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Ten Bison earn ECFC All-Conference honors, Tatum named Rookie of the Year
WHITTINGHAM, Vt. - The Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) announced its second annual all-conference teams on Thursday and 10 Gallaudet University student-athletes earned 2010 honors. In his first year playing football, sophomore cornerback Tony Tatum (Gardendale, Ala.) took home the ECFC Rookie of the Year award. The Bison finished the season 5-5 overall (3-4 ECFC) under coach Chuck Goldstein, his first year as head coach for GU. The Buff and Blue won two of its last three contests to finish the season strong as it ran the option for its offense for the second year in a row.
Coach Goldstein had the honor of coaching three first teamers, four second teamers, three honorable mentions and the ECFC Rookie of the Year as a total of 90 student-athletes received recognition after completion of the regular season. The 10 honorees give Gallaudet 25 total all-conference selections in the ECFC's two year history. GU was required to only use its statistics against its eight varsity teams for nominating purposes and those numbers are reflected below.
Two Bison student-athletes made the first team offense in senior offensive tackle Michel Daze' (Frederick, Md.) and sophomore running back Phillip Hayes (Baton Rouge, La.). Daze', who was a senior co-captain, helped the Gallaudet rushing offense finish 12th nationally with 261 yards per game. Hayes, a two-time All-ECFC selection, was honored with the distinction as the conference's best return specialist. He ranked 29th in the country and fourth in the ECFC with nearly 26 yards per return.
Last year's Co-Rookie of the Year sophomore linebacker Tom Pangia (Hammonton, N.J.) was the lone GU student-athlete to make the first team defense. Pangia led the Bison in total tackles with 75 (50 solo), which was good for 72nd in the country for tackling and sixth in the ECFC.
Junior wide receiver Ryne Worsham (Chicago, Ill.) was selected to the all-conference second team for offense, as he contributed over 600 yards and six touchdowns in eight games started.
The second team defense consists of senior defensive tackle Joshua Doudt (Medina, Ohio), junior defensive end John Van Wey (Alexandria, Va.) and Tatum. Doudt, who received first team All-ECFC defense honors a year ago, was also the recipient of the Bison student-athlete of the month for October 2010. Van Wey, who was a 2009 ECFC honorable mention, ranked fifth in sacks in the conference in 2010. Tatum rounds out the second team on defense and took home ECFC Rookie of the Year honors. He became only the second player in ECFC history to win two conference player of the week awards on the same week, as he earned Defensive and Rookie of the Week honors for October 11.
Gallaudet had three student-athletes receive honorable mention honors including; senior kicker/punter Justin Wilson (Carmichael, Calif.), junior fullback Mike Gimeli (Deer Park, N.Y.) and freshman offensive guard Chris Langan (Burtonsville, Md.). Wilson, who made the 2009 ECFC second team as a kicker and cornerback, was a two-time conference special teams player of the week this season. Gimeli, makes his second straight appearance on the honorable mention list, led the team in rushing this season with 621 yards. Langan was a key member on the offensive line that helped GU surpass 290 yards per game on five different occasions.
The conference's offensive attack was guided by two fantastic quarterbacks in Norwich University's Kris Sabourin Castleton State College's Shane Brozowski who were named Co-Offensive Players of the Year. SUNY Maritime College sophomore linebacker Keith Barnes was honored with the Defensive Player of the Year award. Norwich's kicker Long Ding won the Special Teams Player of the Year award. Maritime's head coach Clayton Kendrick-Holmes was honored as the ECFC Coach of the Year as the team won the conference with a perfect 7-0 record (10-0 overall) and earned a bid to the NCAA Division III championship field.
The All-ECFC teams were voted on by the league's coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own players. The ECFC will be represented in postseason play by Martime, Mount Ida and Norwich. Maritime will represent the conference in the NCAA Division III tournament on November 20, against Alfred University in Alfred, N.Y. Mount Ida will compete in the ECAC North Atlantic Bowl Game against Springfield College on November 20. Norwich will host Framingham State University ECAC Northeast Bowl Game, also on November 20.
Below is a brief paragraph on each Gallaudet honoree (stats and rankings as of 11/18/2010).
ECFC FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
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Michel Daze', Sr., OT |
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Phillip Hayes, So., RB |
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ECFC FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
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Tom Pangia, So., LB |
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ECFC SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
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Ryne Worsham, So., WR |
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ECFC SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
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Joshua Doudt, Sr., DT |
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John Van Wey, Jr., DE |
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Tony Tatum, So., CB |
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ECFC HONORABLE MENTIONS
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Justin Wilson, Sr., K/P |
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Michael Gimeli, Jr., FB 2009 ECFC Honorable Mention selection...led the team in rushing with 621 yards on the ground...his 77.6 yards per game average was 8th best in the ECFC...a main weapon in the backfield on the Bison, who ranked No. 12 in the nation in rushing offense...played in eight games where he made seven starts. |
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Chris Langan, Fr., OG |
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