SCHENECTADY, NY -- Seven members of the Union College football team were named to the 2009 Liberty League First Team All Star Team on November 17. Senior offensive lineman Tim Furcillo and senior linebacker John Peters were unanimous first team selections, and they were joined on the first team by RB Chris Coney, WR Justin Gallo, OL Colin Berry, DB Cam Johnson and P Blaise Ancona.
Second team honors went to FB Kyle Holmes, DL Charles Hovsepian and DL Tim Romano, while honorable mention honors were awarded to OL Dom Centurioni, QB Andrew Connolly, WR Jared Gourrier, OL Mark Herrington, DL Sean Conerly, LB Steve Modliszewski, DB JP Sticco and K Zach Epley.
Furcillo was moved to center after playing tackle for Union. He has started for three seasons. Through the first nine games, the offensive line that includes Furcillo, Berry, Centurioni and Herrington had allowed just nine sacks this season, the only team to allow less than 10 sacks in the league and a #28 ranking nationally.
Peters has 117 tackles and 6.5 tackles for losses this season. He is a four time Liberty League Defensive Performer of the Week. He has led the league in tackles all season. He is the first Union player to reach 100 tackles in a season since 1996. He is third all-time at Union for single season tackles and is 18th in NCAA Div. III this year. Peters was named to the CoSIDA ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District First Team, and is eligible for All-American honors. He tied his own school record this year with 22 tackles in a game vs. Rochester. He has seven games with double figure tackles, including 15 vs. Susquehanna and 14 at Muhlenberg.
Coney has 1164 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2009. He has six games of 100+ rushing yards this year, and 13 in his career. He was a three time league offensive performer of the week. He has 15 rushing touchdowns and became only the second player ever at Union to post two 1,000 yard rushing seasons. Coney is fourth in career yards and is sixth in single season rushing yards. His season high was 160 yards vs. Susquehanna. He had 155 vs. Ithaca and 153 vs. WPI. He had three rushing TDs vs. RPI. Coney has won two Liberty League weekly honors this season. He ranks 20th in NCAA Div. III in rushing. In the Liberty League, Coney is first in scoring, scoring TDs, and rushing TDs, along with third in all purpose and third in rushing.
Gallo has 809 yards and seven touchdowns this fall. He has the fourth most receiving yards in a season at Union and is only the fourth all time with 800 yards in a season. He is tied for fourth with eight touchdowns in a season. Gallo leads the league in receiving yards per game, and is fifth in receptions per game, eighth in scoring (TDs) and 10th in all purpose yards. He is first in yards per catch, and reception TDs. Gallo won a Liberty League Offensive weekly award. He had a career best 246 yards with three TDs vs. Hobart. He had 146 vs. Rochester and 101 vs. St. Lawrence.
Johnson has 57 tackles, 5.5 for losses, two interceptions and four pass delfections. He has started all season at safety. He had a 56 yard interception return vs. Salisbury. He had nine tackles and a 10 yard sack vs. Hobart, and also nine tackles vs. St. Lawrence. He posted seven tackles each against Muhlenberg and RPI.
Ancona is averaging 39.2 yards on 40 punts. He is 24th nationally in punting and leads the Liberty League in punting. He placed three punts inside the 20 in games vs. Muhlenberg and vs. St. Lawrence. He averaged 41.7 yards a punt on six punts vs. WPI, and averaged 43.3 vs. Ithaca. Ancona has four games with an average per punt of 41.7 or better.
Holmes has 175 yards and an average of 4.5 per carry. He rushed for a career best 114 yards with a touchdown at Merchant Marine. It was his first career 100 yard rushing game. Holmes has started throughout the season.
Hovesepian has 25 tackles, 6.5 for losses and three sacks. He has been a three year starter at defensive end. He is considered to be one of the best pass rushers in the league. He often draws double team assignments from the opposing offensive line. Romano has 46 tackles, including 8.5 for losses, and six sacks. He has become a solid starter for his final two seasons. He had a season best 11 tackles vs. WPI, including three tackles for losses of 17 yards and 1.5 sacks for 12 yards. Romano followed that game up with 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks vs. Hobart. He had four solo hits in each of those games.
Connolly has tossed for 1,856 yards and nine touchdowns. Gourrier has 32 receptions for 407 yards while Conerly has recorded 26 tackles including two for losses. Modliszewski has 80 tackles, with 2.5 for losses and two forced fumbles, and Sticco has 29 tackles and seven pass deflections.
Union, 7-3, hosts Hartwick, 5-4, Saturday at 1 p.m. at Frank Bailey Field in the ECAC North Atlantic Bowl.