Sprint Football Puts Nine on All-CSFL Teams, Has 11 Total Honored by League
Knight, Pizzarella, Reddy, Tilton all on first team
RINDGE, N.H. (December 1, 2015) – Senior defensive lineman Josh Tilton (Seymour, Conn.) led four All-Collegiate Sprint Football League First Team selections and nine All-League selections overall for the Franklin Pierce University sprint football team, as announced Tuesday by the League office. In all, the Ravens had 11 players honored in the League's year-end awards.
Joining Tilton on the All-CSFL First Team on the defensive side of the ball were junior defensive back Brandon Knight (Bronx, N.Y.) and senior punter Derek Reddy (Natick, Mass.), while junior offensive lineman Franco Pizzarella (Methuen, Mass.) took home First Team honors on the offensive side of the ball. On the offensive Second Team were senior tight end Michael Holdridge (Peru, N.Y.), freshman offensive lineman Christopher Bogardus (Seymour, Conn.) and sophomore kicker Kyle Salucco (Exeter, N.H.), while senior linebacker James Willette (Hoosick Falls, N.Y.) and junior linebacker Josh Castro (Nashua, N.H.) joined them from the defensive side of the ball. Earning All-CSFL Honorable Mention nods were sophomore defensive back Karon Hair (Long Branch, N.J.) and senior defensive back Connor Rogowsky (Nashua, N.H.).
Tilton finished second on the team in tackles with 48 (25 solo), including 6.5 tackles for loss totaling 35 yards. He recorded 4.5 sacks, for a loss of 30 yards, and filled out his stat line with three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Tilton's biggest statistical performance came against Cornell, when he was a part of 10 tackles (six solo), and he again reached 10 tackles (four solo) in the season finale against Mansfield. It is his second straight All-CSFL First Team selection.
An All-CSFL Honorable Mention a year ago, Knight earns his first career All-CSFL selection. He finished the season with 21 tackles (14 solo), including two tackles for loss totaling four yards. Knight was the team's top pass defender, as he recorded five interceptions and seven break-ups to tally 12 passes defended on the season. Along the way, he forced one fumble and recovered two.
Reddy also earns his first All-CSFL selection, after an Honorable Mention nod a year ago. Both the primary quarterback and punter for the Ravens, he earned his selection on the strength of his punting. Reddy booted the ball 36 times in 2015, averaging 36.8 yards per kick. He had three punts of 50 yards or more (including a long of 62), five which finished inside the 20-yard line, five which resulted in fair catches and three which went for touchbacks.
Pizzarella started all seven games on the offensive line for the Ravens and earns his first career All-CSFL selection. He helped lead the league's fifth-ranked rushing attack, as Franklin Pierce averaged 118.6 yards per game on the ground in 2015.
Holdridge earns his second straight selection to the All-CSFL Second Team. The team's leading receiver, he hauled in 16 catches for 240 yards (15 yards per catch) and two touchdowns. Holdridge averaged 34.3 receiving yards per game in 2015 and his longest catch was 62 yards. His biggest day came against Cornell, when he tallied two catches for 65 yards and a score.
Bogardus, like Pizzarella, started all seven games on the offensive line for the Ravens. As a freshman, it is his first All-CSFL selection as well.
Salucco, who took over as the team's kicker after a preseason injury to sophomore Johnny Ciarcia, earns his first career All-CSFL selection. He went 6-for-8 on field goals on the year, including a long of 46, which he hit in the team's historic upset win at Navy. Salucco was a perfect 15-for-15 on extra points on the season.
Willette caps his career with his third straight All-CSFL selection, after First Team nods each of the last two seasons. He led the team with 55 tackles (24 solo), including 6.5 tackles for loss, totaling 18 yards. Willette tallied half a sack for a loss of three yards and broke up two passes. His most productive outing came against Army, when he was a part of 14 tackles (10 solo).
Castro earns his first career All-CSFL selection. He finished third on the team with 46 tackles (21 solo), including six tackles for loss, totaling 29 yards. Castro recorded one sack for a loss of 14 yards along the way. He filled out the rest of his stat line with one pass break-up, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and two blocked kicks. Castro's top tackle output came against Post, when he had 10 (six solo).
Hair earns his first league honor with the All-CSFL Honorable Mention selection in his first year with the Ravens. He finished the season with 19 tackles (13 solo), including 1.5 tackles for loss, totaling seven yards. Hair added three interceptions -- with 42 return yards -- to go with three pass break-ups, one fumble recovery and one blocked kick.
Rogowsky earns his second straight All-CSFL Honorable Mention selection. He finished his senior campaign with 29 tackles (10 solo), including 1.5 for loss, totaling five yards. Along the way, Rogowsky broke up one pass, forced one fumble and recovered two fumbles. One of the fumble recoveries came against Post, when he scooped up the loose ball and returned it 10 yards for a touchdown.
The Ravens finished the 2015 campaign at 4-3, including 3-3 in CSFL play. The signature victory came on Oct. 9, an 18-16 upset win at Navy. Franklin Pierce snapped an 11-game Navy win streak and became the first team other than Army to defeat the Midshipmen at home since Oct. 21, 2000.
For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce sprint football apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).