Nov. 20, 2007
2007 All-Patriot League Football Teams and Major Award Winners 
Center Valley, Pa. - After winning the Patriot League football title outright for the first time in school history, Fordham led all teams with 12 selections on the 2007 All-League football team and garnered two of the League's four major awards, it was announced on Tuesday. The 2007 All-Patriot League Football team is selected by the League's seven head coaches.
Holy Cross junior quarterback Dominic Randolph (Amelia, Ohio/St. Xavier) took home Offensive Player of the Year honors, while Lafayette junior linebacker Andy Romans (Allendale, N.J./St. Joseph Regional) earned Defensive Player of the Year recognition. Fordham took home the remaining two awards, with freshman running back Xavier Martin (Staten Island, N.Y./Xaverian) claiming Rookie of the Year honors and Tom Masella winning the Coach of the Year award in his second season at the helm.
All seven Patriot League teams had at least one honoree on the All-League teams. Lafayette had 11 student-athletes earn All-League status, while Colgate and Lehigh each had 10. Lafayette, Colgate and Holy Cross, who all tied for second place in the standings, shared the League lead with six student-athletes receiving First-Team honors.
Randolph led Holy Cross to a 7-4 overall and 4-2 Patriot League record by putting on an aerial display with 3,604 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. He ranks second in the Football Championship Subdivision in passing yards per game, completions per game and total offense per game, and sixth in points responsible for. He led a Crusader team that placed in the top five in passing and total offense. He completed 297-of-482 passes for the season, and set Holy Cross records for completions, attempts and total offense (3,741). Randolph's 3,604-yard passing total ranks third on the Patriot League single-season list, and he is up to 14th in League annals with 5,841 career passing yards with one season still to play. Randolph earned three Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week honors, including the final week of the season when he completed 29-of-42 passes for 441 yards and three touchdowns in a 27-20 win over Colgate. He is a candidate for the Walter Payton Award, given to the most outstanding player in the Football Championship Subdivision. Randolph is the fourth Holy Cross student-athlete to earn Offensive Player of the Year honors, and the second in the last three seasons after running back Steve Silva earned the award in 2005. Randolph is the first quarterback to win the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year award since Holy Cross' Tom Ciaccio won it in 1990. The Patriot League did give out a "Player of the Year" honor from 1986-2000 that was given to eight quarterbacks since 1990, and most recently to Colgate's Ryan Vena in 1999.
While Lafayette was known for its defense during a stretch of three consecutive League titles from 2004-06, Romans is the first Leopard to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors since Dan Bengele in 1997 and the third overall. He finished the season with 113 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. Romans placed second in the Patriot League in tackles and tackles for loss, and tied for first in forced fumbles and fumbles recoveries. His individual play was a major reason for the success of a Lafayette defense that ranks first in the nation with 260.91 yards allowed per game. The Leopards are also fourth nationally against the run, and placed in the top 15 in scoring defense. Romans earned a pair of Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week honors, including one after a 13-tackle, two-sack game in a shutout win over Columbia on Oct. 6.
Martin exploded on the scene in his first collegiate game, rushing for 157 yards and three touchdowns to lift the Rams past Columbia on Sept. 15 and earn Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors. He just kept going after that, earning two more Rookie awards and playing a significant role in Fordham's rise to the top of the Patriot League. Martin heads into Fordham's first-round playoff game on Saturday at Massachusetts with 612 rushing yards and a team-high eight rushing touchdowns in nine games played. He averaged 5.0 yards per carry, and also chipped in as the team's leading kick returner with a 23.5 average on 17 returns. Martin is the third Fordham student-athlete to earn Rookie of the Year honors, and first since his teammate, senior Jonte Coven, won the award in 2004. Martin is also the fourth consecutive running back to earn Rookie of the Year recognition.
Masella led a stunning turnaround for a Fordham team that was picked to finish sixth overall in the Patriot League preseason poll. The Rams had finished 3-8 overall and 1-5 in the Patriot League in Masella's first season in 2006, and got off to a 2-2 start in non-League action this year. But they got hot when the Patriot League schedule kicked off, winning at Colgate, 34-31, at home against Lehigh, 28-18, and at Georgetown, 38-31, to take a 3-0 record into a matchup at preseason favorite Lafayette. The Rams came out with a 34-23 victory at Lafayette, setting up an opportunity to clinch the League title and automatic berth to the NCAA Division I Football Championship against Holy Cross on Nov. 3. The Rams came through with another win, beating Holy Cross, 24-21, to claim their first League title and playoff berth since 2002. The Rams recorded a six-game winning that streak that is their longest on the Division I level. Fordham finished the regular-season with a loss to Bucknell, but still clinched their first-ever outright title and the first for any Patriot League team since 2003 by finishing with a 5-1 League record. Masella received national attention for his season when he was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, presented to the top coach in the FCS. Fordham will continue its season on Saturday when it travels to Massachusetts at Noon in first-round FCS playoff action on ESPNU.
Randolph headlines the First-Team All-League Offense. He is joined in the backfield by Colgate running back Jordan Scott, Fordham running back Jonte Coven and Lafayette fullback/halfback Joe Russo. Scott, who like Randolph is a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, leads the nation with 1,875 rushing yards and 170.5 rushing yards per game. He became the third player in League history with 11 consecutive efforts of 100 rushing yards or more in the same season, and won four Offensive Player of the Week awards. He notched the second-best rushing season in League history, and his 4,473 career rushing yards are just 361 off the League record with one season to play. Coven led the Rams and finished second in the League with 926 yards on the ground, while Russo had 12 receptions and two receiving touchdowns for the Leopards.
Holy Cross' Ryan Maher and Colgate's Erik Burke are the First-Team wide receivers. Maher led all Patriot League players in receptions (75), yards (907) and touchdowns (10), while Burke was second in all three categories with 57 receptions for 883 yards and seven touchdowns. Holy Cross tight end Ryan McGuire is a First-Team pick after recording 12 receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown for the high-powered Crusaders.
The First-Team offensive line consists of Lafayette seniors Jesse Padilla and Greg Lippert, Colgate junior Steve Jonas, Holy Cross senior Dan Nolan and Lehigh senior John Reese. Holy Cross kicker Matt Partain and Bucknell return specialist A.J. Kizekai complete the First-Team offense. Partain made 12-of-16 field goals and all 50 extra points, while Kizekai averaged 25.9 yards per kick return and set a Patriot League record with 1,113 kick return yards.
Colgate's Pat Nolan, Bucknell's Josh Eden, Lehigh's Brian Jackson and Lafayette's Kyle Sprenkle made the First-Team defensive line. Nolan led the Patriot League with 6.5 sacks to go along with 47 tackles and 12 tackles for loss. Eden had 53 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, while Jackson notched 63 tackles, nine tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Sprenkle totaled 59 tackles and 6.5 tackles for a loss.
Romans headlines the First-Team at linebacker, with Colgate's Mike Gallihugh, Fordham's Earl Hudnell and Lehigh's Tim Diamond also joining him. Gallihugh is a candidate for the top defensive honor in the FCS, the Buck Buchanan Award. He led the Patriot League with 123 tackles and also filled the stat sheet with 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. Hudnell led the Patriot League in tackles for loss with 14.5 to go along with 56 tackles, three sacks and three interceptions, while Diamond had 107 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
Holy Cross' Casey Gough, Lafayette's Marcel Quarterman, Lehigh's Brannan Thomas and Colgate's Cody Williams are the quartet at the First-Team defensive back positions. Gough had 62 tackles and four interceptions, including two on the final day of the season at home against Colgate. Quarterman notched 54 tackles and two picks, Thomas had three interceptions and Williams totaled 50 tackles and five pass breakups.
Fordham punter Benjamin Dato fills out the First Team after another brilliant season. He placed second in the nation and second in Patriot League single-season history with a 45.05 average, and Fordham led the nation in net punting and punt return defense.
Filling out the second-team offense are: Fordham's John Skelton at quarterback, Martin and Holy Cross's Terrance Gass at running back, Georgetown's Kyle Van Fleet at fullback/halfback, Lafayette's Shaun Adair and Fordham's Asa Lucas at wide receiver, Lafayette's Mike Conte at tight end, Fordham's Mike Breznicky and Mike Nardone, Bucknell's Chad Glasser, Colgate's Nick Hennessey and Lehigh's Jimmy Kehs on the offensive line, Colgate's Mike Buck at kicker and Lehigh's John Kennedy at return specialist.
On the second-team defense, Kyle Adams (Lehigh), Keith Bloom (Lafayette), Ryan Keller (Colgate) and Ryan Mehra (Fordham) man the line, Matt Cohen (Lehigh), Mark Leggiero (Lafayette), James Crockett (Fordham) and Dominique Owens (Fordham) are at linebacker, Marvin Clecidor (Lafayette), Ernest Moore (Lehigh), Wayne Moten (Colgate) and Sam Orah (Fordham) are the defensive backs, and Lehigh's Jason Leo is the punter.
Scott, Gough, Reese and Leo earned All-League honors for the third time. Scott, Gough and Reese were all Second-Team selections in 2005 before earning First-Team status the last two years, while Leo was a Second-Team punter in 2005, First-Team kicker in 2006, and Second-Team punter in 2007. Scott and Leo will return for their senior seasons next year.
In addition, 12 student-athletes received their second All-League nod. Maher, Gallihugh, Thomas and Dato were all First-Team selections in each of the past two seasons, while Burke, Sprenkle, Romans, Padilla and Lippert earned First-Team honors in 2007 after receiving Second-Team plaudits a year ago. Moore and Kehs have received Second-Team recognition for the past two campaigns, and Williams earned First-Team honors at defensive back after receiving Second-Team recognition in 2005. Thirty-eight of the 54 honorees were named to the All-League team for the first time.
A complete list of the 2007 All-Patriot League Football Team follows:
2007 All-Patriot League Football Team
Offensive Player of the Year: Dominic Randolph, Holy Cross, Jr., QB
Defensive Player of the Year: Andy Romans, Lafayette, Jr., LB
Rookie of the Year: Xavier Martin, Fordham, Fr., RB
Coach of the Year: Tom Masella, Fordham
First Team Offense
Pos. Name, School Yr.
QB Dominic Randolph, Holy Cross Jr.;
RB Jonte Coven, Fordham Sr.;
RB Jordan Scott, Colgate Jr.;
FB/HB Joe Russo, Lafayette Jr.;
WR Erik Burke, Colgate Sr.;
WR Ryan Maher, Holy Cross Sr.;
TE Ryan McGuire, Holy Cross Sr.;
OL Steve Jonas, Colgate Jr.;
OL Greg Lippert, Lafayette Sr.;
OL Dan Nolan, Holy Cross Sr.;
OL Jesse Padilla, Lafayette Sr.;
OL John Reese, Lehigh Sr.;
K Matt Partain, Holy Cross Jr.;
RS A.J. Kizekai, Bucknell So.;
First Team Defense
Pos. Name, School Yr.
DL Josh Eden, Bucknell So.;
DL Brian Jackson, Lehigh Jr.;
DL Pat Nolan, Colgate Sr.;
DL Kyle Sprenkle, Lafayette Sr.;
LB Tim Diamond, Lehigh Jr.;
LB Mike Gallihugh, Colgate Sr.;
LB Earl Hudnell, Fordham Sr.;
LB Andy Romans, Lafayette Jr.;
DB Casey Gough, Holy Cross Sr.;
DB Marcel Quarterman, Lafayette Sr.;
DB Brannan Thomas, Lehigh Sr.;
DB Cody Williams, Colgate Sr.;
P Benjamin Dato, Fordham Sr.;
Second Team Offense
Pos. Name, School Yr.
QB John Skelton, Fordham So.;
RB Terrance Gass, Holy Cross Jr.;
RB Xavier Martin, Fordham Fr.;
FB/HB Kyle Van Fleet, Georgetown Sr.;
WR Shaun Adair, Lafayette Jr.;
WR Asa Lucas, Fordham So.;
TE Mike Conte, Lafayette Jr.;
OL Mike Breznicky, Fordham Sr.;
OL Chad Glasser, Bucknell Sr.;
OL Nick Hennessey, Colgate Jr.;
OL Jimmy Kehs, Lehigh Sr.;
OL Mike Nardone, Fordham Sr.;
K Mike Buck, Colgate Sr.;
RS John Kennedy, Lehigh Fr.;
Second Team Defense
Pos. Name, School Yr.
DL Kyle Adams, Lehigh Sr.;
DL Keith Bloom, Lafayette Sr.;
DL Ryan Keller, Colgate Sr.;
DL Ryan Mehra, Fordham Jr.;
LB Matt Cohen, Lehigh So.;
LB James Crockett, Fordham So.;
LB Mark Leggiero, Lafayette So.;
LB Dominique Owens, Fordham Sr.;
DB Marvin Clecidor, Lafayette Jr.;
DB Ernest Moore, Lehigh Sr.;
DB Wayne Moten, Colgate So.;
DB Sam Orah, Fordham Sr.;
P Jason Leo, Lehigh Jr.;
