NESCAC Football All-Conference Selections Announced
Moffitt of Williams, Faller from Trinity Garner Top Honors
HADLEY, Mass. – Williams senior quarterback Patrick Moffitt (Turnersville, N.J.) and Trinity junior linebacker Walter Fallas (Everett, Mass.) have been chosen by the conference coaches as the NESCAC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively. Moffitt joins former Eph quarterbacks Joe Reardon (2001-02) and Patrick Lucey (2006-07) in winning the league’s top offensive award, while Fallas is the fifth Bantam in the last seven years to garner the annual defensive honor.
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 on Saturday at rival Amherst, 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.
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.
The backfield on the NESCAC All-Conference First Team Offense consisted of Wesleyan graduate student Shea Dwyer and Williams senior Ryan Lupo at running back along with Trinity senior Michael Paladino at fullback. 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. Lupo returned to the First Team for the second-straight year as he was third in the conference in rushing with an average 96.6 yards per game and 3.9 per carry. He had eight rushing touchdowns, tying a single-game program record with four in a victory at Tufts on Oct. 23. Paladino was limited to five games this season for the Bantams, catching five passes for 50 yards.
For the second year in a row, the offensive line on the First Team had five representatives from five different teams. Returning to the First Team Offense for a third consecutive stint was Trinity senior Matthew Santora. Santora was part of a Bantam line that allowed just nine sacks (3rd NESCAC) and helped his team boast the best rushing offense in the league, gaining on average 225.5 yards per game. Williams senior Kevin Rose was the only other lineman back from last year’s First Team. Rose’s Ephs were tied atop the NESCAC along with Amherst sophomore center John Ceccio’s squad for a league-low seven sacks allowed. Senior Nick Seara of Wesleyan was promoted from the 2009 Second Team to the 2010 First Team. The Cardinals were second only to the Bantams in the conference for rushing offense with over 200 yards per game. Colby senior Nick Steele garnered First Team accolades for the first time in his career.
After a breakout sophomore campaign for the Polar Bears last fall, Bowdoin wide receiver Patrick Noone followed up with a junior season that earned him a second-straight appearance on the First Team Offense. Noone averaged 69.4 yards and 6.75 catches per game for Bowdoin with an average of 10.3 yards per catch. Noone was also recognized as a return specialist on the First Team, as he managed 25.3 yards per kick return and 4.4 per punt return. He had the third-longest kick return in Polar Bear history in the season finale at Colby on Saturday, going 89 yards for a touchdown. The Williams tandem of junior J.C. Stickney and sophomore Darren Hartwell found their way onto the First Team for the first time in their careers. Two of Moffitt’s favorite targets this season, the duo were atop the league in receiving yards per game with Hartwell averaging 85.0 yards and Stickney right behind at 72.9. Hartwell tied the program record for touchdowns in a game twice this fall, hauling in three against both Trinity and Middlebury, and led the NESCAC in receiving touchdowns with a team-record 10. He also had the most receiving yards in a game, racking up 208 against the Bantams. Amherst senior Brian Murphy claimed All-NESCAC recognition for the second year in a row. A 2009 Second Team member, Murphy was second for the Lord Jeffs in receiving with 34 catches for 302 yards (8.9 per catch) and three touchdowns. Trinity senior Chris Hunt filled the tight end spot on the First Team. 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).
Representing the NESCAC champion Ephs on the First Team defensive line were senior Daniel Canina and junior Colin Curzi. Canina, a Second Team member in 2009, and Curzi, a First Team selection last season, highlight 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. Curzi had 15 stops, a pass break-up, and a fumble recovery. Trinity junior Herman Brito was promoted from last year’s Second Team. Brito and the rest of the Bantams had the best rushing defense in the conference, surrendering just one touchdown on the ground and a paltry 45.5 running yards per game. Trinity also had the most sacks in the league with 23, as Brito had 4.5 for a loss of 25 yards as part of his 27 tackles. He made an impressive 10.5 tackles for a combined loss of 47 yards over eight games. Amherst junior Kevin Ferber claimed All-NESCAC honors for the first time after finishing second for the Lord Jeffs in tackles with 59 (24 solo). Ferber had a team-best 5.5 sacks for a loss of 27 yards and 8.5 tackles for a loss of 41 yards. He broke up six passes and recovered two fumbles, forcing one.
Back for another tour on the First Team Defense was Williams’ Dylan Schulz. The junior linebacker made a team-high 71 stops (48 solo), 8.5 tackles for a loss of 33 yards, and 3.0 sacks this fall. He also intercepted a pass, broke up two attempts, forced a fumble and recovered two others. Two of the NESCAC’s top tacklers were among those honored at linebacker on the First Team, Bates senior Myles Walker and Wesleyan junior Cyprian Oyomba. Both played every game and racked up a NESCAC-best 80 tackles, Walker with 52 solo stops and Oyomba with 45. Walker had 7.0 tackles for a loss of 25 yards, two sacks, an interception and a forced fumble among his contributions for the Bobcats. Oyomba made 5.5 TFL of 16 yards and 1.5 sacks, picked up two fumbles, and forced one. Senior Jeff Katz of Amherst was the final linebacker on the First Team. A year after being selected to the Second Team, Katz tied with teammate Ferber for the most tackles for a loss, accumulating 41 yards over 8.5 stops. He made 57 total tackles, including three sacks, and forced two fumbles with one recovery.
Five defensive backs were honored on the First Team for the first time in their careers. Seniors Harry Melendez and Ben Sherry were part of a Trinity defensive unit that recorded a NESCAC-best 18 interceptions. 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. Sherry, honored on the Second Team his sophomore season, had two interceptions, four pass break-ups, and 27 tackles for the Bantams. Williams juniors Tyler Cole and Daniel O’Mara joined the Trinity tandem among the defensive backs. The duo helped the Ephs post the top pass defense in the league, allowing 192.2 yards per game through the air and nine touchdowns along with 10 picks. O’Mara was third for Williams in stops with 43 (27 solo), including five tackles for a loss, and had two interceptions and five pass break-ups. Cole recorded 25 stops, broke up five passes, and had three interceptions. Tufts sophomore Sam Diss was the fifth member of the group, making 36 tackles with 3.0 going for a loss of eight yards and three interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and five pass break-ups.
At specialist on the First Team were Amherst junior Matt Rawson and Bates senior Gavin Segall-Abrams. 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. 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. Segall-Abrams was the top punter in the NESCAC this season, averaging 38.6 yards per kick over 62 kicks. He had a long of 58 yards and landed 13 of his punts inside an opponent’s 20-yard line.
Trinity’s Evan Bunker (Topsfield, Mass.) was chosen as the NESCAC Rookie of the Year. Bunker had an explosive first year for the Bantams, as he was second among all of the league’s running backs in rushing with a 117.2-yard average per game and 4.9 yards per carry. Although he scored four touchdowns on the ground, Bunker will be most remembered for throwing what proved to be the game-winning TD in a 28-13 victory over Amherst on Nov. 6. In that game, he carried the ball a program-record 45 times for 211 yards.
In his first year as head coach at any level, Aaron Kelton of Williams was honored by his peers as the NESCAC Coach of the Year. Kelton guided the Ephs to their seventh perfect season - the first coach in school history to ever do so in his first year at the helm. His squad also won the NESCAC Football Championship, Williams’ third outright league crown, with an offense that was unmatched at 36.6 points per game and a defense that was second only to Trinity with 13.4 points allowed per outing.
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2010 NESCAC FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE
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First Team Offense |
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| QB |
Patrick Moffitt |
Williams |
Sr. |
Turnersville, N.J. |
| RB |
Shea Dwyer |
Wesleyan |
Gr. |
Marlborough, Conn. |
| RB |
Ryan Lupo |
Williams |
Sr. |
Princeton Junction, N.J. |
| FB |
Michael Paladino |
Trinity |
Sr. |
Arlington, Mass. |
| OL |
John Ceccio |
Amherst |
So. |
Stony Point, N.Y. |
| OL |
Kevin Rose |
Williams |
Sr. |
Middletown, N.Y. |
| OL |
Matthew Santora |
Trinity |
Sr. |
Westport, Conn. |
| OL |
Nick Seara |
Wesleyan |
Sr. |
South Ozone Park, N.Y. |
| OL |
Nick Steele |
Colby |
Sr. |
Danvers, Mass. |
| WR |
Darren Hartwell |
Williams |
So. |
North Reading, Mass. |
| WR |
Brian Murphy |
Amherst |
Sr. |
Evanston, Ill. |
| WR |
Patrick Noone |
Bowdoin |
Jr. |
North Attleboro, Mass. |
| WR |
J.C. Stickney |
Williams |
Jr. |
Barrington, Ill. |
| TE |
Christopher Hunt |
Trinity |
Sr. |
Westford, Mass. |
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First Team Defense |
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| DL |
Herman Brito |
Trinity |
Jr. |
Wayland, Mass. |
| DL |
Daniel Canina |
Williams |
Sr. |
Carlisle, Mass. |
| DL |
Colin Curzi |
Williams |
Jr. |
Hampton, N.J. |
| DL |
Kevin Ferber |
Amherst |
Jr. |
Mahwah, N.J. |
| LB |
Walter Fallas |
Trinity |
Jr. |
Everett, Mass. |
| LB |
Jeff Katz |
Amherst |
Sr. |
Cheshire, Conn. |
| LB |
Cyprian Oyomba |
Wesleyan |
Jr. |
Norwalk, Conn. |
| LB |
Dylan Schultz |
Williams |
Jr. |
Lanesboro, Mass. |
| LB |
Myles Walker |
Bates |
Sr. |
Needham, Mass. |
| DB |
Tyler Cole |
Williams |
Jr. |
Norfolk, Va. |
| DB |
Sam Diss |
Tufts |
So. |
Ridgewood, N.J. |
| DB |
Daniel O'Mara |
Williams |
Jr. |
Allison Park, Pa. |
| DB |
Harry Melendez |
Trinity |
Sr. |
Holyoke, Mass. |
| DB |
Ben Sherry |
Trinity |
Sr. |
Wayland, Mass. |
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First Team Specialists |
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| PK |
Matt Rawson |
Amherst |
Jr. |
Bethesda, Md. |
| P |
Gavin Segall-Abrams |
Bates |
Sr. |
Greensboro, N.C. |
| RS |
Patrick Noone |
Bowdoin |
Jr. |
North Attleboro, Mass. |
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Second Team Offense |
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| QB |
Donald McKillop |
Middlebury |
Sr. |
Poway, Calif. |
| RB |
Pat Bailey |
Tufts |
Sr. |
Beverly, Mass. |
| RB |
Eric Bunker |
Amherst |
Jr. |
Topsfield, Mass. |
| OL |
Graham McCulloch |
Williams |
Sr. |
Houston, Texas |
| OL |
Ryan Moores |
Middlebury |
So. |
Manchester, Mass. |
| OL |
Zach Sadler |
Wesleyan |
Sr. |
Trumbull, Conn. |
| OL |
Mike Valenti |
Trinity |
So. |
Bethel, Conn. |
| OL |
Ryan Weston |
Bates |
Jr. |
Bangor, Maine |
| WR |
Patrick Burns |
Colby |
Sr. |
Charles Town, W. Va. |
| WR |
Michael Galligan |
Trinity |
Sr. |
Shoreham, N.Y. |
| WR |
Matt Rayner |
Middlebury |
Jr. |
Andover, Mass. |
| TE |
Jonathan Carroll |
Williams |
Sr. |
Bexley, Ohio |
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Second Team Defense |
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| DL |
Devin Horvath |
Bates |
Sr. |
Parsippany, N.J. |
| DL |
Tim Kiely |
Williams |
Sr. |
Newburyport, Mass. |
| DL |
Burke St. John |
Hamilton |
Sr. |
Chappaqua, N.Y. |
| DL |
Ryan Veillette |
Colby |
So. |
Westfield, Mass. |
| DL |
Gary Williams |
Trinity |
Jr. |
Plymouth Meeting, Pa. |
| LB |
Ferras Albitar |
Tufts |
Jr. |
Coto de Caza, Calif. |
| LB |
Tom Duffy |
Colby |
Jr. |
Plymouth, Mass. |
| LB |
Andrew Poulin |
Middlebury |
Sr. |
Irvington, N.Y. |
| LB |
Ian Vieira |
Bowdoin |
Jr. |
Plymouth, Mass. |
| DB |
Derrick Beasley |
Colby |
So. |
Andover, Mass. |
| DB |
Justin Freres |
Wesleyan |
Sr. |
Santa Barbara, Calif. |
| DB |
Andrew Kukesh |
Bates |
Fr. |
Exeter, N.H. |
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Second Team Specialists |
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| PK |
Anthony Kuchan |
Middlebury |
Sr. |
Wauwatosa, Wis. |
| P |
Kyle Weiss |
Wesleyan |
Jr. |
Niantic, Conn. |
| RS |
Pat Bailey |
Tufts |
Sr. |
Beverly, Mass. |
| RS |
Darren Hartwell |
Williams |
So. |
North Reading, Mass. |
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Offensive Player of the Year |
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QB
|
Patrick Moffitt
|
Williams
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Sr.
|
Turnersville, N.J.
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Defensive Player of the Year |
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| LB |
Walter Fallas
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Trinity
|
Jr. |
Everett, Mass.
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Rookie of the Year |
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| RB |
Evan Bunker
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Trinity |
Fr. |
Topsfield, Mass.
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Coach of the Year |
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Aaron Kelton
|
Williams |
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