Empire 8 Announces Football All-Conference Team
November 20, 2008
ROCHESTER, NY – The Empire 8 announced its 2008 Football All-Conference team with senior quarterback Jason Boltus of Hartwick College being unanimously selected as Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year and Ithaca College senior linebacker Matt Scalice chosen as Defensive Player of the Year.
Boltus, enters ECAC play leading NCAAA Division III in total offense (414.4 yards per game) and passing yards per game (397.6). He ranks 2nd nationally with 3,578 passing yards and third in pass efficiency with a rating of 172.9. Boltus is twice ranked in the top-three in single-game passing yards, including an NCAA-high 531 yards.
Scalice, in addition to being named the Defensive Player of the Year, earned first-team all-conference recognition for the second consecutive year. He enters NCAA tournament play with 82 tackles, including 37 solo hits and 10 tackles for loss.
Freshman quarterback Tom Secky of Alfred University was the unanimous choice as Rookie of the Year. With an ECAC game remaining, he has already set a Saxons’ freshman record for passing yards (2532) and touchdowns (24) and thrown for 300 or more yards four times.
Mike Welch was the unanimous selection as Empire 8 Coach of the Year as he led Ithaca to a 9-1 overall record and the first outright title in the conference since 2005.
Eight players from the champion Bombers were named to the all-conference first team, including three offensive linemen. Seniors Chris Gray and Sean Mirkov were repeat selections and were joined by Jake Queener. Senior tight end Brian Weverbergh was also a repeat first-team honoree, while junior running back Thomas Bergerstock was honored for the first time. Weverbergh averages 4.7 catches and 64.7 yards receiving per game, and Bergerstock has averaged 215.9 yards rushing per game and scored 20 touchdowns.
Joining Scalice as first-team defensive honorees for Ithaca was senior defensive back Jason Chier, who intercepted three passes in the Bombers’ season-ending win over previously undefeated Cortland, and junior defensive lineman Joe Goetz.
Senior wide receiver Jack Phelan of Hartwick was named to the all-conference first team for the second year in a row and enters ECAC play leading Division III in receiving yards per game (168.0) and ranked third in scoring (25 touchdowns for a per game average of 16.67 points).
Joining Phelan at wide receiver on the first team was junior Jared Manzer of Alfred, a first-team selection and Rookie of the Year in 2006. He enters the postseason with 65 catches for 920 yards and nine touchdowns.
Senior defensive back Justin Oelgeschlager of the Hawks was also honored on the first-team all-conference unit after recording 70 tackles and four interceptions.
Senior Tim Marion of St. John Fisher College was named to the all-conference first team as an all-purpose player, averaging 148.5 all-purpose yards per game. Senior offensive lineman Andrew Cottet was named to the first-team after receiving second-team honors last season.
Senior running back Darnell Jackson, who broke the Norwich career rushing record in place since 1975, was selected on the first team after garnering second-team accolades each of the past two seasons. Junior teammate Reza Afsarmanesh was named to the all-conference first team on the defensive line after recording 11.5 tackles for loss.
Senior linebacker Tom Caporale of Springfield College was a repeat selection on the first team, while senior offensive lineman Andrew Jackson of the Pride earned first-team honors for the first time. Caporale paced the team with 84 tackles.
Seniors Dan Pollock (defensive lineman) and Josh Gottlieb (linebacker) of St. John Fisher earned first-team honors for the second straight year. Senior defensive back Ken Bostick of the Cardinals earned first-team recognition for the first time.
Senior defensive back Brian Nitsche of Alfred received first-team honors for the second time in his career, while senior defensive lineman Rob Ritter was a first-time selection.
One member of each team was named that institution’s representative on the 2008 Football Sportsman of the Year Team. Empire 8 emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete’s experience in conjunction with an institution’s educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportsmen.
Empire 8 2008 Football All-Conference Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Jason Boltus, Hartwick College
Defensive Player of the Year: Matt Scalice, Ithaca College
Rookie of the Year: Tom Secky, Alfred University
Coach of the Year: Mike Welch, Ithaca College