Posted: Nov 10, 2011
BEVERLY, Mass. – NEFC Boyd Division Defensive Player of the Year Kevin Eagan (West Hartford, Conn.) and Offensive Player of the Year Phil Konopka (Shelton, Conn.) highlight the record-breaking fourteen Gulls that were selected to the All-Division Teams as announced by NEFC Publicity Director Roger Crosley.
The NEFC All-Division Teams were voted upon by the league’s head coaches.
Eagan, a senior defensive end who was a one-time NEFC Boyd Defensive Player of the Week this season, earns his second consecutive DPOY award in his stellar four-year career. Eagan, also a NEFC Boyd Rookie of the Year winner back in 2008, was named a First Team Defensive Lineman for the fourth straight season. Statistically, Eagan leads the conference in tackles for a loss (21.0) and is in the top five for total tackles (94), sacks (7.5), and fumble recoveries (3). His 21.0 tackles for a loss are a career-high while 94 tackles are five shy of his career-best of 99 set during his rookie season.
Konopka, a senior quarterback with a NEFC Boyd Offensive Player of the Week and Gold Helmet Award under his belt this season, shattered all of Endicott’s passing records in 2011 en route to claiming OPOY honors. Konopka broke records in passing yards (2450), touchdown passes (25), completion percentage (66.2), and passing yards per game (240.5) to lead all conference quarterbacks. The senior signal caller also turned some memorable single game performances including his five touchdown performance against Curry on October 1st and 407 yards passing on 38-of-54 against Western New England in the snow on October 29th. This season marks the second in-a-row that Konopka has been named a First Team Quarterback.
Joining Eagan on First Team Defensive Line for the Boyd Division is senior Andrew Zani (Winchester, Mass.) who earns his first all-division award. Zani has made 38 tackles thus far this season, 18 of which were solo and 5.5 which went for a loss of yardage. Zani has three sacks for a loss of 40 yards and has also recorded a forced fumble and recovery.
Defensive backs Bill Hickey (Walpole, Mass.) and Jason Silva (Maynard, Mass.) were also named to the Boyd Division First Team. Hickey, a two-time First Team Defensive Back, has made four interceptions and broke up four passes on coverage. The senior also has 22 solo tackles and eight assisted takedowns. Silva, who early in the season was the nation’s leader in interceptions, finished the 2011 regular season tied for first in the conference with six picks. The sophomore also ranks among the league leaders in passes defended with 11 and five break ups. Silva earns his first all-division recognition in just his second season with the Gulls.
Linebacker Peter Kallas (Beverly, Mass.) wraps up Endicott’s Boyd Division First Team defenders as the junior claims his first NEFC postseason accolade. Kallas is second on the Gulls with 60 tackles, 7.5 of which were for a loss of yards. Kallas has one sack this season, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a pass break up.
Boyd Division First Team Offense skill player winners included Konopka, senior running back Mike Lane (Medfield, Mass.), senior tight end Taylor Allen (Westboro, Mass.), sophomore wide receiver Mike Murphy (Chelmsford, Mass.) and sophomore placekicker Dylan Rushe (Palos Verdes, Calif.) Senior Nick Molinari (Staten Island, N.Y.), a three-time First Team honoree, led a Gulls offensive line that averaged 204.6 rushing yards per game, a 4.8 yards per carry clip, while allowing just nine sacks in 10 games was named First Team Guard.
Lane caps off his Endicott career with his third straight First Team Running Back award to go along with Co-Offensive Rookie of the Year honors back in 2008. Through 10 games this season, Lane set Endicott single season records in rushing yards (1424), yards per game (142.4), and touchdowns (12) as well as single game marks in rushing yards with 226 against Westfield State on September 10th and touchdowns with four against Plymouth State on October 15th. After a 78-yard rushing performance against Framingham State in week one, Lane has rattled off nine straight games with at least 100 yards and a touchdown. He also had 15 catches out of the backfield for 202 yards and one touchdown.
Allen, among Endicott’s leaders in receptions (30), receiving yards (391) and touchdown catches (5), earns his third Boyd Division First Team Tight End award. Allen, nearly an every down player, was a critical piece of Endicott’s blocking scheme while serving as the team’s long snapper as well.
Murphy averaged 4.0 receptions and 84.3 receiving yards per game for the Blue and Green this season while catching six touchdown passes from Konopka. Three times this fall Murphy had over 100 yards receiving including a record shattering 202-yard performance against Curry on October 1st.
Endicott’s final Boyd Division First Team representative is Rushe, a sophomore placekicker who leads NEFC kickers in scoring (96 points) and field goals per game (1.6). Rushe hit 16-of-23 field goal attempts, including season and career-high of 55 yards against Curry on October 15th. The sophomore was 7-of-11 inside the 30, 5-7 inside the 40, 3-of-3 inside the 50 and 1-of-2 from 50+. Rushe also made 48 of his 50 PAT attempts. On kickoffs, Rushe averaged 53.8 yards on 68 attempts with seven touchbacks. Rushe is now a two-time Boyd Division First Team Placekicker honoree.
Endicott also had three players recognized as Boyd Division Second Team players, two on offense and one on defense.
Senior tackle Sean Gaffney (Worcester, Mass.) makes his second career appearance on the Boyd Division Second Team list. Gaffney, one of Endicott’s six senior captains, played in all 10 games thus far this season for the Gulls nationally-ranked offense.
In his final season for the Gulls, senior wide receiver Ryan Carino (Stratford, Conn.) earned Second Team honors after recording 422 receiving yards and a career-high nine touchdowns through 10 games. Carino has three mult-touchdown games this season.
Endicott’s final Boyd Division Second Team selection is junior linebacker Craig Lussier (Dracut, Mass.) who earns his first conference accolade. Lussier has 48 tackles, 20 solo and 3.0 for a loss this season. He has 1.5 sacks and five pass break ups for the Gulls.
