky running back Derrick Price, last year’s PSAC East Freshman of the Year, repeated as a first team selection, as he ranked fifth in the PSAC in rushing yards despite missing three games. He was joined in the first team backfield by Beverly and another freshman, Shippensburg’s Kevin Herod, who ranks seventh in the PSAC in rushing yards per game entering the playoffs. Also being named to the first team from Bloomsburg were offensive guard Pat Casey, defensive lineman Justin Presley, the PSAC’s leader in sacks, the Defensive Player of the Year in Smith at linebacker, and defensive back Oscar Rivera. Dotting the second second team from the Huskies was offensive tackle Matt Truscott and offensive guard Justin Walker, tight end Ben Weaber, kicker Jon Koenig, who was the first team kicker the last two years, defensive back Domenique Price and return specialist Brandon Real, one of just three freshman on the team, joining the two freshman backs on the first team.
West Chester’s league-best eight selections on the first team were led by center Kyle O’Neill, tight end Ryan Paulson and wide receiver Steve Miller on the offense. Paulson, a senior, is the first team tight end for the second straight season, while Miller, also a senior, makes his first appearance on the first team after being on the second team last year. O’Neill marks the fourth straight year that a West Chester center has been named to the first team, following former teammate Kennis Jones, who was the first team center in each of the last three seasons. Joining that trio on the first team defense is defensive lineman Travis Ford-Bey, a junior who is now a three-time all-conference selection, including two straight years on the first team, defensive lineman James Thorpe, who makes his first appearance on the first team after being a second team selection in each of the last two seasons, linebackers Mike Dell and Sam Scott, and return specialist Kevin Garland, who led the nation in average punt returns at 20.57 yards per return. For Dell, last year’s East Defensive Player of the Year, it marks his second straight year on the first team and his third all-conference selection overall. Scott led the PSAC in tackles for loss.
Other highlights on the All-PSAC East teams include the only four-time All-PSAC East selection on this year’s teams in Kutztown defensive back Mike Gardier, who was named to the second team for the fourth straight year, his third straight at Kutztown. He was also a member of the second team as a freshman at Mansfield, who disbanded its football program after that season. Linebacker Matt Freed of East Stroudsburg, who leads the PSAC in tackles for the second straight year entering the playoffs, was named to the first team after being named to the second team last year. Kutztown kicker Matt Dineen, the PSAC’s leader in both field goals made and attempted at 17-for-20 and who was ranked fifth in the country in field goals per game at 1.55 was named the first team kicker, his first career all-conference honor. Shippensburg punter Kyler Ford, a two-time second team selection at punter, was named the first team punter for the first time in his career. Cheyney had four all-conference selections, one each on the first and second team offense and defense, led by Gabe Johnson-Siano as a first team guard and Demel Chambers as a first team defensive back, the second straight all-conference selection for Chambers, who has a second team pick a year ago. It marks the most All-PSAC East selections for Cheyney since 2007, when they had five selections. C.W Post, in its second year in the PSAC East as an associate member for football, had 10 overall selections, tied with West Chester for the second most behind Bloomsburg. They were led by first team selections Beverly at running back, Kevin Martin at offensive tackle, wide receiver Chris Harris, who was a second team pick last year, and defensive lineman Xavier Brown, a first team pick for the second straight year. Quarterback Eric Anderwkavich, the top rushing QB in the conference, was named the second team quarterback. Overall, there were 23 repeat All-PSAC selections on this year’s teams, including seven repeat first team selections, and 35 first-time all-conference honorees.
Harris, the Offensive Player of the Year, was also named to the first team for the third straight year. He was a first team East wide receiver last year and also was a first team wide receiver in the West two years ago in Shippensburg’s final year in the Western Division. He is Shippensburg’s first Offensive Player of the Year since John Kuhn, now a member of the Green Bay Packers in the NFL, was named the West’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2003. Harris, who has been among the league leaders in receptions and receiving yards for the last few years, is currently second in the PSAC in receiving yards with 984 and 89.5 per game, and will likely go over 1,000 yards for the third straight season in Shippensburg’s first playoff game. Harris also has 60 receptions, third-most in the league and at 5.45 catches per game is also third. He is also tied for second in the league in receiving touchdowns with 10. He is Shippensburg’s career leader in receptions and with 25 career receiving touchdowns, is one shy of the school record.
Smith, the Defensive Player of the Year, made the best of his first season as a starter at Bloomsburg, A three-time PSAC East Defensive Player of the Week this year, Smith finished second in the PSAC in overall and average tackles per game, with 114 stops and 10.4 per game to go along with three sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, two pass breakups and a forced fumble. He recorded double digit tackles in six out of Bloomsburg’s 11 games this year, including a 19-tackle performance against C.W. Post, tied for the second-best single-game performance by a PSAC player this year.
Beverly, the Freshman of the Year, led the PSAC in overall rushing yards with 1094 and finished second in rushing yards per game with 99.5. His impressive 5.2 average per carry was tied for second-best in the league and his 11 rushing touchdown is also fourth best. His efforts helped contribute to C.W. Post’s PSAC-leading 214.5 rushing yards per game, the best in the league by over 35 yards per game. As a team, the Pioneers averaged 5.0 yards per carry, also the best in the PSAC.
Rees, the East Coach of the Year, led Shippensburg to its first divisional title since 2004, when the Red Raiders tied for the Western Division crown, and their first outright divisional crown since 1981, when they won the West outright en route to the overall PSAC championship. Shippensburg’s PSAC championship came after the Red Raiders were picked to finish fifth in the East in the PSAC preseason poll. Rees, who is fourth among active PSAC coaches in career PSAC wins, earns the Coach of the Year award for the fourth time in his career, as he was also the West Coach of the Year in 2004, 2001 and 1991.
First Team Offense
Quarterback
Dan Latorre*^ Bloomsburg Gr. Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia
Running Back
Thomas Beverly C.W. Post Fr. Wyandanch, N.Y./St. John the Baptist
Kevin Herod Shippensburg Fr. Allentown, Pa./Parkland
Derrick Price* Bloomsburg So. Burlington, N.J./Burlington City
Offensive Tackle
Kevin Martin C.W. Post So. Patchogue, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford
Morgan Thomas^ East Stroudsburg Sr. Allentown, Pa./Parkland
Offensive Guard
Pat Casey Bloomsburg Jr. Matamoras, Pa./Delaware Valley
Gabe Johnson-Siano Cheyney Jr. Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin
Center
Kyle O’Neill West Chester So. Aston, Pa./Sun Valley
Tight End
Ryan Paulson* West Chester Sr. Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville
Wide Receiver
Chris Harris^ C.W. Post Sr. Islip, N.Y./Islip
Mike Harris** Shippensburg Sr. East Earl, Pa./Garden Spot
Steve Miller^ West Chester Sr. Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury
Placekicker
Matt Dineen Kutztown Jr. Wilmington, Del./Concord
First Team Defense
Defensive Line
Xavier Brown* C.W. Post Jr. Bay Shore, N.Y./Brentwood
Tyton Brunner Shippensburg Sr. Camp Hill, Pa./Camp Hill
Travis Ford-Bey*^ West Chester Jr. Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville
Justin Presley Bloomsburg Sr. Philadelphia, Pa./George Washington
James Thorpe^^ West Chester Sr. Malvern, Pa./Great Valley
Linebacker
Mike Dell*^ West Chester Sr. Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin
Matt Freed^ East Stroudsburg Jr. Souderton, Pa./Souderton
Sam Scott* West Chester Sr. Bear, Del./Middletown
Anthony Smith Bloomsburg Sr. Pottstown, Pa./Pottstown
Defensive Back
Julius Carter Millersville Sr. Philadelphia, Pa./John Bartram
Demel Chambers^ Cheyney Sr. Philadelphia, Pa./Southern
Travis Proctor Shippensburg Jr. Columbia, Pa./Columbia
Oscar Rivera Bloomsburg So. Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty
Return Specialist
Kevin Garland^ West Chester Sr. Harboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham
Punter
Kyler Ford^^ Shippensburg Sr. Bedford, Pa./Bedford
* Indicates previous All-PSAC East first team selection
^ Indicates previous All-PSAC East second team selection
Second Team Offense
Quarterback
Eric Anderwkavich C.W. Post Jr. Queens, N.Y./Holy Cross
Running Back
Ron Hunter Cheyney Sr. Chester, Pa./Academy Park
Kevin Marshall* Shippensburg Jr. Philadelphia, Pa./Scotland School
Dontay Wilson*^ Kutztown Sr. Stamford, Conn./Stamford
Offensive Tackle
John Siopa C.W. Post So. Centereach, N.Y./Newfield
Matt Truscott Bloomsburg Jr. Allentown, Pa./Emmaus
Offensive Guard
Bobby Mullen Shippensburg Fr. Philadelphia, Pa./North Catholic
Justin Walker Bloomsburg Jr. Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville
Center
Will Strano C.W. Post Jr. East Patchogue, N.Y./Bellport
Tight End
Ben Weaber Bloomsburg Jr. Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest
Wide Receiver
Dan DePalma West Chester Jr. Verona, N.J./Verona
Jeff Giglio East Stroudsburg Jr. Easton, Pa./Freedom
Jamal Smith Millersville Jr. Camp Hill, Pa./Trinity
Placekicker
Jon Koenig** Bloomsburg Sr. Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove
Second Team Defense
Defensive Line
Jeff Case East Stroudsburg Jr. Blairstown, N.J./North Warren
Andy Horn Shippensburg Jr. York, Pa./Central York
Chris Medina Kutztown Sr. Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett
Chad Miller Millersville Jr. Denver, Pa./Cocalico
James Parker Cheyney Sr. Mastic Beach, N.Y./William Floyd
Linebacker
Riley Bowen^ Shippensburg Jr. Mansfield, Pa./Mansfield
Joel Irwin Kutztown Jr. Coatesville, Pa./Bishop Shanahan
Peter Manns C.W. Post Sr. Dorchester, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin
Tayrance Smith* C.W. Post Sr. Brooklyn, N.Y./Lincoln
Defensive Back
Mike Gardier^^^ Kutztown Sr. Dunmore, Pa./Dunmore
Juma McKenley C.W. Post Jr. Bronx, N.Y./Lehman
Domenique Price^ Bloomsburg Sr. Easton, Pa./Easton
Corey Rhood West Chester Sr. Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West
Return Specialist
Brandon Real Bloomsburg Fr. West York, Pa./West York
Punter
John Banzhof Millersville Sr. Lancaster, Pa./J.P. McCaskey
* Indicates previous All-PSAC East first team selection
^ Indicates previous All-PSAC East second team selection
PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year
Mike Harris, WR, Shippensburg
PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year
Anthony Smith, LB, Bloomsburg
PSAC East Freshman of the Year
Thomas Beverly, RB, C.W. Post
PSAC East Coach of the Year
Rocky Rees, Shippensburg