Eight Football Players Garner All-New England from NEFW

Courtesy New England Football Writers Association

HADLEY, Mass. – Eight players representing four different NESCAC teams have been selected as part of the 2010 edition of the New England Football Writers Division II/II All-New England Team. Included among the eight was Williams senior quarterback Patrick Moffitt, who received individual honors from the NEFW with the Gold Helmet Award of the Year. The 2010 award winners will be honored at the New England Football Writers banquet on Thursday, Dec. 9, at the Montvale Plaza in Stoneham, Mass.

All eight players from the conference on the All-New England Team garnered All-NESCAC First Team recognition this season. The 2010 NESCAC Football Champion Ephs had three honorees on the All-New England Team and they were joined by NESCAC runner-up Trinity, as the the Bantams also placed three of their players on the squad. A total of 31 players representing 21 different New England institutions were honored.

The NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year, Moffitt stood out among a season of memorable performances across the conference, as he commanded the league’s top offense this fall and led the Ephs to their seventh perfect season in program history. He closed out his career at rival Amherst on Nov. 13, tossing four touchdowns and passing for over 300 yards in a 31-16 victory over the Lord Jeffs. Atop the league in multiple statistical categories this season, Moffitt threw 25 touchdowns - a NESCAC single-season record - and completed a conference-best 65 percent of his passes (160-for-246) for a 171.4 efficiency rating. On four separate occasions this season, Moffitt threw four touchdowns in a game and gained over 300 yards in the air. He threw four TDs and ran in a fifth in a 45-7 victory over Wesleyan on Nov. 6. Moffitt finished his tenure with the Ephs with 45 touchdowns, also a program record, and earned All-NESCAC First Team Offense honors for the first time.

Joining Moffitt from the Ephs were seniors Kevin Rose and Daniel Canina. Rose was one of only two offensive lineman to return from last year on the All-NESCAC First Team. Rose’s Ephs were tied atop the NESCAC for a league-low seven sacks allowed. Canina, an All-NESCAC Second Team member in 2009, was part of a defensive unit that ranked among the league leaders in multiple statistical categories. Canina recorded 23 tackles, 5.5 going for a loss of nine yards and 2.0 sacks, along with three quarterback hurries and a pass break-up.

From Trinity were the trio of junior linebacker Walter Fallas, senior defensive back Harry Melendez, and senior tight end Chris Hunt.

In addition to being named Defensive Player of the Year, Fallas received All-NESCAC First Team Defense recognition for the second year in a row. Fallas was one of many defensive threats for the league’s best defense this season, as he led his Bantams in tackles with 69 overall (45 solo), an average of 8.6 per game which ranked ninth among all conference tacklers. Fallas was also second in the NESCAC in tackles for a loss, recording 11 stops behind the line of scrimmage for a combined loss of 36 yards, and had two sacks for a loss of 13 yards. The junior linebacker managed to break up five passes and forced a fumble while starting all eight Trinity outings this fall.

Melendez, who tied the conference and program record with nine picks this fall, made two interceptions in a single game on four occasions. He also had 22 tackles and eight pass break-ups. Hunt was a primary target for the Bantams off the line, averaging a team-leading 67.1 yards per game with nine touchdowns as he caught 29 passes for 537 yards (18.5 per reception).

Rounding out the NESCAC selections on the All-New England Team were Wesleyan graduate student Shea Dwyer and Amherst senior kicker Matt Rawson.

A finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy, given to the most outstanding football player in NCAA Division III by Jostens and the J-Club of Saint John's University of Minnesota, Dwyer re-wrote the Cardinals’ record book this season, averaging 155.2 yards per game and 5.7 yards per carry with 11 rushing touchdowns. He gained 1,242 yards on the ground, fourth in the NESCAC for a single season all-time, and went over 100 yards in seven of Wesleyan’s eight games. Dwyer scored five touchdowns against Hamilton on Oct. 2 with 213 yards, then a week later racked up a program-record 255 yards at Colby.

Rawson established a new record for made field goals in a single season for the Lord Jeffs, going 9-for-10 with a long of 37 yards. He was also 34-for-36 on extra point attempts and scored a touchdown on a fake field goal. His 10 made extra-points in a 70-49 win over Tufts on Oct. 30 also established a new NESCAC record. Rawson handled the primary punting duties for Amherst as well, averaging 36.9 yards per punt over 40 boots with 18 landing inside the 20.