Lewis Earns First Ever Defensive Rookie of the Year Award for SFU, Rivera Gets Nod for All-NEC Second Team Offense
Loretto, Pa. – The Northeast Conference released their annual recognition of the All-NEC Players of the Year, First Team All-NEC and Second Team All-NEC on November 27, 2007. Two members of Saint Francis’ football team, Scott Lewis (South Fork, Pa./Bishop McCort) and Antoine Rivera (Willingboro, N.J./Willingboro) were honored in the yearly award appreciation.
Freshman linebacker Scott Lewis was tabbed as the NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year. This specific accolade is the first time any member of the Red Flash has been deemed with that exact title. On top of that adornment, Lewis was named to the All-NEC First Team Defense. With Lewis joining the ranks of the elite defensive members of the NEC, it marks the first time since 2004 in which any freshman player has been put forward as a component of an All-NEC First Team. The last freshman worthy enough to be considered for an All-NEC First Team roster was linebacker Colin Disch of Albany. Only three other times in the history of the Northeast Conference has a first-year player been submitted to represent an All-NEC First Team. Monmouth punter, Sean Dennis in 2003, Albany defensive back, Samson Brown in 1999 and Robert Morris place kicker, Jeff Carlo in 1998 all share a common bond with SFU’s Lewis.
Lewis was the overall leader in the NEC with 12.6 tackles per game and finished tied for sixth with 1.00 tackles for loss per game. Nationally, Lewis finished fourth in tackles for Division I FBS. Lewis was also only one of three freshman in the top 40 in that category. Lewis’ 126 total tackles in a single season slotted him at fifth place all-time for Saint Francis.
“These recognitions are a great honor for me and for Saint Francis University, but I certainly could not have done it without my teammates and coaches who worked extremely hard all season long,” said the Defensive Rookie of the year.
Two NEC Rookie of the Week nominations for Lewis most certainly played a hand in his exposure with just having ten collegiate games under his belt. On the week of October 15, Lewis spearheaded a solid Red Flash defensive effort by making 15 tackles and assisting on a tackle for loss in a dropped decision to Duquesne, leading to his first NEC Rookie of the Week award. He pulled down his second of the same decoration on the week of November 12 in a victory against Wagner College when he led all defenders with 14 stops, a fumble recovery and a pass break-up.
After finishing out 2007 by leading the Northeast Conference with the most total receiving yards (885), junior wide receiver Antoine Rivera was nominated to the All-NEC Second Team Offense. Rivera finished fourth in the conference with 4.80 receptions per game, sixth for all-purpose yards with 100.7 per game and tenth in scoring with 4.8 points per game. The New Jersey native pulled in 48 balls, averaging 18.4 yards per catch with a long of 62 yards, the longest passing play from scrimmage in 2007. Rivera found paydirt seven times on the season.
Rivera and Lewis become the 19th and 20th members of the Red Flash, in no particular order, to become embellished with All-NEC credit.
The other 18 constituents decorated with All-NEC honors are as follows:
In 2006, wide receiver Michael Caputo earned All-NEC First Team Offense and offensive lineman Derek Upersea received All-NEC Second Team Offense recognition.
In 2005, quarterback Anthony Doria won the Offensive Player of the Year title on top of being named to the All-NEC First Team Offense. Caputo collected his second All-NEC First Team Offense award and running back Todd Harris also earned All-NEC First Team Offense acknowledgment. Producing All-NEC Second Team Offense awards were wide receiver Luke Palko and offensive lineman Bill Holter. Ivin Hicks netted an All-NEC Second Team Defense honor and place kicker Adam Sciulli (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) earned All-NEC Second Team Special Teams recognition.
In 2004, defensive back Marcus Haines hauled in an All-NEC First Team Defense award and running back Ricky Taylor won All-NEC Second Team Offense prestige.
The lone award winner in 2003 was offensive lineman Brad Larson with an All-NEC First Team Offense award.
In 2002, Larson replicated the same award as ’03. Defensive back Daunte Neal earned All-NEC First Team Defense honors and running back Michael Hall brought an All-NEC Second Team Offense award to Loretto.
Neal earned his second conference acknowledgment with an All-NEC Second Team Defense honor in 2000.
Running back Wes Clemons earned the Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 1999 while wide receiver Jeremy Nunamaker was named to the All-NEC Second Team Offense. Defensive lineman Aaron Reachard was tabbed to the All-NEC Second Team Defense.
In 1998, linebacker Matt Farabaugh was named to the All-NEC First Team Defense and 1997 was the first year the NEC gave out awards as running back Jeremy Swords labeled as SFU’s first Offensive Rookie of the Year.