Three Footballers on Patriot All-Academic
By John Painter
(Hamilton, NY – Nov. 26, 2014) Colgate landed three members on the 14-man Football Academic All-Patriot League team announced Wednesday.
Ben Andersen, Jonah Bowman and Spencer Wallach were all first-time selections to the team, which honors student-athletes who excel both on and off the field. The 14-player group equals one-half the size of the All-Patriot League First Team squad that was announced Tuesday.
Andersen and Bowman were selected earlier this month to the Capital One Academic All-District 1 team, and Bowman was a member of the All-Patriot League First Team. Wallach served as team captain this season and was a leader for the Colgate offensive line.
Andersen played in all 12 games this season, with two starts on the defensive front. Thejunior economics major posted 12 tackles (four solo), including a sack for minus-2 yards. His best tackle game was four in the 19-0 shutout of Georgetown.
In addition to his Academic All-District selection, Andersen is a two-time member of both the Patriot League and Colgate Raider academic honor rolls.
Success On and Off
Bowman set Colgate season records this year for field goals made (14), field-goal percentage (87.5), consecutive field goals made (nine) and games with at least three field goals made (two). He finished 14-of-16 in field goals and 27-of-28 in PATs to score 69 points. The sophomore led the Patriot League in field goal percentage and was second in both field goals per game (1.17) and kick scoring (5.8).
In addition to his Academic All-District selection, Bowman last year was a member of both the Patriot League and Colgate Raider academic honor rolls.
Wallach started all 12 games this year at center and finished his career with 24 consecutive starts. He guided the Colgate offensive line that paved the way for the Raiders to lead the Patriot League in rushing at 181.0.
The educational studies major had made the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll once and the Colgate Raider Academic Honor Roll three times.
Eight Raiders Earn All-Patriot League
By John Painter
(Hamilton, NY – Nov. 25, 2014) Eight Colgate football players were named to the All-Patriot League teams announced Tuesday. The Raiders landed three on the first team and five on the second in voting by the league coaches.
First-team honors went to Ed Pavalko at fullback for the third consecutive season and Mike Armiento at defensive back for the second straight year. Placekicker Jonah Bowman was Colgate’s other member of the first team.
Second-team representatives were linebacker Kris Kent for the second straight year, along with linebacker Kyle Diener, return specialist John Maddaluna III, tight end John Quazza and defensive lineman Victor Steffen.
Pavalko returned from a knee injury suffered at the end of the 2013 season to play in all 12 games. The four-year starter and Girardsville, Pennsylvania, native helped pave the way for the Patriot League’s top rushing attack at 181 yards per game.
He also served as a 2014 team captain.
Interception History
Armiento capped his career as one of the top defensive backs in Colgate and Patriot League history. He led the Raiders in interceptions for the third straight year, posting four for 84 return yards. His 16 career interceptions tied for second-most in Colgate history and are second alone in the Patriot League records book.
The Sunrise, Florida, product finished second on the team with 88 tackles (51 solo), giving him 282 for his career. Armiento was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week for his performance at Albany, when he posted a career-high 15 tackles.
Colgate’s team captain added seven pass breakups this season for a four-year total of 32. He finished this season second among active FCS leaders in both interceptions and passes defended.
Bowman set Colgate records this year for field goals made, field-goal percentage and consecutive field goals made in a season. The Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, sophomore made 14-of-16 field goals and 27-of-28 PATs to lead the team with 69 points.
Twice in September he was named Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Week. His 4-of-4 field goal performance at Delaware also earned him ECAC Special Teams honors as well as National Placekicker of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards.
Bowman also was named to the Capital One Academic All-District 1 team, and he’s in the running for both Academic All-America and Academic All-Patriot League.
Captain and TFL Leader
Kent tallied 84 tackles this season and 279 for his career. The Nazareth, Pennsylvania, native led the Raiders for the second straight year in tackles for loss, posting 12 for minus-52 yards. Kent, who was a team captain, also led the team in sacks with 5½ for minus-26.
Diener finished as Colgate’s season tackles leader with 89, and he was third in interceptions with three. The Boca Raton, Florida, sophomore was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week for his effort Saturday at Bucknell. In that game, Diener tied for team honors with seven tackles and added a sack, fumble recovery and interception.
Steffen blocked two punts in Colgate’s 19-0 win over Georgetown – one that resulted in a safety and another that was returned for a touchdown. He was named The Sports Network’s FCS Special Teams Player of the Week and also recognized by the ECAC and Patriot League. For the year, the Hawley, Pennsylvania, senior 4½ sacks and 11½ tackles for loss to rank second on the team in both categories.
Quazza was the CFPA’s National Tight End of the Week after catching six passes for 92 yards in the opener at Ball State. The West Milford, New Jersey, native finished the season as Colgate’s leading receiver in both catches with 34 and yards with 400.
Maddaluna finished second in the Patriot League in kickoff returns, averaging 23.0 with 24 attempts for 552 yards. His long return of 56 yards came against Princeton. The Gladstone,New Jersey, product also finished second on the team in both catches with 25 and receiving yards with 392. Maddaluna was the team’s all-purpose yardage leader with 79 per game.
Raiders Trio Earn Football Weekly Awards
By John Painter
(Hamilton, NY – Nov. 24, 2014) Three Colgate defensive players are on the receiving end of weekly football honors after the Raiders capped the 2014 season with a 21-6 win Saturday at Bucknell.
The Corvias Patriot League Defensive Player and Rookie of the Week nods went to linebackers Kyle Diener and Pat Afriyie, respectively, while cornerback Adam Bridgeforth was named College Sports Madness Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week.
Colgate’s defense held Bucknell without a touchdown for the first time all season in a game the Bison were counting on to boost their NCAA playoff at-large credentials. But the Raiders limited Bucknell to just two first-half field goals and only 25 rushing yards for the game.
“I wish there were more awards because all 11 of them deserve some sort of recognition,” Colgate head coach Dan Hunt said of his unit. “That was a great defensive effort from start to finish.
“It was really a nice way to end the season. And for those three individuals, it’s great to see them get recognized for their efforts.”
Filling the Stat Sheet
Diener tied for team honors with seven tackles (five solo), including a 7-yard sack. He added a fumble recovery on kickoff coverage that led to a touchdown during Colgate’s 21-point third quarter, and then made an interception that iced the game with 3:25 remaining.
The sophomore linebacker finished as Colgate’s 2014 tackle leader with 89 total stops. Diener was second on the team with three interceptions and third with 8½ tackles for loss (minus-39 yards).
Afriyie posted five tackles and was the first Colgate player with three quarterback sacks in one game since 2010. His three solo sacks went for minus-19 yards as the Raiders finished with a season-high six sacks for minus-32.
The first-year linebacker tied for second on the team with 4½ sacks (minus-30 yards). Afriyie had 33 tackles overall, recovered two fumbles and scored on a blocked punt return in the 19-0 shutout of Georgetown.
Bridgeforth picked off his second interception of the year and finished the game with five tackles (three solo). He had a shared tackle for loss, and his 26-yard interception return was the team’s fourth-longest return of the season.
The junior cornerback finished second on the team with five pass breakups, third in interceptions and sixth with 60 tackles.