BEVERLY, Mass. — Four members of the Endicott football program have earned D3football.com All-Region I honors, as announced by the organization on Wednesday.
Tim Russell (Stoneham, Mass.) highlighted the group with All-Region I First Team accolades.
Russell is only one of three student-athletes in program history to receive D3football.com All-Region First Team honors joining Nick DiCairano '20 (Trumbull, Conn.) and Dylan Rushe '14 (Palos Verdes, Calif.) on the list. DiCairano earned the distinction in 2018, while Rushe received the award twice, in 2010 and 2011.
Additionally, Russell is the only linebacker in program history to garner D3football.com All-Region honors.
Rounding out this year's award winners for the Gulls were Shane Aylward (Tewksbury, Mass.), Sam Opont (Bridgeport, Conn.), and Colin Meropoulos (Monroe, Conn.). Aylward and Opont were both selected to the Second Team, while Meropoulos earned a spot on the Third Team.
The Gulls' four selections also tied the program record for the most honorees in a single season (2010, 2019).
Student-athletes were nominated by the Sports Information Directors (SIDs) at their various schools. In total, 1,036 student-athletes were nominated for the 17th installment of D3football.com's All-Region teams.
All-Region teams were selected in balloting by SIDs in each region and D3football.com staff.
All student-athletes nominated for All-Region are eligible to be considered for the D3football.com All-America Team. The 2021 D3football.com All-America team will be announced Friday, December 17, at the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.
TIM RUSSELL | SR. | LINEBACKER
The 2021 Commonwealth Coast Football (CCC Football) Defensive Player of the Year compiled 94 tackles (45 solo, 49 assisted, 12.5 tackles for loss), 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, four interceptions (one pick-six), and four pass breakups in 11 games played.
Russell's CCC Football ranks include: solo tackles (3rd), assisted tackles (2nd), tackles (1st), tackles per game (8.5, 3rd), sacks (13th), sack yards (23, 7th), interceptions (2nd), returned for touchdown(s) (1st), fumble recoveries (9th).
Nationally, Russell ranks No. 75 in total tackles, No. 83 in interceptions per game, No. 129 in tackles for loss, and No. 190 in solo tackles.
This is Russell's second career All-Region honor (NEFWA All-Region Release), both of which have come this season.
SHANE AYLWARD | SO. | WIDE RECEIVER
Aylward notched 65 receptions for 712 yards and five touchdowns in his debut season (11 games played).
For his efforts, Aylward was named the CCC Football Offensive Rookie of the Year earlier this season. He is just the third student-athlete in program history to earn award joining Ryan Mrozek (offensive lineman) and Endicott Hall of Fame running back Michael Lane '12 on the list.
Aylward also is the first wide receiver in the conference to haul in Offensive Rookie of the Year honors since 2016 (all running backs selected between then and now).
His overall conference ranks include: receptions (1st), yards (4th), yards per game (5th, 64.7), yards per catch (8th, 11.0), touchdowns (6th). Meanwhile, his conference-only games rank as follows: receptions (1st, 42), yards (3rd, 424), yards per game (3rd, 70.7), yards per catch (11th, 10.1), touchdowns (9th, 2).
Nationally, Aylward is No. 71 in receptions per game (5.6) and No. 126 in receiving yards.
This is Aylward's first career All-Region award. He is only the third wide receiver in program history to be named to a D3football.com All-Region team, joining Nate Lewis '15 (Acushnet, Mass.) and Alec Matys '16 M'17 (Woburn, Mass.).
SAM OPONT | SR. | DEFENSIVE TACKLE
A two-time All-Region and four-time All-Conference honoree (three 1st Team, one 2nd Team), Opont tallied 74 tackles (18 solo, 56 assisted, 6.7 per game, 6.5 tackles for a loss), 2.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries, and one pass breakup in 11 games.
He ranks first overall in the league in assisted tackles and fumble recoveries (8th nationally).
Opont's play at the nose guard position also aided Endicott in ranking second in conference-only games in points allowed (106), points per game (17.7), and first in tackles (76.3).
Lastly, Opont is just the second defensive lineman in program history to earn four All-Conference honors and one of two defensive linemen to claim at least three All-Conference First Team selections.
COLIN MEROPOULOS | SO. | DEFENSIVE END
In 11 games played, Meropoulos registered 50.0 tackles (23 solo, 27 assisted, 4.5 per game, 15.5 tackles for a loss), a league-best 14 sacks (90 sack yards, 1st in league), one forced fumble, and seven quarterback hurries.
For his efforts, Meropoulos earned CCC Football Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He is only the fifth student-athlete in program history to receive the award joining Jesse Simoni '20 M'22, William Rivera '19, Craig Anderson '17, and Endicott Hall of Fame defensive lineman Kevin Eagan '12 on the list.
Meanwhile, among his fellow NCAA Division III peers, Meropoulos currently ranks fifth overall in sacks and No. 45 in tackles for a loss.
Meropoulos' debut season also was one for the record books as the defensive lineman's 14 sacks are a single season program record. His 15.5 tackles for a loss rank fourth all-time in a single season, while his 4.5 sacks against the University of New England on October 30, 2021, rank first all-time in a single game (4.5 tackles for a loss second all-time).
This is Meropoulos' first career All-Region award.
YEAR IN REVIEW
Endicott posted an 8-3 overall record and 5-1 mark in league play en route to winning the 2021 CCC Football Championship with a dominant 37-3 victory over Nichols on Saturday, November 13.
From there, the Gulls played No. 18/20 nationally ranked RPI in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, November 20, but, ultimately, fell to the Engineers, 20-14, in a hard-fought matchup at Hempstead Stadium.
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(Photo Credit - Tatiana Carbonel '22)
