Shippensburg's Gontarek Named PSAC Football Eastern Division Athlete of the Year; All-Conference Teams Released
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- Shippensburg redshirt junior Josh Gontarek was tabbed the 2018 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division Athlete of the Year while teammate Brycen Mussina claimed the Freshman of the Year honor, 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 East head coaches.
Gontarek is the fourth Red Raider to win the award and it marks the first time since 2012 that an SU representative claimed the merit. Gontarek finished the season tied for second in receiving touchdowns (9) while sitting in second in receiving yards per game (99.7). The redshirt junior was one of two PSAC athletes to accumulate over 1000 receiving yards (1097). Gontarek opened the season with a receiving touchdown in each of the first three Red Raider games and produced a season-high 162 receiving yards against Kutztown (Oct. 20). The Red Raider hauled in a trio of touchdown passes in SU’s victory against Lock Haven (Oct. 27). He claimed second-team all-conference recognition as a return specialist. Gontarek was the only PSAC punt returner to amass over 300 yards on the season (335) while averaging 14 yards per return; which landed him second in the league.
West Chester redshirt senior Tyler Morrissey claimed Defensive Athlete of the Year recognition for the second consecutive season. He is the first East athlete to accomplish the feat since fellow Golden Ram Lateef Ferguson (2006 & 07). Morrissey spearheads a defense that allows a league-low 14.7 points per game. He sits tied for second in sacks (8.5). He averages 7.3 tackles per game and has accumulated 10 tackles-for-loss on the season. Morrissey forced a pair of fumbles and turned in 1.5 sacks in WCU’s win against East Stroudsburg (Oct. 20). The Golden Ram recorded a season-high 10 tackles against SU and was credited with a sack.
Mussina is the fifth Red Raider to grab Freshman of the Year honors and it marks the second consecutive season that SU has boasted the winner (Winston Eubanks). Mussina is the only quarterback in the PSAC to average over 300 passing yards per game (306.9). He led the league in passing touchdowns (32) and yards (3376). He is tied for second in NCAA DII in touchdown passes while sitting sixth in passing yards. Mussina recorded a passing TD in every game this season and had five occasions of four-or-more TD passes. He threw for five TDs against LHU (Oct. 27). The week prior he turned in a 510-yard, four-TD effort against KU (Oct. 20.).
WCU’s Bill Zwaan was tabbed Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his career and first since 2015. The Golden Rams are ranked No. 9/10 in the NCAA DII polls while earning the No. 3 seed in NCAA DII Super Region One. WCU enters postseason play with a flawless 10-0 record and boasts the PSAC’s top offense (39.3 points per game) and defense (14.7 points per game). The Golden Rams claimed the PSAC Championship Saturday, Nov. 10 with their 33-10 victory against Slippery Rock. It marked the first outright title for the Golden Rams since 1971. WCU will host New Haven Saturday, Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. in an NCAA DII First Round contest. Under Zwaan’s direction, the Golden Rams boasts a division-high 16 all-conference members; including 10 on the first team.
KU produced 11 all-conference representatives while SU had nine.
ESU’s Mike Fleming, KU’s Taijer Jefferson, SU’s Richard Nase and WCU’s Brendan Paulison all landed on their fourth all-conference team.
PSAC FOOTBALL EAST MAJOR AWARDS
Offensive Player of the Year: Josh Gontarek, Shippensburg
Defensive Player of the Year: Tyler Morrissey, West Chester
Freshman of the Year: Brycen Mussina, Shippensburg
Coach of the Year: Bill Zwaan, West Chester
PSAC FOOTBALL EASTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE FIRST TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| QB |
A.J. Long |
West Chester |
R-Jr. |
Bethlehem, Pa. / Syracuse |
| RB |
Jaymar Anderson* |
East Stroudsburg |
R-Sr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Lackawanna |
| RB |
Mark Dukes |
West Chester |
Sr. |
Pottstown, Pa. / Pottsgrove |
| RB |
Craig Reynolds** |
Kutztown |
R-Sr. |
Willow Grove, Pa. / Abington |
| OT |
Mike Fleming^^^ |
East Stroudsburg |
Sr. |
Easton, Pa. / Easton |
| OT |
Justin Tindull |
Kutztown |
R-Jr. |
Seven Valleys, Pa. / Dallastown Area |
| OG |
Tyler Drob** |
West Chester |
Gr. |
Cherry Hill, N.J. / Cherry Hill East |
| OG |
Jayson Williams |
Kutztown |
R-Jr. |
Pomona, N.J. / Cedar Creek |
| C |
Matt Cella^ |
Kutztown |
Jr. |
Springfield, Pa. / Springfield |
| TE |
Jalen Jackson |
Lock Haven |
So. |
Williamsport, Pa. / Williamsport |
| WR |
Winston Eubanks* |
Shippensburg |
R-So. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / La Salle College |
| WR |
Josh Gontarek |
Shippensburg |
R-Jr. |
Mount Airy, Md. / Albany |
| WR |
Lex Rosario |
West Chester |
Jr. |
Matamoras, Pa. / Delaware Valley |
| PK |
Andrew Chegia^ |
West Chester |
Jr. |
Kennett Square, Pa. / Unionville |
PSAC FOOTBALL EASTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| DL |
Chris Gary*^ |
Bloomsburg |
R-Sr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Archbishop Wood |
| DL |
Diquan Gilbert^ |
West Chester |
Sr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Valley Forge Military Academy |
| DL |
Jake Klinger* |
Bloomsburg |
R-Sr. |
Berwick, Pa. / Central Columbia |
| DL |
Shaquille Ryder |
West Chester |
Sr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Imhotep Charter |
| DL |
Dakota Thompson* |
Shippensburg |
Sr. |
Laureldale, Pa. / Muhlenberg |
| LB |
Obadiah Asare |
Lock Haven |
So. |
Upper Darby, Pa. / Upper Darby |
| LB |
Tyler Emge* |
Shippensburg |
Sr. |
Blandon, Pa. / Fleetwood |
| LB |
Tajier Jefferson*** |
Kutztown |
R-Sr. |
East Orange, N.J. / Queen of Peace |
| LB |
Tyler Morrissey* |
West Chester |
R-Sr. |
Springfield, Pa. / Springfield-DELCO |
| DB |
Ahkee Cox-Cowan* |
Kutztown |
Jr. |
Harrisburg, Pa. / Harrisburg |
| DB |
Jarey Elder^ |
West Chester |
Jr. |
Allentown, Pa. / Parkland |
| DB |
Shaquille James^^ |
West Chester |
Sr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / West Catholic |
| DB |
Shawn Turber-Ortiz |
Kutztown |
R-So. |
Northumberland, Pa. / Shikellamy |
| RS |
Nysir Minney-Gratz^ |
Lock Haven |
So. |
Easton, Pa. / Easton |
| P |
Dean Krcic^ |
Kutztown |
R-So. |
Saylorsbury, Pa. / Pleasant Valley |
PSAC FOOTBALL EASTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE SECOND TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| QB |
Collin DiGalbo^^ |
Kutztown |
R-Jr. |
Secane, Pa. / Monsignor Bonner |
| RB |
Alex Gooden |
Bloomsburg |
R-Jr. |
Parkesburg, Pa. / Octorara |
| RB |
Hakeem Sillman |
Bloomsburg |
Sr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Valley Forge Military Academy |
| RB |
Chantz Swartz |
Lock Haven |
So. |
Mifflintown, Pa. / Juniata H.S. |
| OT |
Travis Krall* |
Bloomsburg |
R-Sr. |
New Columbia, Pa. / Milton Area |
| OT |
David Staton |
Lock Haven |
R-Jr. |
Little Egg Harbor Twp., N.J. / Pinelands Regional |
| OG |
Frank Tranzilli* |
West Chester |
Jr. |
Lansdale, Pa. / North Penn |
| OG |
Zach Warren^ |
Shippensburg |
Jr. |
Newark, Del. / Salesianum School |
| C |
Connor Walsh |
West Chester |
Sr. |
Garnet Valley, Pa. / Garnet Valley |
| TE |
Cody Boozel |
West Chester |
R-So. |
Cranberry Twp., Pa. / Seneca Valley |
| WR |
Michael Allen^ |
Bloomsburg |
R-Jr. |
Oley, Pa. / Oley Valley |
| WR |
Bryan Greene |
Lock Haven |
So. |
Milesburg, Pa. / Bald Eagle Area |
| WR |
Conor Sullivan |
Kutztown |
Sr. |
Whitehall, Pa. / Whitehall |
| PK |
Jacco Sattamini |
Bloomsburg |
R-Fr. |
Delaware Water Gap, Pa. / Stroudsburg |
PSAC FOOTBALL EASTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| DL |
Dave Calderon |
Kutztown |
Sr. |
Willingboro, N.J. / New Haven |
| DL |
John Durkin |
Shippensburg |
R-Sr. |
Springfield, Pa. / Bonner-Prendergast |
| DL |
Morgan Faughnan |
Millersville |
R-Sr. |
Binghamton, N.Y. / Binghamton |
| DL |
Richard Nase^** |
Shippensburg |
Sr. |
Summit Hill, Pa. / Panther Valley |
| DL |
Chaim Smith^ |
West Chester |
Sr. |
York, Pa. / York Suburban |
| LB |
Nate Barnes |
West Chester |
So. |
Carlisle, Pa. / Carlisle |
| LB |
Zac Button |
Millersville |
R-Jr. |
West Lawn, Pa. / Wilson |
| LB |
Nate Monroe |
Bloomsburg |
Sr. |
Harrisburg, Pa. / Bishop Mcdevitt |
| LB |
Luke Snyder^ |
Kutztown |
Jr. |
Levittown, Pa. / Pennsbury |
| DB |
Trejon Dinkins |
Millersville |
R-Sr. |
North Plainfield, N.J. / Saint Peters Prep |
| DB |
Billy Inge III |
East Stroudsburg |
R-Sr. |
Williamstown, N.J. / Camden CC |
| DB |
Dexter Jordan |
Bloomsburg |
R-Sr. |
Wernersville, Pa. / Conrad Weiser |
| DB |
Dontae Mason |
Lock Haven |
R-So. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Bishop McDevitt |
| RS |
Josh Gontarek |
Shippensburg |
R-Jr. |
Doylestown, Pa. / Central Bucks West |
| P |
Brendan Paulison^^* |
West Chester |
Sr. |
Milford, Pa. / Delaware Valley |
* Indicates previous All-PSAC First Team selection
^ Indicates previous All-PSAC Second Team selection