Wesley Wins Four Awards; 19 Earn All-ACFC
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Wesley College's Shane McSweeny, Sean Matthews and Larry Beavers all won Player of the Year Awards, Mike Drass was named Coach of the Year and 19 players earned All-ACFC honors in voting by the ACFC coaches.
McSweeny (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem) was named Offensive Player of the Year, while Matthews (Pennsauken, N.J./Roman Catholic {Pa.}) was named the Defensive Player of the Year and Larry Beavers (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis) was named Special Teams Player of the Year. Head Coach Mike Drass earned Coach of the Year honors.
The lone award not won by a Wolverine as the circuit's Rookie of the Year, which went to Apprentice School freshman Mana Ohia.
McSweeney earns his first Offensive Player of the Year award after completing nearly 69 percent of his passes for 1,684 yards and 15 touchdowns. The native of Bensalem, Pa. threw for three touchdowns in a game three times and had a breakout game at Frostburg State completing 14-of-17 for 289 yards and three touchdowns in Wesley's 38-6 victory.
Matthews earns his first Defensive Player of the Year award after leading the Wolverines in tackles heading into their NCAA First Round matchup on Saturday at Muhlenberg College. The native of Pennsauken, N.J. shares the conference lead in tackles with 70, he came through in big games for the Wolverines. Against Route 13 rival Salisbury, for the ACFC championship, he recorded a season-high 16 tackles in Wesley's 36-21 victory. He is a two-time first team selection at linebacker after earning that in 2007 as well.
Return specialist Beavers took his second consecutive Special Teams Player of the Year honor after a run through the record books in 2008. The native of Annapolis, Md. now holds the NCAA Division III career marks for kick return touchdowns 9 and total runbacks for touchdowns 12. This year he is averaging almost 42 yards per kick return and 33 yards per punt return. He's returned kicks for touchdowns against Apprentice School kick and punt, consecutive kickoffs at Webber International, and a punt at Lake Erie College. He was also named a first team wide receiver this year after catching 27 passes for 558 yards and six touchdowns.
Wesley Head Coach Mike Drass won his sixth ACFC Coach Of The Year award after leading the Wolverines to an 8-1 regular season and a 3-0 ACFC mark. His Wolverines have either won or shared the ACFC title now for the seventh season.
The Wolverines 19 selections were an ACFC-best. Salisbury took home 15 picks, Apprentice 12 and Frostburg State 13.
Five Wesley players were named to the First Team Defense. Josh Nevid (Woodbury, N.J./West Deptford) and Mike Ward (Norwich, Conn./Norwich Free Academy) were named as defensive linemen, Matthews at linebacker and Chet Turner (New Castle, Del./Newark) and Aaron Benson (Swarthmore, Pa./Strath Haven) as defensive backs.
On offense, six Wolverines were named to the first team. McSweeny is the first team quarterback, Mike Pennewell (Smyrna, Del./Smyrna) is one of the running backs, Beavers earned the nod at wide receiver and Jon Lanouette (Wilmington, Del./Newark) is the first team tight end. On the line, Pat Bell (Galloway, N.J./Holy Spirit) and Dave Erdman (Ellicott City, Md./River Hill) were named to the first team.
Beavers made the Special Teams First Team as the return specialist and was joined by punter Sean McAndrew (Lanoka Harbor, N.J./Lacey Township).
Lineman Carlos James (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck), linebacker Jeremiah Santiago (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) and defensive back Marcus Wilson (Pennsauken, N.J./Camden Catholic) were named to the Second Team Defense. Matt Ferguson gained a nod on the Second Team Offense.
Evan Pritchett (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point), an offensive lineman, and linebacker Eddie Donisi (Woodbury, N.J./West Deptford) were the Wolverines Honorable Mentions.
Wesley will represent the conference in the NCAA Division III Championship First Round on Saturday, November 22 at Muhlenberg. Kickoff at Scotty Wood Stadium is set for noon.
2008 All-ACFC Teams
Award
Winners
Offensive Player of the Year: Shane McSweeny, Wesley, So., QB, 6-2, 210, Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem
Defensive Player of the Year: Sean Matthews, Wesley, Sr., LB, 6-0, 230 Pennsauken, N.J./Roman Catholic, Pa.
Special Teams Player of the Year: Larry Beavers, Wesley, Sr., WR, 5-11, 178 Annapolis, Md./Annapolis
Rookie of the Year: Mana Ohia, Apprentice, LB, Fr., 5-9, 203, Honolulu, Hi./Aica
Coach of the Year: Mike Drass, Wesley College
First Team
Defense
**Mike Ward, Wesley, Jr., DL, 6-2, 315 Norwich,
Conn./Norwich Free Academy
**Josh Nevid, Wesley, Jr., DL, 6-2, 242 Woodbury, N.J./West
Deptford
Jarrell Chandler, Salisbury, DL, Sr.,6-3,240, Salisbury,
Md./Wicomico
Paul Cynewski, Salisbury, DL, Jr., 6-3, 245, Moorestown,
N.J./Moorestown
George Fieser , Frostburg St., 6-0, 220, Jr. , LB , Hagerstown,
Md./Smithsburg
**Sean Matthews, Wesley, Sr., LB, 6-0, 230 Pennsauken, N.J./Roman
Catholic, Pa.
Matt Barnes, Salisbury, LB, Sr., 5-9, 210, Ijamsville,
Md./Urbana
Terryl Monroe , Frostburg St., 5-10, 195, So., DB, Temple
Hills, Md./Dematha
**Chet Turner, Wesley, Sr., DB, 5-11, 187 New Castle,
Del./Newark
**Aaron Benson, Wesley, So., DB, 5-11, 188 Swarthmore, Pa./Strath
Haven
Robert Hannah, Apprentice, CB, Sr., 5-10, 186, Blythe,
Ga./Hephzibah
First Team
Offensive
Rob Hickman , Frostburg St. , 6-3 , 290 , Sr. , OL
, Fort Washington, Md./Crossland
**Pat Bell, Wesley, Sr., OL, 6-2, 255, Galloway, N.J./ Holy
Spirit
**Dave Erdman, Wesley, Sr., OL, 6-4, 321, Ellicott City, Md./River
Hill
David Preston, Salisbury, OL, Sr., 6-1,
290, Beltsville, Md./DeMatha
Chauncy Jones, Apprentice, 6-0, 270, Sr., OL, Fayetteville,
NC/71st
**Larry Beavers, Wesley, Sr., WR, 5-11, 178 Annapolis,
Md./Annapolis
Markim Gordon, Apprentice, 6-1, 175, Sr., WR, Orangeburg,
SC/Orangeburg-Wilkinson
**Mike Pennewell, Wesley, Jr., TB, 6-0, 210, Smyrna,
Del./Smyrna
Shelby Fisher, Salisbury, SB, Sr., 5-9,
245, Baltimore, Md./Cardinal Gibbons
**Jon Lanouette, Wesley, Sr., TE, 6-4, 260 Wilmington,
Del./Newark
**Shane McSweeny, Wesley, So., QB, 6-2, 210, Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem
First Team
Specialists
**Sean McAndrew, Wesley, So., P, 6-3, 238 Lanoka
Harbor, N.J./Lacie Township
Tommy Kowalick , Salisbury, K/P , Fr. , 5-9 , 150 , Sterling,
Va./Dominion
**Larry Beavers, Wesley, Sr., WR, 5-11, 178 Annapolis,
Md./Annapolis
Second Team
Defense
Collin Clifford , Frostburg St. , 6-2, 285, Sr., DL, Rockville,
Md./Richard Montgomery
Mike Iheakanwa , Frostburg St. , 6-3 , 220 , Jr., DE, Lantham,
Md./Duval
**Carlos James, Wesley, Jr., DL, 6-1, 286, Annapolis,
Md./Broadneck
Jovan McCamey, Apprentice, DE, Fr., 6-3, 225, Ft. Washington,
Md./Gwynn Park
James Lee, Apprentice, DT, So, 5-11, 245, Richmond, Va./Varina
**Jeremiah Santiago, Wesley, Sr., LB, 6-0, 225, Egg Harbor
Township, N.J./Egg Harbor
Jeremy Smith, Apprentice, LB, Sr., 6-2, 240, Pelham, Ga./Pelham
Jeremy Drayton, Apprentice, LB, So., 6-0, 240, Orlando,
FL/Lyman
**Marcus Wilson, Wesley, So., DB, 6-3, 202, Pennsauken, N.J./Camden
Catholic
Greg Miletic, Salisbury, DB, Sr., 6-0, 195,
Catonsville, Md./Catonsville
Matthew Bookard, Salisbury, DB, Sr., 5-9,
187, Lanham, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt
Kevin Mathews , Frostburg St. , 5-10 , 180 , Fr. , DB , Temple
Hills, Md./Oxon Hill
Second Team
Offense
Ben Crowder , Frostburg St. , 6-1 , 300 , Jr., C,
Boydton, Va./Bluestone
**Matt Ferguson, Wesley, Sr., OL, 6-5, 296, Dover, Del./Dover
Bryan Burdalski, Salisbury, OL, Sr., 6-1, 295, Lumberton, N.J./Holy
Cross
Mike Kinder, Apprentice, 6-6, 340, So., OL, Zanesville,
Oh./Philo
Eric Chacon, Apprentice, 5-10, 280, So., OL, Longwood, FL/Lyman
Makiha Cooper , Frostburg St. , 6-2 , 200 , Jr. , WR , Baltimore,
Md./Forest Park
Kevin Tillage, Salisbury, WR, Sr., 5-8,
165, Woodbridge, Va./Gar-Field
Bryan Woolson, Salisbury, SB, So., 5-8, 194, White Hall,
Md./North Harford
Anton Wade , Frostburg St. , 6-3 , 210 , So., RB, Baltimore,
Md./Patterson
Teo Ellis, Apprentice, Jr., TE, 5-11, 226, Camden, SC/Camden
Ronnie Curley, Salisbury, QB, Sr., 5-11, 195,
Ellicott City, Md./Howard
Second Team
Specialists
Nick Payne , Frostburg St. , 6-2 , 200 , Jr. , P ,
Frostburg, Md./Northern Garrett
Matt Winneger , Frostburg St. , 6-0 , 200 , Jr. , K , Frostburg,
Md./Beall
Zach Holbrook , Salisbury, PR, So. , 5-6 , 150 , Millersville,
Md./Severn
Honorable
Mention
**Evan Prichett, Wesley, OL, 6-0, 285, JR, Dundalk,
MD/Sparrows Point
**Eddie Donisi, Wesley, LB, 5-8, 185, SR, Woodbury, NJ/ West
Deptford
Justin Chura, Salisbury, LB, So., 5-9, 200, Lothian,
Md./Southern
Chris Hutton, Salisbury, 6-0, 310, Fr., OL, Largo, Md./Largo
Mike Lorentzen , Frostburg St., 6-1, 280, Sr. ,
DL, Leonardtown, Md./Leonardtown
Bryan Brosnan, Frostburg St. , 5-10, 180, Jr., QB, Leesburg,
Va./Heritage
Daniel Richmond, Apprentice, FS, Jr., 5-9, 150, Newport News,
Va./Menchville
Bryan Cain, Apprentice, 6-0, 180, So., WR, Baker, La./Baker
