Archive | December 2013

Two Bearkats Earned All-America Squad

Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information

Torrance Williams is a first team selection and Bookie Sneed a third team honoree for the Sam Houston football team on the Sports Network FCS All-America list, the first major post-season honor squad announced for the 2013 football season.

Williams, a senior from Waco Connally, is the Sport Network’s first team All-America punt return specialist.

Williams led the Southland Conference and ranked No. 2 nationally in punt returns this season.

He broke the Sam Houston single season punt return yardage school record with 29 returns for 464 yards.

He also set a single game school mark with five returns for 138 yards in SHSU’s victory over Lamar.

Williams completed his Bearkat career ranked No. 5 in Sam Houston career punt return yardage with 31 returns for 487 yards.

The senior led Sam Houston with 1,546 all-purpose yards this year.

Sneed, a senior cornerback from Conroe, was a third team All-America defensive back in the Sports Network listing.

He totaled 66 tackles in the secondary for the Bearkats and led the team with 13 pass break-ups. Sneed was a first team All-Southland Conference selection, his third year in a row to earn All-Southland honors.

Sam Houston is one of only three teams in FCS football to earn berths in the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs each of the past three seasons.

2013 The Sports Network All-America Team

First Team – Offense
QB – Jimmy Garoppolo, Eastern Illinois, Sr., 6-3, 222
RB – Terrance West, Towson, Jr., 5-11, 223; Zach Zenner, South Dakota State, Jr., 6-0, 220
FB – Andrew Grothmann, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 232
WR – Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington, Fr., 6-2, 195; Lee Kurfis, Lehigh, Sr., 6-2, 190; Erik Lora, Eastern Illinois, Sr., 5-11, 190
TE – MyCole Pruitt, Southern Illinois, Jr., 6-3, 260
OL – Dakota Dozier, Furman, Sr., 6-4, 291; Eric Pike, Towson, Sr., 6-5, 298; Collin Seibert, Eastern Illinois, Jr., 6-4, 277; Billy Turner, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-6, 314; Bryan Witzmann, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-7, 305
AP – Fabian Truss, Samford, Sr., 5-9, 185
PK – Tyler Sievertsen, Northern Iowa, Sr., 6-2, 185
KR – Xavier Roberson, Southeastern Louisiana, So., 5-9, 170

First Team – Defense
DE – Brad Daly, Montana State, Sr., 6-1, 240; Terrence Fede, Marist, Sr., 6-5, 270
DT – Sullivan Grosz, Cal Poly, Sr., 6-4, 295; Caraun Reid, Princeton, Sr., 6-2, 305
LB – Stephon Robertson, James Madison, Sr., 5-11, 230; Justin Shade, Samford, Sr., 5-10, 229; Joe Thomas, South Carolina State, Sr., 6-0, 230; Lynden Trail, Norfolk State, Jr., 6-7, 260
CB – Kendall James, Maine, Sr., 6-0, 214; Marcus Williams, North Dakota State, Sr., 5-11, 194
S – Jerome Couplin III, William & Mary, Sr., 6-2, 215; Caleb Schaffitzel, Missouri State, Jr., 6-0, 214
P – Chad Zinchini, Tennessee Tech, Sr., 6-3, 220
LS – Richard Wright, Liberty, Sr., 6-1, 260
PR – Torrance Williams, Sam Houston State – Sr., 5-8, 170

Second Team – Offense
QB – Vernon Adams, Eastern Washington, So., 6-0, 190
RB – Kyle Harbridge, St. Francis (Pa.), Sr., 5-10, 195; DaMarcus James, Jacksonville State, Jr., 5-10, 220; Lorenzo Taliaferro, Coastal Carolina, Sr., 6-2, 230
FB – Emmanuel Holder, Towson, So., 5-11, 255; Darien Robinson, The Citadel, Sr., 6-0, 220
WR – Sam Ajala, Fordham, Jr., 6-0, 194; Jeremy Butler, UT Martin, Sr., 6-3, 205; Lee Doss, Southern, Sr., 6-2, 180
TE – Justin Perillo, Maine, Sr., 6-4, 240
OL – Arinze Agada, McNeese State, Sr., 6-1, 286; Tristan Bellamy, South Carolina State, Sr., 6-3, 290; Matt Crisaki, William & Mary, Sr., 6-4, 302; A.J. Dalton, Robert Morris, Sr., 6-4, 280; Mason Halter, Fordham, Jr., 6-6, 282
AP – Rob Hollomon, Central Connecticut State, Jr., 5-8, 170
PK – Griffin Thomas, Jacksonville State, Sr., 6-0, 198
KR – Adrian Wilkins, North Carolina Central, So., 5-8, 170

Second Team – Defense
DE – Zach Hodges, Harvard, Jr., 6-3, 235; Shaquille Riddick, Gardner-Webb, Jr., 6-7, 240; Davis Tull, UT-Chattanooga, Jr., 6-3, 240
DT – Zach Kerr, Delaware, Sr., 6-2, 310; Troy Moore, Sacred Heart, Jr., 6-3, 285
LB – Quinn Backus, Coastal Carolina, Sr., 5-10, 215; Todd Davis, Sacramento State, Sr., 6-1, 250; Tyler Starr, South Dakota, Sr., 6-4, 235; Jordan Tripp, Montana, Sr., 6-4, 237
CB – T.J. Lee III, Eastern Washington, Sr., 5-9, 190; Jordan Love, Towson, Sr., 6-1, 180
S – Daniel Fitzpatrick, Tennessee State, Jr., 6-2, 210; Jaquiski Tartt, Samford, Jr., 6-1, 218
P – Kyle Loomis, Portland State, Jr., 6-2, 210
LS – Chris Highland, Illinois State, Jr., 6-2, 215
PR – Tavoris Doss, Alcorn State, Sr., 5-8, 165

Third Team – Offense
QB – Michael Nebrich, Fordham, Jr., 6-1, 205
RB – D.J. Adams, Portland State, Sr., 5-10, 210; Keshaudas Spence, Sacred Heart, Jr., 5-10, 230; Marcus Wiltz, McNeese State, Sr., 5-9, 192
FB – Kurt Odom, Campbell, Sr., 6-1, 215
WR – Kenny Cook, Gardner-Webb, Jr., 6-4, 210; Adam Drake, Eastern Illinois, Jr., 6-2, 199; Roman Wilson, Princeton, Sr., 5-11, 190
TE – Jeff LePak, Eastern Illinois, Jr., 6-6, 222
OL – Dorian Byrd, Georgia Southern, Sr., 6-1, 265; Phede Celestin, Marist, Sr., 6-4, 318; Jamey Cheatwood, Coastal Carolina, Sr., 6-5, 330; Kadeem Edwards, Tennessee State, Sr., 6-4, 290; Chris Elkins, Youngstown State, Sr., 6-4, 290; Danny Kistler, Montana, Sr., 6-8, 315; Mitchell Van Dyk, Portland State, Sr., 6-9, 290
AP – Greg Hardin, North Dakota, Sr., 5-11, 177
PK – Colton Cook, Southern Utah, Sr., 5-8, 185
KR – Shawn Johnson, Montana State, Jr., 5-9, 175

Third Team – Defense
DE – Anthony Bass, Tennessee State, Jr., 6-2, 230; Jesse Dickson, Lamar, Sr., 6-3, 265; Colton Underwood, Illinois State, Sr., 6-4, 255
DT – Robert Simpson, Mississippi Valley State, Sr., 6-3, 267; Tracey Smith, Bucknell, Sr., 6-1, 265
LB – Telvion Clark, Towson, Sr., 6-1, 230; Jarkevis Fields, Bethune-Cookman, Sr., 6-0, 230; Stephen Hodge, Jr., 6-0, 202; Cqulin Hubert, Southeastern Louisiana, Sr., 6-1, 250; Christian Kuntz, Duquesne, So., 6-2, 210
DB – Guy Morgan, McNeese State, Sr., 6-0, 188; Winston Wright, South Dakota State, Sr., 5-10, 190 , Colten Heagle, North Dakota State, Jr., 5-11, 202; Bookie Snead, Sam Houston State, Sr., 6-0, 180
P – Bentlee Critcher, Appalachian State, Fr., 6-1, 175; Bobby Wenzig, Alabama State, Sr., 6-2, 180
LS – Phil Faccone, Wagner, Jr., 5-9, 195; Chris Maikranz, Lamar, Sr., 6-6, 255
PR – Antwan Eddie, Robert Morris, Jr., 5-10, 180