Tuck and Miles Capture West Athletes of the Year
Lock Haven, Pa. – IUP’s Harvie Tuck captured the PSAC West Offensive Player of the Year, alongside Rontez Miles of California who earned PSAC West Player of the Year. Mercyhurst’s freshman running back, Brandon Brown-Dukes, has been tabbed the PSAC’s West Freshman of the Year, and IUP head coach Curt Cignetti was voted the West’s PSAC Coach of the Year.
Tuck sits sixth in Division II in rushing yardage with 141.09 yards per outing, has rushed for at least 200 yards of four occasions in 2012, and is averaging 6.5 yards per carry. Tuck notched a career-high 256 yards and two touchdowns against California (Pa.), Division II’s 34th best rushing defense. Tuck has found the endzone at least once in eight games this fall, and averages nine points a game. In his career, Tuck’s 4,229 yards are second all-time at IUP and eighth in the PSAC, while his 33 rushing touchdowns are third all-time at IUP.
Miles has led the Vulcan’s defense all season with a team-high 75 tackles, including 43 solo takedowns, the eighth most solo tackles in the PSAC. He has registered three tackles for loss for a total of 15 yards, while also snatching four interceptions, tied at fourth in the PSAC, for 54 yards. His longest interception of the season came against Gannon, when Miles ran back an interception for 33 yards. Miles recorded six passes defended and two pass breakups in 2012, while also forcing a fumble.
Mercyhurst’s Brown-Dukes has been explosive on the ground for the Lakers all season as a freshman. Over the 2012 season, he has accumulated nearly 1,300 yards on the ground, ranking fourth in the conference and just 18 yards shy from setting the single season Mercyhurst record. Brown-Dukes has notched 16 rushing touchdowns this season, establishing a new Mercyhurst program record and earning him a team-high 96 points. His 16 touchdowns rank second in the conference in rushing touchdowns and are tied for fourth overall in the league.
Head Coach Curt Cignetti, in just his second season at the helm of the program, led his IUP squad to its first PSAC title since 1987, and is currently guiding the Crimson Hawks on a seven game winning streak. Cignetti has led IUP to a third seed slot in Super Region One of the 2012 NCAA Division II Football Championship tournament, and will host sixth-seeded Shepherd on Saturday, November 17, in the first round of the playoffs.
The 2012 West All-PSAC rosters mark third appearances on an all-conference roster for five athletes, while Harvie Tuck and Carl Thornton, both of IUP, have landed spots on an All-PSAC roster on four occasions.
2012 WEST ALL-PSAC TEAMS
First Team Offense
|
Quarterback |
|
|
|
|
Ben Fiscus |
Clarion |
Jr. |
Indiana / Indiana |
|
Running Back |
|
|
|
|
Harvie Tuck** |
IUP |
Sr. |
Akron, Ohio / St. Vincent-St. Mary |
|
Brandon Brown-Dukes |
Mercyhurst |
R-Fr. |
Orlando, Fla. / Winter Park |
|
LaMont Smith** |
California |
Sr. |
Penn Hills / Central Catholic |
|
Offensive Tackle |
|
|
|
|
Dan Matha |
IUP |
R-Sr. |
Erie / McDowell |
|
Bryon Dovales* |
IUP |
R-Jr. |
Reading / Muhlenberg |
|
Offensive Guard |
|
|
|
|
Kevin Poropat* |
Mercyhurst |
Sr. |
Mentor, Ohio / Mentor |
|
Nick Carnicella |
IUP |
R-Jr. |
Greensburg / Hempfield |
|
Center |
|
|
|
|
Eric Kush |
California |
Sr. |
Bridgeville / Chartiers Valley |
|
Tight End |
|
|
|
|
Blake Williamson** |
California |
Sr. |
Houston / Chartiers-Houston |
|
Wide Receiver |
|
|
|
|
Abraham Ocasio |
Gannon |
So. |
Bronx, N.Y. / Cardinal Hayes |
|
Marcus Johnson |
Edinboro |
Jr. |
Buffalo, N.Y. / Sweet Home |
|
Mike Williams |
California |
Jr. |
Hershey / Milton Hershey |
|
Placekicker |
|
|
|
|
Brett Ullman* |
IUP |
So. |
Baltimore, Md. / Perry Hall |
First Team Defense
|
Defensive Line |
|
|
|
|
Skyler Wool^ |
Lock Haven |
R-Sr. |
Waterville / Jersey Shore |
|
Julian Howsare |
Clarion |
So. |
Altoona / Altoona |
|
BJ Stevens |
California |
Jr. |
Monroeville / Gateway |
|
Carl Thornton^^^ |
IUP |
Sr. |
Beaver Falls / Beaver Falls |
|
Darnell Harding |
California |
Jr. |
McKeesport / McKeesport |
|
Linebacker |
|
|
|
|
Alexander Berdahl |
IUP |
Jr. |
Ashburn, Va. / Bishop O'Connell |
|
Aaron McGee |
Mercyhurst |
So. |
Pittsburgh / Montour |
|
Carl Fleming |
IUP |
R-Jr. |
Reisterstown, Md. / Franklin |
|
Brett Diamond** |
California |
R-Sr. |
Chesterfield, Va. / Matoaca |
|
Defensive Back |
|
|
|
|
L.J. Stevens |
Mercyhurst |
Sr. |
Youngstown, Ohio / Ursuline |
|
Rontez Miles**^ |
California |
Sr. |
Braddock / Woodland Hills |
|
Kenny Pettis |
Edinboro |
Sr. |
Massillon, Ohio / Massillon Washington |
|
Johnny Franco* |
IUP |
R-Sr. |
Altoona / Tyrone |
|
Return Specialist |
|
|
|
|
Justin Caliste^ |
Gannon |
So. |
Roseville, Calif. / Oakmont |
|
Punter |
|
|
|
|
Andrew Cerett |
California |
Fr. |
Huntingdon / Huntingdon |
Second Team Offense
|
Quarterback |
|
|
|
|
Cody Harris^ |
Edinboro |
Jr. |
Waldo, Ohio / Marion Pleasant |
|
Running Back |
|
|
|
|
De’Antwan Williams |
IUP |
Sr. |
Woodbridge, Va. / Woodbridge |
|
Allen Jones II |
Mercyhurst |
Jr. |
Youngstown, Ohio / Ursuline |
|
Akeem Satterfield^ |
Slippery Rock |
R-Sr. |
Erie / Cathedral Prep |
|
Offensive Tackle |
|
|
|
|
Shawn Ellenberger |
Edinboro |
Sr. |
Emporium / Cameron County |
|
Mike Felker^ |
Clarion |
Jr. |
Gibsonia / Pine-Richland |
|
Offensive Guard |
|
|
|
|
Anthony Herko^ |
Lock Haven |
Jr. |
Pittsburgh / Bethel Park |
|
Jack Abercrombie |
California |
So. |
Hatboro / Hatboro-Horsham |
|
Center |
|
|
|
|
Anthony DiPasquale |
IUP |
R-Sr. |
Pittsburgh / Pine-Richland |
|
Tight End |
|
|
|
|
Shawn Walker^ |
Edinboro |
Sr. |
Edinboro / General McLane |
|
Wide Receiver |
|
|
|
|
LaQuinn Stephens-Howling |
Slippery Rock |
Jr. |
Johnstown / Greater Johnstown |
|
Paris Bruner |
Mercyhurst |
Sr. |
Warren, Ohio / Warren G. Harding |
|
Pat Brewer |
IUP |
Jr. |
Coatesville / Coatesville |
|
Placekicker |
|
|
|
|
Steven Wakefield |
Mercyhurst |
Jr. |
Rochester, N.Y. / Greece Athena |
Second Team Defense
|
Defensive Line |
|
|
|
|
Dustin Galich^ |
Mercyhurst |
Jr. |
Erie / McDowell |
|
Ian Jeffers^ |
Gannon |
Sr. |
Silver Spring, Md. / Springbrook |
|
Jeff Thompson^ |
Slippery Rock |
R-Sr. |
Clairton / Clairton |
|
Derek Walker |
Slippery Rock |
R-Jr. |
Pittsburgh / Brashear |
|
Akeem Smith |
IUP |
R-Jr. |
Philadelphia / Frankford |
|
Linebacker |
|
|
|
|
Williams Giles |
Gannon |
Sr. |
Nyack, N.Y. / St. Joseph Regional |
|
Bruce Davis |
Edinboro |
Sr. |
Cleveland, Ohio / Glenville |
|
Quindell Dean |
Slippery Rock |
R-Jr. |
Uniontown / Uniontown |
|
James Goins |
Lock Haven |
Sr. |
Marion Heights / Mount Carmel |
|
Defensive Back |
|
|
|
|
Anthony Saunders |
Slippery Rock |
R-Jr. |
New Kensington / Valley |
|
Khayree Connors-McChristian |
Gannon |
R-Sr. |
Sicklerville, N.J. / Winslow Township |
|
Branden Williams** |
Edinboro |
Sr. |
Eastlake, Ohio / St. Edward |
|
Jerrell McFadden |
IUP |
R-So. |
Manassas, Va. / Osbourn |
|
Return Specialist |
|
|
|
|
Jaimire Dutrieuille |
Slippery Rock |
Fr. |
Pittsburgh / Woodland Hills |
|
Punter |
|
|
|
|
Steven Wakefield |
Mercyhurst |
Jr. |
Rochester, N.Y. / Greece Athena |
* Indicates previous All-PSAC first team selection
^ Indicates previous All-PSAC second team selection
PSAC West Offensive Player of the Year
Harvie Tuck, RB, IUP
PSAC West Defensive Player of the Year
Rontez Miles, DB, California
PSAC West Freshman of the Year
Brandon Brown-Dukes, RB, Mercyhurst
PSAC West Coach of the Year
Curt Cignetti, IUP