HANCOCK FOOTBALL WELL REPRESENTED ON ALL-WESTERN STATE CONFERENCE TEAMS
SANTA MARIA-- In a year which many team records were broken, the Allan Hancock College football team earned first team honors for eight players on the All-Western State Conference Northern Division Team.
Hancock (7-4, 5-2 WSC North) was led on the first team offense by unanimous selection Drew Williams (So, RB, Queens, NY). Williams suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the game eight loss to Canyons, but still had the stats to impress Northern Division coaches. He finished first in the division's overall voting with 972 rushing yards on 132 carries, for an average of 7.4 yards per carry. With 15 touchdowns, Williams was the leading scorer in the entire conference.
Much of the success of the Hancock running game has to be attributed to the offensive line. Chase Rivera (So., Arroyo Grande HS) and Luke Conley (Fr., Righetti HS) were the two offensive lineman to make the first team. Center Clayton Rios (Fr., Righetti) and lineman Joe Parker (So., Bronx, NY) made the second team and Eric Murchison (So., Righetti), who returned to the team after missing last season with a major knee injury, received honoable mention.
Williams had no fewer than five backfield mates earn recognition as well. Anthony Melton (So., Delano, CA) missed four games this season to injury, but was still able to rush for 560 yards and a 6.8 average with seven touchdowns, which was good enough for second team honors. Fullback Andrew Hirsch (Fr., Arroyo Grande HS) also was named to the second team for his blocking and an 8.0-yard rushing average. Freshmen tailbacks Shaun Stewart (Queens, NY) and Corey Stollmeyer (Morro Bay HS) joined quarterback Jonathan Dally (Righetti HS) on the offensive honorable mention list.
Two additional Bulldog sophomores gained first team status on the offense. Tight end Matt Simms (Lompoc HS) had only 12 receptions and two touchdowns, but was an effective blocker in the record-breaking running game and place-kicker Victor Velasco (Santa Maria HS), who was the top scoring kicker in the conference. Wide receiver Derek Sedin (So., Righetti) was the leading receiver for AHC with 33 receptions and seven touchdowns and received honorable mention.
Defensively, Hancock had three first teamers. Jonathon Tuua (Fr. Long Beach, CA) with 35 tackles, six for losses and five sacks was joined by linebacker Luke Deras (So., Righetti), who finished as the Bulldogs' leading tackler with 78 stops and also had three pass inteceptions. Billy Vinnedge (So., Arroyo Grande) averaged 40.4 yards per punt to earn first team honors for the second consecutive year.
Defensive lineman Elisee Pompulus (So., Bronx, NY) with 37 tackles, nine for a loss and 4.5 sacks, Rick Aguilar (So., Lompoc), who missed several games to a knee injury, but finished with 44 tackles and defensive back Donald White (So., Lompoc) with three interceptions were all named to the second team. Earning to defensive honorable mention were Matt Leyden (So., Santa Maria) and Lafe Viker (So., Righetti).
QB Marcel Marquez (Canyons) was named the Player of the Division, while Jeff Chudy (Bakersfield) earned divisional Coach of the Year honors.