DiGalbo Named PSAC Football Eastern Division Athlete of the Year; All-Conference Teams Released
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- Kutztown senior Collin DiGalbo was voted 2019 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Football Eastern Division Offensive Athlete 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 East head coaches.
DiGalbo is the first Golden Bear to earn the award since 2016 (Jordan Morgan.) It marks the ninth Kutztown has boasted the winner. DiGalbo is a four-time East Athlete of the Week honoree and is second in career rushing touchdowns at Kutztown (33). DiGalbo led the Golden Bears to the PSAC Championship Game and scored three touchdowns. The senior is fourth in passing yards this season (2465) and passing touchdowns (26). He is one of seven PSAC athletes with at least 10 rushing touchdowns. He threw multiple touchdowns in every game this season, except one. He opened the season with consecutive four-touchdown games. He rushed for a season-high 98 yards against Gannon (Sep. 21).
West Chester senior Jarey Elder was selected as Defensive Athlete of the Year. It marks the third consecutive season that a Golden Ram has received the honor and 10th in school history. Behind Elder’s strong play, West Chester is allowing the second fewest points per game (16.8) in the PSAC. The senior has accumulated 54 total tackles and three interceptions. He has registered a pass breakup in eight contests. Elder and the Golden Rams earned a postseason berth and will travel to Notre Dame (Ohio) for a first-round contest Saturday, Nov. 23 at 12 p.m.
West Chester’s Ja’Den McKenzie was tabbed Freshman of the Year. He is the fourth Golden Ram to win the award and first since 2001 (Bob Findora). McKenzie ranks eighth in the PSAC in rushing yards (826) and rushing yards per game (75.1). He is one of seven PSAC athletes to have at least 10 rushing touchdowns. The freshman has accumulated four 100-yard rushing games, including a season-high 179 at Shepherd. He turned in multiple touchdowns on four occasions.
Kutztown’s Jim Clements was named Coach of the Year for the second time in his career and first since 2016. Under Clements direction, Kutztown ranks in the top five in most statistical categories in the league. Kutztown claimed the No. 2 seed in NCAA DII Super Region I and will host Tiffin in a first-round contest Saturday, Nov. 23 at 12:05 p.m. The Golden Bears appeared in the PSAC Championship Game and enter postseason play with a 10-1 record. 13 Kutztown athletes received all-conference recognition this season.
In its first year in the league, Shepherd produced a division-high 14 all-conference athletes. West Chester was third with 11.
DiGalbo and Bloomsburg senior Michael Allen landed on an all-conference team for the fourth time in their respective careers.
A full list of honorees is below.
PSAC FOOTBALL EAST MAJOR AWARDS
Offensive Player of the Year: Collin DiGalbo, Kutztown
Defensive Player of the Year: Jarey Elder, West Chester
Freshman of the Year: Ja’Den McKenzie, West Chester
Coach of the Year: Jim Clements, Kutztown
PSAC FOOTBALL EASTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE FIRST TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| QB |
Collin DiGalbo^^^ |
Kutztown |
Sr. |
Secane, Pa. / Monsignor Bonner |
| RB |
Deonte Glover |
Shepherd |
Sr. |
Inwood, W. Va. / Mussleman |
| RB |
Ja’Den McKenzie |
West Chester |
Fr. |
Morton, Pa. / Sprinfield-Delco |
| RB |
Abdul-Hassan Neblett |
Kutztown |
Sr. |
Newark, N.J. / Paramus Catholic |
| OT |
Eric Ostrow |
Shepherd |
Gr. |
Owings Mills, Md. / Franklin |
| OT |
Justin Tindull* |
Kutztown |
Sr. |
Seven Valleys, Pa. / Dallastown |
| OG |
Keandre Batson |
Shepherd |
Sr. |
Upper Marlboro, Md. / Frederick Douglass |
| OG |
Jayson Williams* |
Kutztown |
Jr. |
Pomona, N.J. / Cedar Creek |
| C |
Matt Cella*^ |
Kutztown |
Sr. |
Secane, Pa. / Springfield |
| TE |
DJ Cornish |
Shepherd |
Sr. |
Milford, Del. / Lake Forest |
| WR |
Dylan Brewer |
Shepherd |
Gr. |
Martinsburg, W. Va. / Martinsburg |
| WR |
Winston Eubanks** |
Shippensburg |
Jr. |
Philadephia, Pa. / LaSalle College |
| WR |
Devin Phelps |
Shepherd |
Sr. |
Baltimore, Md. / St. Frances |
| PK |
Jordan Walters |
East Stroudsburg |
Sr. |
Sciota, Pa. / Pleasant Valley |
PSAC FOOTBALL EASTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| DL |
Juwan Addison |
Shepherd |
Jr. |
Richmond, Va. / Monacan |
| DL |
Tyrone Barge |
West Chester |
Sr. |
Philidephia, Pa. / Imhotep Charter |
| DL |
Andre Eldridge |
East Stroudsburg |
Jr. |
South Brunswick, N.J. / South Brunswick |
| DL |
Alex Findura |
Bloomsburg |
Jr. |
Stockbridge, Ga. / Woodland |
| DL |
Ch’aim Smith^^ |
West Chester |
Gr. |
York, Pa. / York Suburban |
| LB |
Alex Annan |
Bloomsburg |
Sr. |
Phillipsburg, N.J. / Philipsburg |
| LB |
Jameer Brooks |
East Stroudsburg |
So. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Franklin |
| LB |
Chrys Lane |
Shepherd |
Jr. |
Baltimore, Md. / Dundalk |
| LB |
Jackson Taylor |
West Chester |
Fr. |
Glenside, Pa. / Abington |
| DB |
Ahkee Cox-Cowan** |
Kutztown |
Sr. |
Harrisburg, Pa. / Harrisburg |
| DB |
Jarey Elder*^ |
West Chester |
Sr. |
Allentown, Pa. / Parkland |
| DB |
Antonio Fox |
Shepherd |
So. |
Germantown, Md. / Seneca Valley |
| DB |
Shawn Turber-Ortiz* |
Kutztown |
Jr. |
Northumberland, Pa. / Shikellamy |
| RS |
Michael Allen^^^ |
Bloomsburg |
Sr. |
Oley, Pa. / Fleetwood |
| P |
Jordan Walters |
East Stroudsburg |
Sr. |
Sciota, Pa. / Pleasant Valley |
PSAC FOOTBALL EASTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE SECOND TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| QB |
Tyson Bagent |
Shepherd |
So. |
Martinsburg, W. Va. / Martinsburg |
| RB |
Luke Durkin |
Shippensburg |
Gr. |
Doylestown, Pa. / Central Bucks West |
| RB |
Devante Robinson |
East Stroudsburg |
Jr. |
Allentown, Pa. / Dieruff |
| RB |
Chantz Swartz^ |
Lock Haven |
Jr. |
Mifflintown, Pa. / Juniata |
| OT |
Joey Fisher |
Shepherd |
Fr. |
Hagerstown, Md. / Clear Spring |
| OT |
Brendan Ruskowski |
West Chester |
So. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Archbishop Ryan |
| OG |
Trevor Miller |
Lock Haven |
So. |
Martinsburg, Pa. / Central |
| OG |
Frank Tranzilli*^ |
West Chester |
Sr. |
Lansdale, Pa. / North Penn |
| C |
Shane Griffin |
West Chester |
Sr. |
Jenkinstown, Pa. / Abington |
| TE |
Jack Pilkerton |
Kutztown |
Sr. |
La Plata, Md. / La Plata |
| WR |
Michael Allen^^ |
Bloomsburg |
Sr. |
Oley, Pa. / Fleetwood |
| WR |
Evan Morrill |
Millersville |
Sr. |
Hummelstown, Pa. / Lower Dauphin |
| WR |
Jake Novak |
Kutztown |
Fr. |
Manheim, Pa. / Manheim Central |
| PK |
Andrew Chegia*^ |
West Chester |
Jr. |
Kennett Square, Pa. / Unionville |
PSAC FOOTBALL EASTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| DL |
Tim Bradley |
Shippensburg |
Jr. |
Garnet Valley, Pa. / Garnet Valley |
| DL |
Eric Miller |
Kutztown |
Jr. |
Macungie, Pa. / Emmaus |
| DL |
Joe Odebode |
East Stroudsburg |
Sr. |
Tom River, N.J. / Toms River South |
| DL |
Omar Peterkin |
West Chester |
Jr. |
Willow Grove, Pa. / Archbishop Wood |
| DL |
David Wilson |
Shepherd |
Jr. |
Baltiomore, Md. / Archbishop Curley |
| LB |
TwyNique Chisholm-Wilkerson |
Kutztown |
Sr. |
Harrisburg, Pa. / Steelton-Highspire |
| LB |
Isaiah Onuschak |
Millersville |
Fr. |
Bethlehem, Pa. / Bethlehem Catholic |
| LB |
Tig Spinelli |
Shippensburg |
Sr. |
Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Cumberland Valley |
| LB |
Chris Thomas |
Kutztown |
Jr. |
Norwood, Pa. / Interboro |
| DB |
Ponce Deleon |
Shepherd |
Jr. |
Greenbelt, Md. / Montgomery Blair |
| DB |
Andre’ Gray |
East Stroudsburg |
Sr. |
Accokeek, Md. / Gwynn Park |
| DB |
Donnell Howard |
Shepherd |
So. |
Temple Hills, Md. / Potomac |
| DB |
Nick Palmer |
Kutztown |
Jr. |
Montville, N.J. / Bergen Catholic |
| DB! |
Tyler Patron-Penn |
Millersville |
So. |
Laurel, Md. / Wilde Lake |
| RS |
Rece Bender |
East Stroudsburg |
So. |
Lancaster, Pa. / Manheim Township |
| RS! |
Nyiem Nevarez |
Kutztown |
Sr. |
Effort, Pa. / Pleasant Valley |
| P |
George Lambritsios |
West Chester |
Jr. |
Broomall, Pa. / Marple Newtown |
* Indicates previous All-PSAC First Team selection
^ Indicates previous All-PSAC Second Team selection
! Indicates tie