ST. LOUIS – Pioneer Football League officials announced, Tuesday, the winners of its postseason honors and the All-Pioneer Football League first and second teams. All selections were made by the league’s coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own players.
Butler and Dayton each won a share of the 2009 PFL regular-season title in a race that came down to the season’s final weekend. It is Butler’s second league title and first since 1994. Dayton wins at least a share of the title for the 10th time and first since 2007.
Dayton quarterback Steve Valentino was named the league’s Offensive Player of the Year, while Butler head coach Jeff Voris was named the league’s Coach of the Year. Morehead State linebacker Wes McDermott received the league’s Defensive Player of the Year honor. The league’s freshman awards went to San Diego wide receiver Kyle Warren and Drake defensive back Tyler Moorehead, who were named the league’s Offensive and Defensive Freshman of the Year, respectively.
Valentino, a first-team All-PFL wide receiver last season, became Dayton’s starting quarterback in the season’s second week and promptly led his team to seven consecutive victories overall en route to a share of the league’s regular-season title (7-1) and a 9-2 overall mark. He finished the regular-season averaging a league-best 281.6 yards total offense and led all quarterbacks in rushing, with 65.6 yards per game to rank fourth among the league’s rushers. He also ranked second among the league’s quarterbacks in yardage (216.0 ypg) and pass efficiency rating (139.8).
McDermott wins the league’s Defensive Player of the Year honor after finishing the regular-season ranked second in tackles (9.9 pg) and third in tackles-for-loss (1.50 pg). He led all linebackers in tackles (109), posting 14 more than the next closest follower. McDermott led a Morehead State defense that finished the season ranked second in total defense, allowing just 266.3 yards per game, and led the league in rushing defense, permitting a paltry 72.5 yards per game on the ground.
Warren was San Diego’s big-play receiver, posting 11 catches for 338 yards – a 30.7 yards per catch average. Of his 11 receptions, six went for touchdowns, including an 82-yard touchdown catch-and-carry against Dayton. He had five touchdown catches on nine total receptions in PFL play alone.
Moorehead ranked among the league’s top 30 in tackles (6.1 pg) in his first season of action. He also ranked sixth in tackles-for-loss (1.32 pg) and was one of three players to lead the league with four forced fumbles this season. Moorehead was a key component of a defensive unit that ranked second in rush defense, surrendering 90.5 yards per game, and fourth in total defense, allowing 276.5 yards per contest.
Voris wins Coach of the Year honors for the first time in his fourth season at Butler. He led the Bulldogs from a 4-4, fourth-place PFL finish, in 2008 to a share of the league title (7-1) in 2009. Butler posted a school-record 10 wins this season, won nine consecutive games to start the campaign and was the next-to-last unbeaten FCS team.
The 17th All-PFL squads are highlighted by four unanimous selections. Jacksonville had three players receive unanimous acclimation, including junior running back Rudell Small who was a unanimous first-team All-PFL selection for the second consecutive season. Other unanimous first-team honorees were Jacksonville wide receiver Josh Philpart, Jacksonville offensive lineman Leonard Payton and Marist wide receiver James LaMacchia.
Additionally, the All-PFL first-team selections include eight repeat honorees from the 2008 All-PFL first team, as denoted in the following listing.
2009 Pioneer Football League Postseason Awards
2009 All-Pioneer Football League First Team
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
Hometown (Previous School) |
| OFFENSE |
| WR |
James LaMacchia (U) |
Marist |
6-0 |
165 |
Sr. |
Bronx, N.Y. (Fordham Prep) |
| WR |
Josh Philpart (U) |
Jacksonville |
6-0 |
166 |
So. |
Deerfield Beach, Fla. (Deerfield Beach HS) |
| WR |
Zach Watkins |
Butler |
6-2 |
205 |
So. |
Chicago, Ill. (St. Ignatius) |
| TE |
Frank Pucher |
Drake |
6-5 |
237 |
R-Sr. |
Skokie, Ill. (Notre Dame) |
| QB |
Steve Valentino (1) |
Dayton |
5-10 |
172 |
Sr. |
Solon, Ohio (Solon) |
| FB |
Steve Platek (1) |
Drake |
6-0 |
222 |
Sr. |
Arlington Heights, Ill. (John Hersey) |
| RB |
Scott Gray |
Butler |
5-8 |
190 |
Jr. |
Lowell, Ind. (Lowell) |
| RB |
Rudell Small (U, 1) |
Jacksonville |
5-10 |
201 |
Jr. |
Ocala, Fla. (Trinity Catholic HS) |
| OL |
Pat Calahan |
San Diego |
6-4 |
275 |
Sr. |
Orange County, Calif. (Saddleback JC) |
| OL |
Tyler Friedrich |
Dayton |
6-6 |
275 |
Sr. |
Powell, Ohio (Dublin Jerome) |
| OL |
Donnie Gilmore |
Butler |
6-3 |
290 |
R-Jr. |
Westphalia, Ind. (North Knox) |
| OL |
Quin McVey (2) |
Drake |
6-5 |
286 |
R-Sr. |
Bettendorf, Iowa (Bettendorf) |
| OL |
Leonard Payton (U) |
Jacksonville |
6-3 |
281 |
Jr. |
Jacksonville, Fla. (Sandalwood HS) |
| |
| DEFENSE |
| DL |
Haywood Range |
Jacksonville |
5-10 |
232 |
Sr. |
Rivera Beach, Fla. (Cumberland Univ.) |
| DL |
Derik Steiner (1) |
Morehead State |
6-0 |
307 |
Sr. |
Mason, Ohio (Bishop Fenwick) |
| DL |
Dain Taylor (2) |
Drake |
6-3 |
242 |
Sr. |
Highlands Ranch, Colo. (Mountain Vista) |
| DL |
Brandon Wingeier |
Dayton |
6-3 |
241 |
Sr. |
Newark, Ohio (Newark) |
| LB |
Nick Andre |
Marist |
6-0 |
220 |
Sr. |
Rockville Centre, N.Y. (Chaminade) |
| LB |
Cale Hunt |
Drake |
6-3 |
229 |
R-Sr. |
Littleton, Colo. (Chatfield) |
| LB |
Joe Ries (1) |
Dayton |
6-1 |
210 |
Sr. |
Cincinnati, Ohio (St. Xavier) |
| LB |
Wes McDermott (1) |
Morehead State |
5-9 |
175 |
So. |
Louisville, Ky. (Holy Cross) |
| DB |
Gabe Derricks (1) |
San Diego |
6-3 |
202 |
Sr. |
Oak Park, Calif. (Oak Park) |
| DB |
Spencer Summerville |
Butler |
5-8 |
205 |
Sr. |
Indianapolis, Ind. (Park Tudor) |
| DB |
James Vercammen |
Dayton |
5-10 |
192 |
Sr. |
Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (Groves) |
| DB |
Jason Wood |
Jacksonville |
6-0 |
201 |
Sr. |
Pt. Charlotte, Fla. (Pt. Charlotte HS) |
| |
| SPECIAL TEAMS |
| PK |
Brandon Wubs (1) |
Drake |
6-0 |
199 |
R-Sr. |
Hawthorn Woods, Ill. (Lake Zurich) |
| P |
Kyle Negrete |
San Diego |
6-1 |
226 |
So. |
Fresno, Calif. (Clovis West) |
| RS |
JT Rogan |
San Diego |
5-10 |
200 |
Grad. |
Coronado, Calif. (Coronado) |
2009 All-Pioneer Football League Second Team
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
Hometown (Previous School) |
| OFFENSE (Seven offensive linemen due to a tie in the voting) |
| WR |
Danny Bohrer |
Butler |
6-1 |
190 |
R-Sr. |
Guilford, Ind. (East Central) |
| WR |
John McGough |
San Diego |
6-3 |
215 |
R-So. |
Bellevue, Wash. (Bellevue Senior) |
| WR |
Justin Watkins |
Dayton |
5-11 |
185 |
Sr. |
Englewood, Ohio (Northmont) |
| TE |
Mike Stryffeler |
Campbell |
6-0 |
243 |
R-Jr. |
Sanford, N.C. (Averett) |
| QB |
Josh McGregor |
Jacksonville |
6-0 |
205 |
So. |
Belle Glade, Fla. (Glades Day HS) |
| FB |
Kirk Benedict |
Davidson |
6-0 |
235 |
Sr. |
Fairfax, Va. (Fairfax) |
| RB |
O’Neil Anderson |
Marist |
5-7 |
175 |
Sr. |
Dorchester, Mass. (Bedford) |
| RB |
Kenny Mantuo |
Davidson |
5-10 |
185 |
Jr. |
Weston, Fla. (Cypress Bay) |
| OL |
Brian Crable |
Butler |
6-4 |
250 |
R-Sr. |
Loveland, Ohio (Moeller) |
| OL |
Mark Iafrate |
Davidson |
6-1 |
280 |
Sr. |
Weston, Fla. (American Heritage) |
| OL |
Sam Issermoyer |
Campbell |
6-3 |
314 |
So. |
Eldersburg, Md. (Liberty) |
| OL |
Eric Mora |
Drake |
6-2 |
311 |
R-Sr. |
Roselle, Ill. (Lake Park) |
| OL |
Jacob Nail |
Morehead State |
6-3 |
263 |
So. |
Louisville, Ky. (Holy Cross) |
| OL |
Mike Staniewicz |
Butler |
6-5 |
290 |
Jr. |
Hebron, Ind. (Lowell) |
| OL |
Kevin Ulrich |
Marist |
6-4 |
280 |
Sr. |
Hamburg, N.J. (Wallkill Valley Regional) |
| |
| DEFENSE |
| DL |
Andrew Doan |
Morehead State |
6-4 |
220 |
Fr. |
Dublin, Ohio (Dublin Coffman) |
| DL |
Kalen Hemmelgarn |
Dayton |
6-1 |
249 |
Sr. |
St. Henry, Ohio (St. Henry) |
| DL |
Grant Hunter |
Butler |
6-3 |
235 |
R-So. |
Liberty Twp., Ohio (Lakota West) |
| DL |
Josh Walkup |
Drake |
6-1 |
234 |
Sr. |
Littleton, Colo. (Heritage) |
| LB |
Nick Caldicott |
Butler |
6-1 |
220 |
R-So. |
Oak Park, Ill. (Fenwick) |
| LB |
Joseph Fennell |
Jacksonville |
5-10 |
230 |
Jr. |
Palm Coast, Fla. (Flagler Palm Coast HS) |
| LB |
Kevin Foley |
Marist |
6-2 |
235 |
Sr. |
Washingtonville, N.Y. (Washingtonville) |
| LB |
Derek Marten |
San Diego |
6-0 |
220 |
Sr. |
Clovis, Calif. (Fresno City CC) |
| DB |
Skye Buckner-Petty |
Drake |
6-0 |
188 |
R-Sr. |
Florissant, Mo. (McCluer North) |
| DB |
Jaquan Bryant |
Marist |
6-1 |
180 |
So. |
St. Albans, N.Y. (Holy Cross) |
| DB |
J.D. Cecil |
Morehead State |
5-9 |
190 |
Jr. |
Pickerington, Ohio (Pickerington Central) |
| DB |
Scott Horcher |
Dayton |
5-11 |
190 |
Sr. |
Carpentersville, Ill. (Dundee Crown) |
| |
|
SPECIAL TEAMS
|
| PK |
Adam Willets |
Campbell |
6-1 |
215 |
R-So. |
Gibsonville, N.C. (Western Alamance) |
| P |
Andrew Wohler |
Davidson |
6-3 |
200 |
Jr. |
Ridgewood, N.J. (Ridgewood) |
| RS |
Elliott Finkley |
Jacksonville |
5-6 |
156 |
Jr. |
Jacksonville, Fla. (Bethune-Cookman) |
2009 All-Pioneer Football League Honorable Mention Squad
OFFENSE
WR: Spencer Cady (DRA), Elliot Finkley (JAC), JMichael Jonard (DAY), Harrison Jordan (CAM), Larry Thompson (JAC)
TE: Chris Kuck (JAC), Chris Ortner (MAR)
QB: Chris Debowski (MAR), Andrew Huck (BUT),
FB: Josh Lynn (VAL)
OL: Dan Angelastro (MAR), Nate Blair (VAL), Justin Griffis (DAY), Troy Horan (CAM), Evan Lawrence (DRA), Dustin Robinson (JAC), Neil Walsh (MAR)
DEFENSE
DL: Nikko Carson (VAL), Alex Griswold (DAV), Shawn Lewis (JAC), Matt Snow (MAR), Dan Sullivan (MAR), Paul Tremblay (SAN), Terrence Turner (MAR), David Witkiewicz (DRA)
LB: Daniel Astrop (DAV), Milton Brown (CAM), Allen Fennell (JAC), Drew Fumagalli (DAY), Derek Guggenberger (BUT), Tyler Lemons (DAV), Tyler Moorehead (DRA), Benny Morrison (DRA), Will Perry (JAC), Lee Stanley (CAM)
DB: Keenan Bowe (JAC), Brandon Chandler (CAM), Anthony Curry (VAL), Rory Foley (MAR), Mark Giacomantonio (BUT), Derek Harkness (MOR), Jared Hart (CAM), Kyle Himmelwright (VAL), Brandon Kicklighter (MAR), Pete Kidwell (DAV), Derek Pilkington (SAN), John VanAman (MAR)
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK: Mike Levine (SAN)
P: Logan Chipperfield (JAC), Kevin Pauly (MAR), Michael Wilson (BUT), Brandon Wubs (DRA)
RS: Jaquan Bryant (MAR), Jordan Koopman (BUT)
|
