FAIRMONT — The West Virginia Conference announced its 2009 all-conference football team Tuesday and Fairmont State’s Nate Black, Luke Black and Dewey McDonald all earned first-team honors from the league.
Three other Falcons, Zack Page, Stephan Johnson and Kyle Knight, were named to the second-team unit, while Doug Brazill, Greg Underwood and Drew Rossignol all received honorable mention on the squad.
Senior linebacker Nate Black, a first team All-WVC selection last year, led the Falcons with 95 total tackles this fall, including 56 solo tackles. He also added 13 tackles for a losses and three sacks. He intercepted one pass, forced a fumble and recorded a safety.
His brother, sophomore defensive end Luke Black, moved up from last year’s second team to the first unit this fall. He recorded 43 total tackles, including eight for losses and three sacks. He also forced a pair of fumbles.
McDonald, a true freshman from Jefferson High School, enjoyed a standout first college season. He was among both the conference and national leaders in interceptions per game. He finished with five picks and his 161 return yards on those interceptions established a new school record. McDonald also scored a TD on an interception return and recorded 36 tackles, including 28 solo stops. He also recovered one fumble and forced three.
Page, who set new single-season school records for kickoff returns (43) and kickoff return yardage (1,221) and finished ninth in the nation during the regular season with an average of 28.4 yards per return, was named to the second-team, All-WVC squad for the second straight year. The junior returned two kickoffs this fall for touchdown. As a unit, the Falcons had the second-ranked kick return unit in the country in Division II.
Johnson, a junior tight end, earned conference honors for the first time in his career being named to the second team on offense. Johnson led Fairmont State with four touchdown receptions. On the year, he had 12 catches for 237 yards.
Knight, a senior, closes out his career with second-team honors as an offensive tackle. Knight had twice earned honorable mention honors earlier in his career.
Brazill, an All-WVC honorable mention honoree in 2007, again was named honorable mention in 2009. The junior running back anchored a balanced FSU rushing attack with 664 yards and seven touchdowns on 140 carries. Brazill ranks among the top 10 rushers in FSU history heading into his senior season.
For the second-straight season, Underwood, a sophomore safety, earned honorable mention honors. Underwood finished tied for second on the team in total tackles with 68. He had 49 solo tackles and eight tackles for losses. He also was second on the team in interceptions with three.
Rossignol, a senior, earns conference recognition for the first time in his career as an honorable mention selection. The cornerback started all 11 games and had 28 tackles on the year. He also recovered two fumbles, taking one back for his first career touchdown.
West Virginia natives swept the top WVC football honors for the first time since 1986. The league’s coaches named West Liberty standout junior quarterback Zach Amedro and West Virginia State’s senior linebacker Andrew Eggleton as the conference’s 2009 Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.
Amedro, a former standout at John Marshall High School, established an NCAA Division II mark with 11 consecutive 300-yard passing games. He leads the country with 41 touchdown passes, ranks second in passing offense (367.3 ypg) and is third in total offense (367.4 ypg). He’s only the fourth player in D-II history to pass for over 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns in a single season.
Eggleton, a senior from St. Albans, led the WVC with 109 tackles. He had six games of 10 tackles or more, forced three fumbles, recovered three fumbles and had one interception.
West Liberty’s Roger Waialae was honored by his peers as the conference’s Coach of the Year after guiding the Toppers to a 10-1 regular season mark and the conference championship with a perfect 8-0 league record.
West Liberty made the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the first time in school history this fall. The Hilltoppers are the top seed in Super Region I and will have a first-round bye this weekend. West Liberty is currently ranked ninth in the country.
Duane Cochrane
Three Falcons named first-team All-WVC
- Duane Cochrane
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Falling short: SLIDESHOW
For Fairmont State’s men’s basketball team, the story this season has been an all-too familiar one.
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Lady Falcons top State, extend streak: SLIDESHOW
Kaitlin Snyder and Hailey Garrett combined for 43 points to help lead Fairmont State’s Lady Falcons to their third consecutive victory, 87-78, here Monday evening over visiting West Virginia State at the Joe Retton Arena.
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Lady Falcons halt UPJ’s winning ways: PHOTOS
One of the hottest teams in the West Virginia Conference paid a visit to the Joe Retton Arena on Wednesday evening and received a rude welcoming from Fairmont State’s Lady Falcons.
Pitt-Johnstown, winners of three in a row and eight of its last 10, got thoroughly dominated for 32 of the game’s 40 minutes as FSU halted the Lady Mountain Cats’ winning ways with an 88-66 victory. -
UPJ wins thriller over Falcons, 92-87
It was an electric atmosphere here Wednesday evening at the Joe Retton Arena.
Unfortunately, Fairmont State University’s men’s basketball team ran out of juice in the waning minutes and fell, 92-87, to visiting Pitt-Johnstown. -
Glenville completes season sweep of Falcons
Glenville State can make a living playing Fairmont State this season in men’s basketball.
That’s because half of the lowly Pioneers’ four victories this season have come at the expense of the Falcons.
Thursday evening here at the Jesse R. Lilly Gymnasium, Glenville State completed the regular-season sweep of Fairmont State, rolling to an impressive 80-59 victory over the floundering Falcons. -
Streaking Lady Pioneers hold off late FSU rally
Glenville State, the second-place team in the West Virginia Conference, shook off a horrid shooting performance in the first half, caught fire from the field in the final 20 minutes and rolled to a 92-78 victory over visiting Fairmont State here Thursday evening at the Jesse R. Lilly Gymnasium.
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Garrett, Lohr lead Lady Falcons past A-B: PHOTOS
Fairmont State possesses two of the more talented true freshmen in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference this season in Hailey Garrett and Emily Lohr.
Saturday afternoon at the Joe Retton Arena that duo combined for 36 points and nine rebounds to help lead FSU to 66-56 victory over visiting Alderson-Broaddus. -
Battlers top Fairmont State for 13th straight win
Despite heroic efforts from its dynamic duo of Steve Custis and Isaac Thornton, Fairmont State University’s men’s basketball team couldn’t derail red-hot Alderson-Broaddus here Saturday afternoon at the Joe Retton Arena.
The streaking Battlers posted an 81-70 victory over the Falcons for their 13th straight win. -
FSU gets much-needed win over Rams
Chris Thompson was perfect.
Steve Custis and Isaac Thornton were their usual selfs and Mike Hurd stepped up big time off the bench.
As a result, Fairmont State University’s men’s basketball team snapped a two-game losing streak and got a much-needed, 80-66, victory over visiting Shepherd University Wednesday evening here at the Joe Retton Arena. -
Lady Pioneers hold off late FSU rally: PHOTOS
Glenville State senior guard Beth Deren buried a trio of 3-point field goals in a span of less than a minute late in the second half to help the Lady Pioneers hold off a fierce Fairmont State rally and record an 88-80 victory here Saturday afternoon at the Joe Retton Arena.
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