Allegheny Football Gives End-of-Year Awards

Feb 19, 2008

MEADVILLE, Pa. – The 2007 Allegheny College football squad had its year-end banquet on Sunday, February 17, where head coach Mark Matlak gave out ten team awards, in addition to the numerous national and conference awards won by players on the 5-5 squad.

The first award given was the Scout Team Offensive and Defensive Awards, given to Rob Carlislie (Garrettsville, Ohio/James A. Garfield) for offense and to Adam Mudrick (Monongahela, Pa./Charleroi) on the defensive side of the football.

The second award, the Sam Timer Award, is presented annually to an individual that has demonstrated the same commitment to excellence and dedication of holding themselves and the people around them to a higher standard. This individual has made some significant impact on those they have come in contact with, even though it may not have been realized until later in life. The 2007 Sam Timer Award winner is Andy McKenzie, the former offensive coordinator, who recently has taken an assistant coaching position for NCAA Division I Holy Cross University.

The Bob Sherman Award is given in honor of a Meadville native and 1984 graduate. Sherman was a World War II veteran, and served many duties while working at Allegheny College, including as the College’s Placement Bureau Director, Registrar, Director of Development, Assistant to the President and an Equal Opportunity Officer. He was also a life-long friend and supporter of the Allegheny College football program and players. The 2007 Bob Sherman Award was presented to Ken Robertson, a 1965 alumnus and a longtime friend of the football program.

The fifth award to be given out at the banquet was the George Coon Memorial Football Award. The award is present to a football player in the senior class whose desire to participate and whose dedication to team success has earned him the highest respect of his fellow teammates. The 2007 George Coon Memorial Football Award was given to wide receiver Jim Lieb (Carrolltown, Pa./Northern Cambria). Lieb ended the season as the school’s single season receptions record holder, hauling in 67 passes for 704 yards and three scores. Three times during the season he recorded over 100 receiving yards, and twice he caught ten or more passes in a contest. The highlight game of his season came against Kenyon College, when he caught a dozen passes for 141 yards and a touchdown. He ends his career with the second highest reception total in school history (150), and 1,725 yards, good for third in the Allegheny record books.

The Special Team Player of the Year award went to senior Nick Jones (Blairsville, Pa./Homer Center). Jones was the team’s top punt returner over the last three years. This season he averaged 12.4 yards per punt return, the 27th best average in Division III. Also a speedy and dominating cornerback, Jones led the team with five passes, second most in the conference, including picking off a pair of passes in the home finale against Wittenberg.

Receiving the Student Athlete of the Year award was Curt Anderson (Batavia, N.Y./Batavia Notre Dame). A team captain last season, Anderson led the Gators both on and off of the field. His consistent play provided the team with a key player at the safety position, while his academics helped him to earn an ESPN The Magazine/CoSida Academic All-District II First Team selection. This season he finished fourth on the team in tackles with 67, while intercepting two passes and broke up seven passes. He bookended the season with double figure tackle games, recording 11 in the opener against Westminster on September 1, and then a dozen more in the season finale against Oberlin on November 10.

Senior safety Andy Toner (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) was named the F. Dawson Weber Back of the Year for his play in the defensive secondary. Arguably the biggest hitter on the squad during the season, Toner finished third with 79 tackles while breaking up seven passes and intercepting one. He added two quarterback sacks and two and a half tackles for loss in addition to blocking a kick. He recorded double-figure tackles three times during the year, including a career-high 20 stops in the team’s win over Carnegie Mellon on September 22.

Senior center Andy Fleming (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) brought home the Claire Jackson Outstanding Lineman of the Year. Fleming, who moved from guard to center prior to the beginning of the season, started all 10 games for the Gators in the middle of the offensive line. The team averaged 117.3 yards on the ground and 196.6 through the air during the season, including a season-high 485 yards against Kenyon, 206 coming on the ground and 279 more through the air.

The final individual team award went to senior Mateo Villa (Windsor, Ohio/Middlefield Cardinal), who was named the team’s Block “A” MVP Award winner. Villa finished the year as the team leader in tackles with 100, while also recording 3.5 tackles for loss and two pass breakups. Six times this season Villa ended a contest with double figure tackles, including 14 against Hiram and 13 against both Wooster and Oberlin.

The coaches also gave out the various awards accrued throughout the year, including the National Football Foundation’s (NFF) Draddy Trophy, given to a player that has outstanding work in the classroom, have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship, and must be a key contributor on the football field. In 2007, the NFF honored Villa with the selection, making him one of just 24 NCAA Division III selections from across the country.

As mentioned above, Anderson was named to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSida Academic All-District II, along with teammates Jon Buggey (Homer City, Pa./Homer-Center) and Andy Stas (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe), while Villa was named to the second team.

D3football.com and the North Coast Athletic Conference honored Craig Lawrence (Fairview, Pa./Fairview) with a National Player of the Week and League Player of the Week honor, respectively, for his performance against Carnegie Mellon on September 22, with T.J. Salopek (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) adding a NCAC Player of the Week award a week later against Denison.

Three players, Fleming, Villa and Toner, earned All-North Coast Athletic Conference First Team honors, while six more, Anderson, Jason Black (Warren, Ohio/Champion), Jones, Lieb, Lawrence and Billy Jones (New Castle, Pa./Laurel) were named to the second team. Ross Simcoe (Coudersport, Pa./Coudersport) and Doug Macik (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) each rounded out the Gator award winners from the league, earning honorable mention All-NCAC honors, giving Allegheny 11 total selections on the teams.

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