Penn Destroys School Record with 24 Selections, Hafners Honored as Well

William Penn University Athletics

Oskaloosa–A school-record 24 Statesmen players, the head coach, and one assistant were recognized for tremendous 2010 campaigns as the all-Midwest League football teams were announced Friday.

E.J. Peterson, a linebacker from Grand View, and Michael Hayward, a wide receiver from St. Ambrose, were named Midwest League Co-Players of the Year.

Penn then swept the coaching accolades with Todd Hafner earning Coach of the Year status and his brother Aaron Hafner, Co-Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach, collecting the Assistant Coach of the Year award.  Both are honored for the second time in their careers, each taking home the laurel in 2008 as well.

Defensive lineman Dale Woods (Sr., Southaven, Miss., Northwest Mississippi CC) and offensive lineman Steven Dawley (Sr., New Sharon, North Mahaska HS) led Penn as first-team picks, while eight individuals were second-teamers and 14 collected honorable mentions.  The 24 honors are by far the most in program history, surpassing last year’s mark of 16.  It is also the most by any team in the Midwest League this season with McKendree having the second most at 21.

After being named Co-POY last year, Woods received much more attention from opposing offensive lines as his numbers diminished from that of 2009.  He still tallied 42 tackles (two for loss) with one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one pass breakup.  The honor is the second of his career (both first-team nods).

Dawley headlined an offensive line that anchored the best rushing squad in NAIA history with the Statesmen breaking national records for rushing yards (4,476) and yards per attempt (6.9).  He also helped Penn to allow just two sacks all season, also tops in the NAIA this year.  Dawley ends his career as a three-time league honoree, including two first-team spots.

Quarterback Taylor Parsons (The Woodlands, Texas, College Parks HS) highlighted Penn’s second-team group.  The freshman rushed for 1,010 yards and a program-record 20 touchdowns.  He also completed 51-of-97 passes for 901 yards and seven scores.  He was MWL Offensive POW once this fall.

Shawn Davis (Fr., Hamersville, Ohio, Western Brown HS) bettered his quarterback in yards with a team-high 1,042, while scoring 12 times himself.  He was MWL Offensive POW twice this fall.

Wide receiver Bernard Luster (Sr., Corinth, Miss., Northeast Mississippi CC) and linemen Matt Smith (Sr., Houston, Texas, Eisenhower HS) and Wade Fischer (Sr., Farmington, Minn., Farmington HS) were also second-team choices.

Luster, a first-time honoree, was Penn’s top threat in the air game, hauling in 26 passes for 483 yards and three touchdowns (all team highs).

Smith and Fischer, both honored for the second time in their career, were great complements to Dawley in the trenches.

On the defensive side, tackle Damon Harrison (Jr., Lake Charles, La., Lake Charles Boston HS), safety Javaras Thomas (Sr., Miami, Fla., Miami Beach HS), and punter Jason Johnson (Fr., Geneseo, Ill., Geneseo HS) received enough votes to be on the second squad.

Harrison led a great rush defense that allowed just 109.4 yards per contest.  He tallied 47 tackles, including a team-best 11 for loss.  The junior also had two sacks, two fumble recoveries, one blocked kick, and two pass breakups.  Thomas managed 46 stops in addition to two interceptions, one fumble recovery, and eight pass breakups.  Both had two second-team honors in their time at Penn.

Johnson was one of the best punters in the league, owning a 40.1 average over 19 attempts.  The freshman, who launched two kicks over 50 yards (long of 70 yards), had nine attempts land inside the 20-yard line.  Johnson’s honor is his first in the navy and gold.

Linebacker Chris Ruff (Sr., Highland Park, Mich., Grand Rapids CC) and placekicker Marcus Kerrigan (Fr., Cary, Ill., Cary-Grove HS) were the most notable of the Statesmen’s 14 honorable mentions. Ruff ends his career as a two-time pick, while Kerrigan begins his collegiate tenure with a nod.

Ruff, who was the MWL’s Defensive POW twice this fall, missed four games, but still easily led Penn with 63 tackles (9.5 for loss).  He also recorded one sack, one interception, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.

Kerrigan broke the school record for extra points in a season with 48, only missing five of his tries.  He was 7-of-9 in field goals as well, including a season long of 43 yards.  He earned five Special Teams POW nods in 2010.

Other offensive selections included running backs Dalton Phelps (So., Tipton, Tipton HS), DeMarco Sanders (Jr., Horn Lake, Miss., Horn Lake HS), and P.J. Perry (Sr., Clermont, Fla., East Ridge HS), tight end Jimmy Deegan (Jr., Farmington, Minn., Farmington HS), and offensive linemen Brett Stewart (Sr., Webb City, Mo., Webb City HS) and Germarcus Smith (Sr., Houston, Texas, Eisenhower HS).

Phelps rushed for 411 yards and six scores on just 34 carries (12.1 avg.), while Sanders averaged 12.3 yards over 31 carries for 382 yards and two TDs.  Perry picked up 406 yards and three touchdowns.  All three are first-time picks.

Deegan was instrumental in the blocking scheme, but got more into the passing game late in the season, recording four receptions for 100 yards and two scores.  Deegan takes home his second all-league honor.

Stewart and Smith were major cogs in Penn’s tremendous rushing success.  Both finish their collegiate years with their first all-MWL recognition.

Defensively, tackles Jamal Zollicoffer (Sr., Plymouth, Wayzata HS) and Jordi Vernor (Jr., Ripley, Miss., Northeast Mississippi CC), defensive end Reggie Franco (Sr., Salt Lake City, Utah, Skyline HS), linebacker Sean Colemon (Jr., Burlington, Burlington HS), cornerback Terrance Harper (Sr., Miami, Fla., Edgewater HS), and safety Jacob Batterson (Fr., Eddyville, Eddyville-Blakesburg HS) were also tabbed as honorable-mentions.

Harper picks up his third career honor, while Zollicoffer is a two-time winner and the remaining four are all first-time recipients.

Zollicoffer had 30 tackles (five for loss) with one sack and one fumble recovery.  Vernor posted 31 stops (five for loss) with 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one pass breakup.

Franco ended the year with 25 tackles (6.5 for loss), a team-high 4.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles.  Colemon recorded 44 stops (three for loss) in addition to one fumble recovery and one pass breakup.

Harper concluded 2010 with 26 stops (three for loss), two interceptions, three pass breakups, one blocked kick, and the team’s lone safety.

Batterson finished a memorable freshman year with 35 stops (two for loss), a team-high four interceptions,  two pass breakups, and one fumble recovery.

Wade Steinlage