Ward, McSweeny Lead All-ACFC Honors

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Wesley senior Mike Ward (Norwich, Conn./Norwich Free Academy) was named the ACFC Defensive Player of the Year and junior Shane McSweeny (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem) won Offensive Player of the Year to lead 19 Wolverine All-ACFC picks.
Head Coach Mike Drass was also honored with the ACFC Coach of the Year Award.
It is the second straight year McSweeny won the ACFC Offensive Player of the Year Award sixth time a Wesley quarterback has won the award. For Coach Drass, it was his seventh ACFC Coach of the Year honor. Ward became the sixth Wesley defensive player to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award and fourth in a row.
McSweeny built on a breakout sophomore season by passing for 26 touchdowns and 1,953 yards. He also rushed for 451 yards and five touchdowns. He passed for 366 yards and an ACFC record-tying six touchdowns in a win over Frostburg State, then rushed for 114 yards and a touchdown in a win over NAIA No. 19 Ohio Dominican.
Ward wins Defensive Player of the Year after anchoring Division III's seventh ranked defense and a unit that leads DIII in tackles for loss and rates fifth in quarterback sacks. The defensive tackle finished the regular season with 14.5 of his 15 tackles for loss in the final five games to bring his season total. He also has seven quarterback sacks in 2009.
Drass wins Coach of the Year after leading the Wolverines to an unprecedented fifth straight ACFC crown and the school's fifth straight bid to the NCAA Division III Football Championships.
Offensively, McSweeny was joined by six teammates on the first team offense.
Senior running back Aaron Jackson (New Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick) leads the ACFC in rushing with 896 yards and nine rushing touchdowns. He has rushed for at least 120 yards in each of the past four games.
At wide receiver, junior Ellis Krout (Dallas, Texas/Roosevelt) leads the ACFC in scoring after hauling in 15 touchdown receptions. On the year, he has 42 receptions and 623 yards.
Sean McAndrew (Lanoka Harbor, N.J./Lacey Township), a junior tight end, has scored five touchdowns in the last three weeks and has 26 receptions for 453 yards on the season. It is his second selection to the All-ACFC team.
Seniors Matt Ferguson (Dover, Del./Dover) and Tom Fox (Middletown, Middletown) and junior Anthony West (Laurel, Del./Laurel) anchor the conference's best offensive line and block for an offense that leads the conference in six different categories. Ferguson is making his second appearance on the All-ACFC team.
Ward was one of six Wolverines voted to the first team defense.
Chris Mayes (Westlake, Md./Waldorf) has emerged as one of the top defensive lineman in the nation as a sophomore. He has 25.5 tackles for loss on the season, tying for the Division III lead, and also has nine quarterback sacks.
Linebackers Jeff Morgan (Vineland, N.J./Vineland) and Mike Asiedu (Yonkers, N.Y./Gorton) were each chosen to the first team as well. Asiedu leads the team and ranks third in the conference with 76 tackles and has 11.5 for loss. He was named to the D3football.com National Team of the Week after making 10 tackles against Division II North Greenville. Morgan, meanwhile, missed the season opener, but returned to post 9.5 tackles for loss and six sacks, third on the team.
Both of Wesley's safeties made the squad and each is making his second straight appearance on the all-conference list. Marcus Wilson (Pennsauken, N.J./Camden Catholic) is tied with Mayes for second on the team with 51 tackles. The junior has intercepted four passes, broken up six more and has a blocked kick to his credit. Aaron Benson (Swarthmore, Pa./Strath Haven) also has four interceptions on the season, to go along with four break ups, 50 tackles, 5.5 for loss and a pair of forced fumbles.
Wide receiver Gene Knight (Baltimore, Md./Overlea), a converted running back, was chosen to the second team. He is tied with McAndrew for second on the team with 26 receptions and has 367 yards and two touchdowns to his credit.
Defensive tackle Carlos James (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck) and cornerback Dakevis Howard (Wilmington, Del./Concord) were voted to the second team defense. James manned the middle of the Wesley defense, alongside Ward, and registered 39 stops, six for loss, forced a fumble and recovered another. Howard capped the regular season with a two-interception performance against Ohio Dominican. The junior ended the year with three picks and four fumble recoveries. He also broke up six passes and blocked a pair of kicks.
Senior guard Evan Pritchett (Sparrows Point, Md./Sparrows Point) and junior defensive end Jeff Dorsey (Baltimore, Md./Woodlawn) were named as honorable mentions. Pritchett helped out on the offensive line, alongside Fox, Ferguson and West. Dorsey took over a starting role in the second week of the season and had 8.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
2009 All-ACFC Team
Award Winners
Offensive Player Of The Year: Shane McSweeny, Wesley, Jr., QB, 6-2, 210, Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem
Defensive Player Of The Year: Mike Ward, Wesley, Jr., DL, 6-2, 315 Norwich, Conn./Norwich Free Academy
Special Teams Player Of The Year: Avery Willie, Frostburg State, Sr., 5-11, 180, Aberdeen, Md./Aberdeen
Rookie Of The Year: Louis Norwood, Apprentice, Fr., DB, 5-9, 170, Baker, La./Baker
Coach Of The Year: Mike Drass, Wesley
First Team Offense
Quarterback: Shane McSweeny, Wesley, Jr., 6-2, 210, Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem
Running Back: Bryan Woolson, Salisbury, Jr.,
5-8, 194, Whitehall, Md./North Harford
Aaron Jackson, Wesley, Sr., 5-9, 177, New Brunswick, NJ/North
Brunswick
Tight End: Sean McAndrew, Wesley, Jr., 6-4,
250, Lanoka Harbor, NJ/Lacey Twp.
Teo Ellis, Apprentice, Sr., 5-11, 230, Camden, SC/Camden
Wide Receiver: Ellis Krout, Wesley, Jr., 6-4,
195, Dallas, Tex./Roosevelt
Bryan Cain, Apprentice, Jr., 6-1, 180, Baker, La./Baker
Offensive Line: Chris Hutton, Salisbury, So.,
6-0, 310, Largo, Md./Largo
Tom Fox, Wesley, Sr., 6-2, 247, Middletown, Del./Middletown
Matt Ferguson, Wesley, Sr., 6-5, 300, Dover, Del./Dover
Ben Crowder, Frostburg State, Sr., 6-1, 300, Boydton,
Va./Bluestone
Anthony West, Wesley, Jr., 6-3, 307, Laurel, Del./Laurel
First Team Defense
Defensive Line: Jovan McCamey, Apprentice, So.,
6-3, 240, Ft. Washington, Md./Gwynn Park
Paul Cynewski, Salisbury, Sr., 6-3, 245, Moorestown,
NJ/Moorestown
Mike Ward, Wesley, Jr., 6-2, 315, Norwich, Conn./Norwich Free
Academy
Mike Iheakanwa, Frostburg State, Sr., 6-3, 220, Lantham,
Md./Duval
Chris Mayes, Wesley, So., 6-3, 235, Waldorf, Md./Westlake
Linebacker: Jeff Morgan, Wesley, Jr., 6-2, 208,
Vineland, NJ/Vineland
Jeremy Drayton, Apprentice, Jr., 6-0, 240, Orlando, Fla./Lyman
Mike Asiedu, Wesley, So., 6-3, 212, Yonkers, NY/Gorton
Defensive Backs: Marcus Wilson, Wesley, Jr.,
6-3, 212, Pennsauken, NJ/Camden Catholic
Brandon Hudson, Salisbury, Sr., 5-9, 170, Delmar, Md./Sussex
Tech
Aaron Benson, Wesley, Jr., 5-11, 197, Swarthmore, Pa./Strath
Haven
Louis Norwood, Apprentice, Fr., 5-9, 170, Baker, La./Baker
First Team Special Teams
Kicker: Tommy Kowalick, Salisbury, So., 5-9,
150, Sterling, Va./Dominion
Punter: Thomas Mason, Apprentice, Fr., 5-10, 180,
Disputanta, Va./Prince George
Return Specialist: Avery Willie, Frostburg State,
Sr., 5-11, 180, Aberdeen, Md./Aberdeen
Second Team Offense
Quarterback: Phil Caralla, Apprentice, Sr., 5-10, 195, Tarpon Springs, Fla./E. Lake
Running Back: Sam Arnold, Apprentice, Sr., 5-5,
157, Tampa, Fla./King
Anthony King, Frostburg State, Jr., 6-0, 185, Germantown,
Md./Northwest
Wide Receiver: Avery Willie, Frostburg State,
Sr., 5-11, 180, Aberdeen, Md./Aberdeen
Gene Knight, Wesley, Sr., 5-10, 192, Baltimore, Md./Overleaf
Offensive Line: Alex Smith, Salisbury, So.,
6-8, 320, Madison, NJ/Madison
Greg Rhoades, Jr., Frostburg State, 6-3, 290, Frostburg, Md./Thomas
Stone
Mike Kinder, Sr., Apprentice, 6-6, 340, Zanesville, Oh./Philo
Patrick Fears, Jr., Frostburg State, 6-2, 285, Washington,
DC/Archbishop Carroll
Lamar Johnson, Sr., Apprentice, Sr., 6-2, 263, St. Matthews,
SC/Calhoun Co.
Second Team Defense
Defensive Line: Ryan Simmons, Frostburg State,
So., x-x, xxx, Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright
Alex Bresner, Salisbury, Sr., 6-1, 275, Marblehead,
Mass./Marblehead
Carlos James, Wesley, Sr., 6-1, 268, Annapolis, Md./Broadneck
James Lee, Apprentice, Sr., 5-11, 239, Richmond, Va./Varina
Linebacker: Justin Chura, Salisbury, Jr., 5-9,
200, Lothian, Md./Southern
Mana Ohia, Apprentice, So., 5-9, 203, Honolulu, Hi./Aiea
Travis Blair, Frostburg St., So., 6-1, 200, Upper Marlboro,
Md./Oxon Hill
George Feiser, Frostburg St., Sr., 6-0, 220, Hagerstown,
Md./Smithsburg
Defensive Backs: Ian Turner, Frostburg St.,
Jr., 5-8, 180, Hanover, Md./Meade
Terryl Monroe, Frostburg St., Jr., 5-11, 200, Temple Hills,
Md./DeMatha
Dakevis Howard, Wesley, Jr., 6-2, 200, Wilmington, Del./Concord
Tom Fontaine, Salisbury, Sr., 5-8, 184, Philadelphia, Pa./W.
Catholic
Second Team Special Teams
Kicker: Zachary Beukers, Frostburg St., Fr., 5-9, 160, Lusby, Md./Calvert; Nicholas Foor, Apprentice, Fr., 5-11, 160, Huntingtown, Md./Huntingtown
Punter: Nick Payne, Frostburg St., Sr., 6-2, 225, Frostburg, Md./Northern Garrett; Andrew Geisert, Salisbury, Sr., 6-0, 190, White Plains, Md./McDonough
Honorable Mention
Apprentice School: Jeff Leckrone, Sr., OL, 5-11, 247, Chesapeake, Va./Oscar Smith; James Abbs, Fr., WR, 6-2, 185, Stone Mountain, Ga./Tucker
Salisbury: Randall Smedley, So., SL, 5-9, 200, Frederick, Md./St. John's Catholic Prep; D.J. Nelson, Sr., WR, 5-11, 175, Mulilca Hills, NJ/Clearview Regional
Wesley: Jeff Dorsey, Jr., DE, 6-2, 252, Baltimore, Md./Woodlawn; Evan Prichett, Sr., OL, 6-0, 278, Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point
Frostburg State: James Lohr, So., DB, 6-1, 180, Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Spalding; Christian Cook, Fr., WR, 5-10, 180, Reistertown, Md./Calvert Hall









