Tuesday, November 30, 2021
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Pioneer Football League’s head coaches named 61 student-athletes to the league’s 29th All-Pioneer Football League Teams, Tuesday. In addition to the 61 student-athletes recognized on the league’s first and second teams, 90 student-athletes received honorable mention recognition.
The 29th All-PFL Teams follow the announcement of the league’s Major Award Winners, Monday. The league names its 29th Academic All-PFL team and its Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Wednesday, concluding the league’s awards week.
Morehead State senior wide receiver BJ Byrd, the PFL Offensive Player of the Year, was the lone unanimous First Team All-PFL selection in 2021. Two defensive players earned their third career First Team All-PFL selection this fall: Morehead State defensive lineman and PFL Defensive Player of the Year Vaughn Taylor Jr. and San Diego senior defensive back Michael Hawkins.
The 30-member First Team All-PFL list sees 13 student-athletes return after earning First Team All-PFL honors in the spring with four moving up to the first team after receiving second team recognition in the spring. One member of the spring honorable mention group – San Diego defensive back Alex Rogers – moved up to the first team this fall with 12 first-time honorees named to the first team.
Four freshmen earned First Team All-PFL recognition: Presbyterian wide receiver Jalyn Witcher, Butler redshirt freshman Yogi Flager, and Morehead State freshman long snapper Brady McKnight. In addition, five freshmen earned Second Team All-PFL honors including both the league’s Freshman Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in St. Thomas running back Hope Adebayo and linebacker Luke Herzog.
2021 All-Pioneer Football League First Team |
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Pos. | Player | School | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. | Hometown |
OFFENSE | ||||||
WR | BJ Byrd (U, 1) | Morehead State | 6-0 | 190 | Sr. | Richmond, Calif. |
WR | Yogi Flager (2) | Butler | 5-10 | 165 | RFr. | Fairview Heights, Ill. |
WR | Jalyn Witcher | Presbyterian | 5-10 | 175 | Fr. | Little Rock, Ark. |
QB | Mark Pappas (1) | Morehead State | 6-2 | 213 | RJr. | Avon Lake, Ohio |
RB | Jake Chisholm | Dayton | 5-9 | 191 | Jr. | Union, Ky. |
RB | Robert Washington (1) | Valparaiso | 5-11 | 220 | Sr. | Huntersville, N.C. |
FB | Coy Williams (1) | Davidson | 5-11 | 213 | Sr. | Lumberton, Texas |
A-P | Jake Chisholm | Dayton | 5-9 | 191 | Jr. | Union, Ky. |
TE | Jackson Sherrard (2) | Davidson | 6-5 | 233 | Sr. | Olney, Md. |
OL | Cole Foley (2) | Davidson | 6-4 | 290 | Sr. | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
OL | Cam Marriott (1) | Morehead State | 6-3 | 300 | Jr. | Redlands, Calif. |
OL | Khalil Miller (1) | Davidson | 6-3 | 302 | Sr. | Lithonia, Ga. |
OL | Matt Weimann | St. Thomas | 6-3 | 312 | Jr. | Oakdale, Minn. |
OL | DJ Wright (1) | San Diego | 6-4 | 275 | RSr | Pittsburg, Calif. |
DEFENSE | ||||||
DL | William Buck | San Diego | 6-0 | 285 | RSo. | Sacramento, Calif. |
DL | Jonathan Hammond (2) | Davidson | 6-2 | 227 | So. | Dunwoody, Ga. |
DL | Fermon Reid (1) | Stetson | 6-0 | 245 | Sr. | Naples, Fla. |
DL | Vaughn Taylor Jr. (3x, 1) | Morehead State | 6-2 | 252 | Sr. | Washington, D.C. |
LB | Grant Dyer | Dayton | 6-2 | 224 | RJr. | Crescent Springs, Ky. |
LB | Jayden Johnson | Marist | 6-0 | 230 | RJr. | Linden, N.J. |
LB | Zack Rumpke | Dayton | 6-2 | 303 | RJr. | Lexington, Ky. |
LB | Vincent Winey (1) | Morehead State | 6-1 | 230 | Sr. | Lindenhurst, N.Y. |
DB | Brandon Easterling | Dayton | 6-0 | 206 | Sr. | Fairborn, Ohio |
DB | Michael Hawkins (3x, 1) | San Diego | 6-1 | 200 | Sr. | San Diego, Calif. |
DB | Alex Rogers (H) | Drake | 6-0 | 210 | 5th Yr. | Racine, Wis. |
DB | Teddy Wright | Marist | 6-0 | 212 | RSr. | Sharon Hill, Pa. |
SPECIAL TEAMS | ||||||
PK | Brian Bartholomew (1) | Valparaiso | 5-11 | 165 | RJr. | Sugar Grove, Ill. |
P | Ben Niesner (1) | Valparaiso | 6-0 | 200 | RSr. | Black Diamond, Wash. |
RS | Mekhai Johnson | Marist | 5-11 | 201 | RSr. | Dorchester, Mass. |
LS | Brady McKnight | Morehead State | 6-1 | 200 | Fr. | Stephens City, Va. |
Notes in parentheses: U-indicates a player was a unanimous first-team selection; 4x-is a four-time first-team All-PFL selection; 3x-is a three-time first-team All-PFL selection; 1-was a first-team selection in 2020-21; 2-was a second-team selection in 2020-21; H-was a honorable mention selection in 2020-21. |
2021 All-Pioneer Football League Second Team |
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Pos. | Player | School | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. | Hometown |
OFFENSE | ||||||
WR | Nazeviah Burris | Stetson | 6-0 | 180 | Fr. | Union, S.C. |
WR | Vance Jefferson | San Diego | 6-0 | 185 | Fr. | Poway, Calif. |
WR | Dwayne Menders Jr. | Marist | 5-10 | 155 | RJr. | Miramar, Fla. |
QB | Jack Cook | Dayton | 6-0 | 207 | Sr. | Cranberry Township, Pa. |
RB | Hope Adebayo | St. Thomas | 5-8 | 184 | Fr. | Inver Grove Heights, Minn. |
RB | Dylan Sparks | Davidson | 6-0 | 209 | Jr. | Centreville, Va. |
FB | Nick Rice | St. Thomas | 5-10 | 194 | Sr. | Elk River, Minn. |
A-P | Delvecchio Powell | Presbyterian | 5-9 | 190 | RSo. | Pooler, Ga. |
TE | Matt DeBlaiso | Morehead State | 6-4 | 235 | Grad. | Seaford, N.Y. |
TE | Michael Gadinis | San Diego | 6-1 | 220 | RSr. | San Diego, Calif. |
OL | Billy Corte | Stetson | 6-5 | 285 | RSo. | Cleveland, Ohio |
OL | Ben Johnson | Marist | 6-3 | 282 | RJr. | South Williamsport, Pa. |
OL | Beck Kipperman | Davidson | 6-2 | 259 | So. | Round Rock, Texas |
OL | Grant Purlee | Butler | 6-2 | 305 | RSr. | Fort Wayne, Ind. |
OL | Mike Ruggeri | St. Thomas | 6-2 | 293 | Sr. | St. Louis, Mo. |
DEFENSE | ||||||
DL | Jake Hoper | Drake | 6-4 | 269 | Sr. | South Beloit, Ill. |
DL | Max Johnson | Drake | 6-3 | 280 | 5th Yr. | Cedar Rapids, Iowa |
DL | Muhindo Kapapa | San Diego | 6-2 | 275 | RSr. | Fairfield, Calif. |
DL | Trejuan Purty | Valparaiso | 6-0 | 225 | RSr. | Maryville, Tenn. |
LB | Mike Arrington | Marist | 5-11 | 212 | RJr. | Ashburn, Va. |
LB | Luke Herzog | St. Thomas | 6-2 | 229 | Fr. | Mendota Heights, Minn. |
LB | Kama Kamaka | San Diego | 6-1 | 210 | Sr. | Kailua, Hawaii |
LB | Ben Schmiesing | Dayton | 6-1 | 226 | Grad. | Piqua, Ohio |
DB | Clayborne Fields III | Marist | 5-11 | 190 | RJr. | Franklin, N.J. |
DB | Luke Glenna | St. Thomas | 5-11 | 188 | Sr. | Edina, Minn. |
DB | Isaiah Hall | St. Thomas | 5-8 | 168 | Sr. | Burnsville, Minn. |
DB | Cooper Krezek | Morehead State | 6-0 | 200 | RFr. | Kansas City, Mo. |
SPECIAL TEAMS | ||||||
PK | Sam Webster | Dayton | 5-10 | 265 | So. | Richfield, Ohio |
P | Andrew Foster | Morehead State | 6-3 | 222 | Sr. | Knoxville, Tenn. |
RS | Chuck Maxwell | Valparaiso | 5-5 | 140 | So. | Elkhart, Tenn. |
LS | Ryan Kriceri | Drake | 6-2 | 235 | 5th Yr. | Aurora, Ill. |
BUTLER: Devin Aguilar (Sr., CB); Jacob Cain (RFr., LS/SS); Gaven Johnson (Sr., OT); Austin Korba (RFr., DT); Johnny O’Shea (RJr., WR); Connor Reid (RJr., S); Austin Schwantz (Sr., TE); Trevor Scott (Sr., C); Skyler Spetter (RJr., OT); JJ Wadas (RFr., K). DAVIDSON: Jake Alexander (Sr., LB); Louis Colosimo (Sr., QB); Aris Hilliard (Jr., AP); Dreylan Hines (Sr., S); Jalen Jefferson (Sr., LB); Kaedon Jenkins (Jr., CB); Aaron Maione (Fr., RS); Evan Pritchard (Sr., P); Jordan Reed (Sr., DT); Jalen Staples (Sr., WR). DAYTON: Sam Bubonics (Jr., WR); Kyle Finnick (Sr., DT); Owen Smith (Grad., LS); Brian Stevens (Jr., OT); David Tkatch (Jr., OT). DRAKE: Declan Carr (Sr., LB); Shane Dunning (So., P); Colin Howard (Jr., WR); Will Kulick (5th Yr., LB); Joey Lukrich (Jr., CB); Danny Morales (Sr., KR); Danny Morales (Sr., S); Ross Palmer (So., RG); Jeran Proctor (5th Yr., CB). MARIST: Jacob Abill (RSr., DE); Aaron Acosta (RJr., DE); Hunter Cobb (RJr., RB); Austin Day (RSr., QB); Nick Foglia (RSr., DT); Mekhai Johnson (RSr., RB); Art Pinckney (RJr., LB). MOREHEAD STATE: DeVonte Adams (Sr., WR); Issiah Aguero (Sr., RB); Cam Barrett (Sr., LB); Devon Connors (Jr., DL); Andrew Foster (Sr., PK/P); Khiyree Keith (Jr., DB); Tyler Noble (Sr., DB); Jaxsen Spears (Fr., OL). PRESBYTERIAN: Ren Hefley (RSo., QB); Alex Herriott (Fr., LB); Delvecchio Powell (RSo., RB); Matthew Rivera (So., WR); Blake Tyler (Sr., C). SAN DIEGO: David Ambagtsheer (Jr., LB); Christian Brown (Jr., WR); Michael Carner (Jr., WR); Brandon Eickert (Jr., K); Bryce Fledderman (Sr., QB); Dominic Graziani (Sr., FB); Mykee Irving (Grad., DL); Cassius Johnson (Sr., CB); Finley Lecky (So., C); Hunter Nichols (Sr., S); Terrence Smith (Sr., RB); Amir Wallace (Jr., CB). ST. THOMAS: Jonathan Bunce (So., OLB); Kolby Gartner (So., P); Joe Hird (Sr., CB/NB); Jack Mohler (So., ILB); Alec Rasmussen (Fr., OT); Max Zimmerman (Jr., TE). STETSON: Dominic Carlucci (RSo., TE); Majeste’ Hansberry (Sr., LB); Josh Hughes (RFr., DT); Ethan Hull (Jr., LB); Rassie Littlejohn (Jr., FS); Jalen Mason (Sr., WR); Davion Maxwell (RSo., SS); Alex Piccirilli (Sr., QB); Michael Wojciechowski (RSo., LS). VALPARAISO: Evan Annis (Jr., LB); Aaron Byrd (Sr., OL); Doug Haugh (Sr., LS); Connor Hebbeler (RSr., TE); Jadarius Horton (Sr., CB); Austin Martins (Sr., DE); Trey Psota (Sr., LB); Ollie Reese (Sr., WR); Keyon Turner (So., CB).