Slippery Rock's Martin and Gannon's Jones Ride Historic Seasons to Headline PSAC West Football All-Conference Teams
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- Slippery Rock senior Marcus Martin was named the 2017 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division Defensive Player of the Year while Gannon junior Marcus Jones earned the Offensive Player of the Year, the league announced Wednesday afternoon in conjunction with the release of the all-conference football teams.
All-conference teams and major award winners were determined by a vote of the league’s West head coaches.
Martin capped off a historic career by earning the award for the third consecutive season. He is the only player in PSAC Football history to earn a major award in all four season (Freshman of the Year, 2014). It marked the fourth time The Rock represented the Defensive Athlete of the Year award. Martin broke the PSAC and NCAA record for career sacks and finished 56. Martin paced the league and Division II in sacks for the season with 15.5 and racked up 127 yards in tackles for loss. He amassed 82 tackles on the season and averaged 7.5 per game. Martin pestered offenses and accumulated 4.5 sacks against Clarion and 3.5 against West Chester. The senior finished his career a four-time all-conference first-team representative.
Jones is the second Golden Knight to win the award (Brock Jones, 2014). The junior led the country by a land slide in rushing touchdowns (29) and rushing yards (2176). His 2176 rushing yards is the third-most for a single season in the PSAC. The 29 rushing touchdowns is tied for second most. His 8.1 yards per carry is the third-best in single season. Jones rushed for 150 yards or more in 10 of GU’s 11 contests. He amassed 261 yards and six touchdowns in a win against Edinboro. His best game was a 354-yard performance with four touchdowns in a shootout against SRU. He topped the 200-yard plateau on four occasions.
IUP’s Justice Evans was named the Freshman of the Year. He is the seventh Crimson Hawk to earn the award and first since 2015 (Lenny Williams). Evans rushed for 669 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 60.8 per game. His best game came against Cheyney when he rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns. He carried the ball 10 or more times on eight occasions.
IUP’s Paul Tortorella grabbed the Coach of the Year honor. It marks the eighth time an IUP coach has won the award and first since 2012. Tortorella’s squad sits at No. 3/1 in Division II and finished the regular season with an unblemished 11-0 mark. IUP is one of eight undefeated teams in the country. The Crimson Hawks defeated WCU, 24-7, Nov. 11 to win their fourth PSAC title. IUP earned a first-round bye in the NCAA DII Football Championship after earning the No. 1 seed in Super Region One. Tortorella’s defense allowed only 14.6 points per game, marking the second-best in the PSAC. Under Tortorella’s direction, 16 IUP athletes earned all-conference recognition, including seven on the first team.
IUP led the West with 16 all-conference members while California impressed with 10 representatives. SRU boasted 10, including five first-team honorees.
PSAC FOOTBALL WEST MAJOR AWARDS
Offensive Player of the Year: Marcus Jones, Gannon
Defensive Player of the Year: Marcus Martin, Slippery Rock
Freshman of the Year: Justice Evans, IUP
Coach of the Year: Paul Tortorella, IUP
PSAC FOOTBALL WESTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE FIRST TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| QB |
Lenny Williams^^ |
IUP |
R-Jr. |
McKees Rocks, Pa. / Temple |
| RB |
Marcus Jones |
Gannon |
Jr. |
Painesvile, Ohio / Riverside |
| RB |
Walter Fletcher^ |
Edinboro |
R-So. |
Columbia, Md. / Randolph-Macon |
| RB |
Jarvis McClam* |
Seton Hill |
R-Sr. |
Laurel, Md. / Laurel |
| OT |
Craig McCorkle^ |
California |
So. |
Cincinatti, Ohio / Winton Woods |
| OT |
Jerron Searles |
IUP |
R-Sr. |
Atlantic City, N.J. / Delaware St. |
| OG |
Colin McAllister |
IUP |
R-So. |
Boothwyn, Pa. / Chichester |
| OG |
Ian Park |
Slippery Rock |
Sr. |
Upper St. Clair / Northwestern |
| C |
Taylor Nikithser*^ |
California |
Sr. |
Wexford, Pa. / North Allegheny |
| TE |
Bryce Mostoller |
Mercyhurst |
Jr. |
Somerset, Pa. / Somerset |
| WR |
Marcus Johnson^ |
Slippery Rock |
Sr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Thiel |
| WR |
James Clark |
Edinboro |
Jr. |
Coatesville, Pa. / Coatesville |
| WR |
Cornelius Raye |
Slippery Rock |
R-Sr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Allderdice |
| PK |
Will Brazill* |
California |
Sr. |
Kansas City, Mo. / Park Hill |
PSAC FOOTBALL WESTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| DL |
Marcus Martin*** |
Slippery Rock |
R-Sr. |
West Mifflin, Pa. / West Mifflin |
| DL |
Jemal Averette*^ |
IUP |
Sr. |
Upper Marlboro, Md. / Our Lady of Good Counsel |
| DL |
Justin Baker^ |
California |
Sr. |
Ashburn, Va. / Briar Woods |
| DL |
Deandre Easterling* |
IUP |
Jr. |
Washington, D.C. / Gonzaga |
| DL |
Noah Harris-Lyles |
Gannon |
So. |
Atlantic City, N.J. / Atlantic City |
| LB |
Damon Lloyd |
IUP |
So. |
Bel Air, Md. / John Carroll |
| LB |
Luke Hrapchak* |
California |
Sr. |
Fairmont, W.Va. / Fairmont Senior |
| LB |
Cameron Tarver |
California |
Sr. |
Columbus, Ohio / Central Crossing |
| LB |
Anthony Howard^ |
Gannon |
Jr. |
Temple Hills, Md. / Bishop O’Connell |
| DB |
Lamont McPhatter |
California |
So. |
New Castle, Pa. / New Castle |
| DB |
Max Redfield |
IUP |
Sr. |
Mission Viejo, Calif. / Notre Dame |
| DB |
Dante Redwood |
Mercyhurst |
Jr. |
North Ridgeville, Ohio / Grafton Midview |
| DB |
Brandon Anderson |
Edinboro |
R-So. |
Willingboro, N.J. / Holy Cross |
| RS |
Marcus Johnson |
Slippery Rock |
Sr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Thiel |
| P |
Brendan Cole |
Mercyhurst |
R-So. |
Queens, N.Y. / Saint Francis |
PSAC FOOTBALL WESTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE SECOND TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| QB |
Tanner Garry |
Slippery Rock |
R-Sr. |
McDonald, Pa. / Youngstown State |
| RB |
Samir Bullock* |
IUP |
So. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Archbishop Ryan |
| RB |
Isiah Neely^ |
Slippery Rock |
R-Sr. |
Coraopolis, Pa. / Our Lady of the Sacred Heart |
| RB |
Justice Evans |
IUP |
Fr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Central Catholic |
| OT |
Brady Bowling |
Gannon |
Sr. |
Liberty Township, Ohio / Lakota West |
| OT |
Steve Gaviglia^ |
Slippery Rock |
R-Jr. |
Cranberry Township, Pa. / Seneca Valley |
| OG |
Zack Morris* |
Clarion |
Jr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Upper St. Clair |
| OG |
Marcus Smith |
Gannon |
Jr. |
Liberty Township, Ohio / Lakota West |
| C |
Jeff Arnold^ |
IUP |
R-So. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Brashear |
| TE |
Rex Pearce |
IUP |
R-Sr. |
McKeesport, Pa. / Elizabeth Forward |
| WR |
Mike Elardo |
Seton Hill |
So. |
Massapequa, N.Y. / Syosset |
| WR |
Tom Greene |
California |
Sr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Woodland Hills |
| WR |
Tyler Palka |
Gannon |
R-Sr. |
Temperance, Mich. / Saline |
| PK |
Dillon Sarka |
IUP |
R-So. |
Lebanon, Ohio / Findlay |
| PK |
Jake Chapla |
Slippery Rock |
So. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Plum |
PSAC FOOTBALL WESTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| DL |
Derek Dorr |
Edinboro |
Jr. |
Buffalo, N.Y. / Frontier |
| DL |
Dondrea Tillman |
IUP |
So. |
Sterling, Va. / Potomac Falls |
| DL |
Alec Helreth |
Clarion |
Jr. |
Canfield, Ohio / Canfield |
| DL |
Brandon Vocco |
Clarion |
Jr. |
Lilly, Pa. / Portage |
| DL |
Malik Akins |
California |
Jr. |
Aliquippa, Pa. / Aliquippa |
| LB |
Layne Skundrich |
Clarion |
Jr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / North Allegheny |
| LB |
DeVonte Suber^^ |
California |
Sr. |
Coatesville, Pa. / Coatesville |
| LB |
Corbin Kessler |
Mercyhurst |
So. |
Harmony, Pa. / Seneca Valley |
| LB |
Nick Amendola |
IUP |
So. |
North Huntingdon, Pa. / Norwin |
| DB |
JR Stevens |
IUP |
R-So. |
Langhorne, Pa. / Neshaminy |
| DB |
Zuril Hendrick |
Edinboro |
Jr. |
Rochester, N.Y. / Pittsford Mendon |
| DB |
Takhi Turner |
IUP |
Sr. |
Harrisburg, Pa. / Susquehanna Township |
| DB |
Tarique Ellis |
Mercyhurst |
R-Sr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Plum |
| RS |
Ta’Nauz Gregory |
Edinboro |
So. |
Erie, Pa. / Cathedral Prep |
| P |
Jake Chapla |
Slippery Rock |
So. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Plum |
* Indicates previous All-PSAC First Team selection
^ Indicates previous All-PSAC Second Team selection
! Indicates tie