Finally - FINALLY - I'm getting to congratulate the Lehigh Mountain Hawk Gridders that made the All-Patriot League team this year. PK Jason Leo heads the list of ten Hawks that made the first team - more than any other Patriot League squad. In addition, Leo won Special Teams Player of the Year for his efforts punting and kicking.The complete list of honorees is as follows:
1st Team Offense
QB Sedale Threatt
TE Landon Maggs
OL John Reese
OL Jim Petrucelli
PK Jason Leo
Threatt gets the nod, rightfully in my opinion, for first team QB over Lafayette's QB Brad Maurer and Holy Cross' QB Dom Randolph. Threatt may not have gotten the most yards passing (a solid 2,008 yards), but his passing accuracy (61%, good enough for a 144.66 QB rating) and his abilities as a runner (8 TDs to go with his 14 TD passes gave him 22 on the year) really vaults him ahead of the other two. Next year, it should be awfully interesting to see Threatt and Randolph, who will be returning for their senior and junior years respectively.
In a really weak year for receivers (the top receiver, Holy Cross WR Ryan Maher, had less than 800 yards receiving!), it was a real disappointment to not see one of my favorites, WR Frank "Al Del Greco" Trovato get a nod at receiver (594 yards, 4 TDs). Of course, he would be better suited as a pick for a return man (283 yards, 1 huge TD against Villanova), but curiously the league does not honor kick returners or punt returners in their all-Patriot teams. This means that two guys that really should get accolades this year, Trovato and Lafayette PR Shaun Adair, get shut out for awards, even though they're both near the top of the all-purpose yards lists. My opinion? They should offer a slot for 1st Team/2nd Team return men. Trovato and Adair deserve recognition.
Reflecting the weakness in receiving, TE Landon Maggs won first-team TE in a field which didn't feature any Adam Bergen's in their midst (Maggs only had 98 yards receiving and 1 TD). Having said that, Maggs, along with OL John Reese and Jim Petrucelli, were key "O" linemen in generating 3,765 yards of total offense.
2nd Team Offense
RB Marques Thompson
OL Jimmy Kehs
RB Thompson (100 all-purpose yards per game, 8 TDs), quietly got the props he deserved after quietly being a force for the Lehigh offense week in and week out, but with Lafayette RB Jonathan Hurt and Colgate RB Jordan Scott ahead of him, it's not surprising he was on the second team. As for OL Jimmy Kehs (who will be a senior next year), I'm baffled as to why he wasn't first team as to me he was our best "O" lineman. As much as I love our line, I probably would have picked Kehs on the first team with Reese and Petrucelli on the second team. My choices to replace Reese and Petrucelli? Lafayette's OL Jesse Padilla and Bucknell's OL Stephen Niemczyk, also relegated to the second team.
1st Team Defense
NT Eric Rakus
DL Paul Fabre
DL Royce Morgan
DB Julian Austin
DB Brannan Thomas
My biggest shock here, I have to admit, was seeing Royce Morgan on this list. Royce still pulled together a solid season, though (9 games, 26 tackles, 7 tackles for loss 2. sacks). But when you think about it, these stats were accumulated after splitting time all year after coming to the team late after an eligibility dispute. When put in that context, those are pretty impressive numbers. Rakus' place is more than deserved (54 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 1 INT, 1 forced fumble), while Paul Fabre tied for the team lead in sacks with 3. Although this has to go down in history as the only 3-4 team with 3 *linemen* getting the accolades and 0 *linebackers*, congratulations to our "D" line! (Even if I would have put Lafayette's DL Kyle Sprenkle over DL Paul Fabre.)
CB Brannan Thomas and FS Julian Austin finished up their fine careers with 1st team all-Patriot nods as well. Thomas managed a fine season after he decided to forgo playing offense to exclusively play defense, with 20 tackles, 3 INT, and 5 passes defensed. Considering he was a full-time defensive player for only 6 games, these are impressive numbers. Austin had, well, a Julian Austin-type season with 43 tackles, 3 fumble recoveries (including that huge one for a TD against Holy Cross) and 5 pass break-ups. Our secondary, the strength of our team, got some deserved accolades.
2nd Team Defense
LB Matt Mohler
DB Ernie Moore
First of all, I think DB Ernie Moore should have been first team - I probably would have put him there over Brannan Thomas. Our leading tackler with 64 tackles and 4 INTs deserved to make it. (I think the fact that the four honorees were all seniors had a lot to do with that, while we're going to happily get Moore back for next season.)
LB Matt Mohler (a converted "D" lineman) was probably our best linebacker on the year, with 41 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks, but if Colgate LB Mike Gallihugh, Fordham LB Marcus Taylor, and Bucknell's LB Dorian Petersen didn't get 1st team, there would have been a mutiny among Patriot League coaches.
Congratulations to all the winners! You should all be proud of what you've been able to accomplish this year. Next week I'll do the "Lehigh Football Season In Review", just in time for the Division I Football Championship game. Stay tuned!
Comments
The OL was not too bad this year considering what they had to work with it. They weren't huge but i thought were effective enough in every game including Lafayette. I actually think as a unit they'll be better next year. Bayani and Kehs should be two good bookends and hopefully Coen can mold a good interior.
The cupboard was not bare and still isn't. However right now the program is at the crossroads. Hopefully everyone involved will raise the level to make sure it returns to where it was 5-6 years ago.