12 Pioneers Honored by ECFC
Twelve members of the Alfred State football team have been honored as the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference announced the All-ECFC teams today. Six Pioneers landed on the first team, four on the second, and two on the honorable mention.
Shy'rel Broadwater (Syracuse/Cicero North Syracuse), Cade Marks (Elmira), Sam Van Valkenburg (Sherman), Devon Clark (Perrysburg/Gowanda), Brockton Weist (Harpursville), and Rylie Van Fleet (Maine Endwell) were all named to the first team.
- Broadwater led the Pioneers in receiving with 529 yards and seven scores in just seven games this season. He was 2nd in conference play with 478 yards and all seven of his scores came vs. conference foes.
- Marks, Van Valkenburg, and Clark were key to the improvement to the rushing attack this season. The Pioneers were 2nd overall and 2nd in the ECFC with their rushing attack. The team 176.1 yards per game on the ground.
- Marks started in all ten games at tight end and caught one pass for seven yards.
- Van Valkenburg started in all ten games and completed his four year career in which he very rarely missed an offensive play.
- Clark was a constant at the center position for the fourth straight year. This is the third straight year he has been honored by the ECFC (2nd team in 2017 and honorable mention in 2018)
- Weist had a monster year on the defensive line. He recorded 44 tackles (25 solo and 16.5 for a loss). He also led the team and the ECFC with nine sacks. He also recovered two fumbles and forced another.
- Van Fleet led NCAA DIII and the ECFC with 22 pass break-ups. He also led the team with 51 total tackles (44 solo) and recorded an interception.
- Van Fleet was also honored as the honorable mention return specialist. He was accumulated 196 yards on nine punt return attempts including a 75-yard return for a touchdown vs. Maritime. He was the only player in the conference with a punt return for a score on the season.
Dashown Wilson (Bronx/DeWitt Clinton), Ronnie Clark (Philadelphia), Trevor Carson (Bronx/Harry Truman), and Michael Zimmerman (Canandaigua) were all second team selections.
- Wilson started all ten games at quarterback and was key to the Pioneers success. He led the team with 733 rushing yards and 11 scores on top of passing for 1,462 yards and 14 scores. He was 2nd in the ECFC in scoring, 2nd in total rushing yards, and was 3rd in passing yardage
- Clark was second on the team with 465 yards rushing (4.8 per carry and 58. per game. He also scored once on the year. This is the second straight year that Clark has been honored (2nd team in 2018).
- Carson was key to the running success of Wilson and Clark. He lined up at fullback in all ten games and helped the offense average 176.1 yards per game.
- Zimmerman punted 47 times this season and averaged 37.5 yards per punt. 12 of his punts landed inside the 20 and six were over 50 yards. He was 2nd in the ECFC in yards per punt. Zimmerman also registered 22 tackles defensively this season as well.
Senior offensive linemen Zac Clendenin (Genesee Valley) and defensive linemen Robert Augustin (Brooklyn/Midwood) were named honorable mention.
- Clendenin capped his two year career at Alfred State helping the improvement of the rushing attack for the Pioneers. He teamed with Van Valkenburg and Clark as consistent forces play after play on the line.
- Augustin finished the season with 27 tackles (14 solo) on the season as he battled on the line. He recorded three sacks and recovered a fumble.
The Pioneers finished the season 4-6 overall and 2-3 in ECFC play. The four overall victories was the most since 2013 and the two conference wins was a new high for the team.
