Valparaiso University freshman Bailey Gessinger (Goshen, Ind. / Northwood) finished his rookie football campaign with postseason honors on Tuesday.
Gessinger was named to the all Pioneer Football League second-team, based on selections made by the league’s coaches. In addition, six Crusaders earned all-PFL honorable mention.
The Valpo kick return specialist ranked second in the league in kickoff return average with 24.4 yards per kickoff return. He led the league in total return yards with 757 and had two kickoff return touchdowns, while the rest of the league totaled one (Dayton’s Cameron Stubbs). Gessinger tied for first in the FCS nation in kickoff return TDs. He was one of three players in the nation with two kickoff returns for scores.
Junior wide receiver Frank Catrine (Springboro, Ohio / Bishop Fenwick), junior running back Jarrett Morgan (Cooper City, Fla. / Cooper City), redshirt junior offensive lineman Brian Lang (Chicago, Ill. / Marist), redshirt junior defensive lineman Brandon Doepke (Fitchburg, Wis. / Madison West), sophomore linebacker Drew Snouffer (Columbus, Ohio / Upper Arlington) and junior defensive back Kellan Hughes (Cicero, Ind. / Hamilton Heights) all received PFL honorable mention recognition.
Snouffer ranked fourth in the PFL with 9.3 tackles per game and was one of four PFL players who reached the 100-tackle mark (102). He also totaled four sacks and two fumble recoveries.
Hughes finished second among PFL defensive backs with 7.6 tackles per game and 84 total tackles. He tied for eighth among all PFL players. Hughes added two interceptions and six pass breakups.
Doepke made a return to the field after missing back-to-back seasons with injuries. He had 41 tackles, 18 solos. Morgan led the team and ranked 10th in the PFL in rushing at 57.6 yards per carry. He was seventh in the PFL in all-purpose yards at 94.0 per contest. Catrine led Valpo in receptions per game with 4.7, placing seventh in the league. He averaged 11.8 yards per catch and hauled in three TDs.
Gessinger, Catrine, Morgan, Snouffer and Hughes are all expected to return next season for a Valpo team that retains the bulk of its key players from this year’s four-win season.
2016 Pioneer Football League Major Award Winners
(announced Monday)
Offensive Player of the Year: Jonah Hodges, San Diego
Defensive Player of the Year: Donald Payne, Stetson
Special Teams Player of the Year: Josh Lee, Drake
Freshman Offensive Player of the Year: Stockton McGuire, Davidson
Freshman Defensive Player of the Year: Peter Delatour, Marist
Coach of the Year: Dale Lindsey, San Diego
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: To be announced, Wednesday
2016 All-Pioneer Football League First Team |
||||||
(as selected by PFL head coaches) |
||||||
Pos. |
Player |
School |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
Hometown |
OFFENSE |
||||||
WR |
Aaron Blockmon (H) |
Campbell |
6-1 |
205 |
RSo. |
Sanford, North Carolina |
WR |
Juston Christian (2) |
Marist |
6-0 |
186 |
So. |
Owings Mills, Maryland |
WR |
Brian Riley (U, 2) |
San Diego |
6-3 |
200 |
Sr. |
Rancho Bernardo, California |
QB |
Anthony Lawrence (FR, H) |
San Diego |
6-1 |
195 |
RSo. |
La Mesa, California |
TE |
Eric Saubert (3, 1) |
Drake |
6-5 |
251 |
RSr. |
Hoffman Estates, Illinois |
RB |
Conley Wilkins (2) |
Drake |
5-10 |
201 |
Sr. |
Overland Park, Kansas |
RB |
Jonah Hodges (U) |
San Diego |
5-9 |
194 |
RSr. |
Santa Cruz, California |
FB |
Tevin Heyward |
San Diego |
6-1 |
230 |
RJr. |
San Diego, California |
OL |
Shane Toub |
Dayton |
6-3 |
285 |
RSr. |
Chicago, Illinois |
OL |
Jim Vogel (1) |
Dayton |
6-2 |
285 |
RSr. |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
OL |
Aaron Melton |
Drake |
6-1 |
283 |
RSr. |
Castle Rock, Colorado |
OL |
Miles McArdle (H) |
San Diego |
6-3 |
290 |
Jr. |
Napa, California |
OL |
Daniel Cooney |
San Diego |
6-8 |
315 |
RSo. |
Western Springs, Illinois |
DEFENSE |
||||||
DL |
Jordan Ransone |
Butler |
6-2 |
285 |
RSr. |
Long Beach, Indiana |
DL |
Syd Holt |
Campbell |
6-4 |
220 |
RSr. |
Union, New Jersey |
DL |
Jonathan Petersen (U, 2) |
San Diego |
6-1 |
230 |
RJr. |
Poway, California |
DL |
Davion Belk (H) |
Stetson |
6-1 |
284 |
Sr. |
Chicago, Illinois |
LB |
Christopher Beaschler (3, 1) |
Dayton |
6-1 |
226 |
RSr. |
Ada, Ohio |
LB |
Grady Redding (3, 1) |
Jacksonville |
5-10 |
195 |
Sr. |
Cocoa, Florida |
LB |
Ryan Bennett (2) |
Morehead State |
6-1 |
210 |
Sr. |
Alpharetta, Georgia |
LB |
Nic Henson (H) |
San Diego |
6-2 |
220 |
RSr. |
Chandler, Arizona |
DB |
Cameron Stubbs (1) |
Dayton |
5-10 |
205 |
RSr. |
St. Louis, Missouri |
DB |
Christian Searles (1) |
Dayton |
5-9 |
185 |
Jr. |
Chicago, Illinois |
DB |
Jamal Agnew (2) |
San Diego |
5-10 |
193 |
Sr. |
San Diego, California |
DB |
Donald Payne (4, 1) |
Stetson |
6-0 |
223 |
RSr. |
Fayetteville, Georgia |
SPECIAL TEAMS |
||||||
PK |
William Will (3, 1) |
Dayton |
6-0 |
205 |
RSr. |
Mokena, Illinois |
PK |
Josh Lee |
Drake |
6-2 |
190 |
Sr. |
Decorah, Iowa |
P |
Sean Smith (1) |
Dayton |
6-4 |
221 |
So. |
Avondale, Pennsylvania |
RS |
Cameron Stubbs |
Dayton |
5-10 |
205 |
RSr. |
St. Louis, Missouri |
LS |
Brandon Mayorga |
Jacksonville |
5-10 |
195 |
RJr. |
Jacksonville, Florida |
Notes in parentheses: U-indicates a player was a unanimous first-team selection, 4-is a four-time first-team All-PFL selection; 3-is a three-time first-team All-PFL selection, 1-was a first-team selection in 2015, 2-was a second-team selection in 2015, H-was a honorable mention selection in 2015; FR-was a Freshman Player of the Year in 2015. |
2016 All-Pioneer Football League Second Team |
||||||
Pos. |
Player |
School |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
Hometown |
OFFENSE |
||||||
WR |
Pace Temple |
Butler |
6-1 |
190 |
So. |
Geneva, Illinois |
WR |
Brian Burnett |
Jacksonville |
5-10 |
190 |
Jr. |
Jacksonville, Florida |
WR |
Jake Raymond |
Morehead State |
5-9 |
174 |
RSr. |
Pickerington, Ohio |
QB |
Mike White |
Marist |
6-0 |
191 |
RSo. |
Woodbury, New York |
TE |
Ross Dwelley |
San Diego |
6-5 |
240 |
RJr. |
El Dorado Hills, California |
RB |
Jared Joyner |
Campbell |
6-0 |
205 |
RSr. |
Margate, Florida |
RB |
Ulysses Bryant |
Jacksonville |
5-6 |
195 |
Sr. |
Jacksonville, Florida |
FB |
Duvante Lane |
Butler |
5-10 |
215 |
RJr. |
Evansville, Indiana |
OL |
Michael Demos |
Butler |
6-4 |
290 |
RSr. |
Glenview, Illinois |
OL |
Ryan Schneider |
Marist |
6-5 |
261 |
RSr. |
Germantown, Maryland |
OL |
C.J. Phillips |
Morehead State |
6-2 |
269 |
RSr. |
Louisville, Kentucky |
OL |
Liam Maloney |
Morehead State |
6-4 |
290 |
RJr. |
Liberty Township, Ohio |
OL |
Joe Hurney |
San Diego |
6-1 |
280 |
Jr. |
Charlotte, North Carolina |
DEFENSE |
||||||
DL |
Nick Surges |
Dayton |
6-3 |
236 |
RSo. |
Naperville, Illinois |
DL |
Justin Horton |
Jacksonville |
6-2 |
235 |
RSr. |
Clermont, Florida |
DL |
Dan Njoku |
Marist |
6-1 |
268 |
RJr. |
West Hempstead, New York |
DL |
Colt Briggs |
Morehead State |
6-1 |
261 |
RJr. |
Wilmington, Ohio |
LB |
Jack Crain |
Dayton |
6-2 |
225 |
Sr. |
Lisle, Illinois |
LB |
Taylor Coleman |
Drake |
6-1 |
213 |
RSr. |
Hawthorn Woods, Illinois |
LB |
Willie Barrett |
Marist |
5-11 |
220 |
RSo. |
Holiday, Florida |
LB |
Jeb Boudreaux |
Stetson |
5-8 |
204 |
Jr. |
Mobile, Alabama |
DB |
Chris Beaty |
Campbell |
6-1 |
190 |
Sr. |
Kannapolis, North Carolina |
DB |
Wes Beans |
Marist |
5-10 |
188 |
RSo. |
New Oxford, Pennsylvania |
DB |
Devyn Bryant |
San Diego |
5-11 |
193 |
Sr. |
San Diego, California |
DB |
Ray Clark |
San Diego |
5-11 |
195 |
Jr. |
Brentwood, California |
SPECIAL TEAMS |
||||||
PK |
Javier Arce-Ramirez |
Jacksonville |
5-10 |
175 |
RFr. |
Madrid, Spain |
P |
Eric Fogle |
Stetson |
6-1 |
209 |
Sr. |
Evans, Georgia |
RS |
Bailey Gessinger |
Valparaiso |
5-10 |
170 |
Fr. |
Goshen, Indiana |
LS |
Nick Mecca |
Marist |
5-11 |
210 |
Jr. |
South Brunswick, New Jersey |
2016 All-Pioneer Football League Honorable Mention
BUTLER: Cord Collier (TE); David Starkey (LB); Ethan Brunhofer (LB); Sean Horan (LB); Isaak Newhouse (DB); Ian Dobek (P); Connor Andras (LS). CAMPBELL: Austin Fleming (TE); Brian Stryffeler (OL); Laurin O’Briant (OL); Darren Flowers (DL); Jack Ryan (LB); Daniel Bostick (LB); Greg Cunningham (DB). DAVIDSON: Jaris Scott (WR); Chase Davis (OL); Thomas Sykes (DL); Nate Casey (LB); Jaylen Mize (DB); Jon Cook (P); Conrad Mueller (LS). DAYTON: Jack Euritt (WR); Alex Jeske (QB); Ben Gauthier (OL); David Leisering (DB). DRAKE: Grant Menard (WR); Keegan Gallery (WR); Payson Wick (OL); Ryan Lemke (OL); Mack Marrin (DL); Nathan Clayberg (DL); Tanner Evans (DL); Michael Roane (LB); Caz Zyks (DB); Terry Wallen (RS); Brady Eckert (LS). JACKSONVILLE: Prince Gray (WR); Jared Morris (FB); Jake Howell (OL); Andrew Guthart (OL); Nick McKenney (OL); Robert Ritterhoff (OL); Jareeq Crenshaw (DL); Harrison Rodormer (LB); KJ Jenkins (DB); Armani Sampson (DB); Prince Gray (RS). MARIST: Lawrence Dickens (WR); Marcellus Calhoun (RB); Richard Duncan-Murphy (OL); Cam Gibson (DB); Jordyn Jean-Felix (DB); Mike Marston (DB); Mike Maccarone (PK). MOREHEAD STATE: Austin Gahafer (QB); Kyler Corbett (OL); Dustin Casey (DL); Brandon Louder (DB); Braylyn Cook (DB); Pat DiSalvio (P). SAN DIEGO: Jereke Armstrong (RB); Jalen Smith (DL); Jamal Newman (DL); Jack Flatau (P); Jamal Agnew (RS). STETSON: Kegan Moore (WR); Mike Yonker (FB); Pat Fogarty (OL); Kegan Moore (RS). VALPARAISO: Frank Catrine (WR); Jarret Morgan (RB); Brian Lang (OL); Brandon Doepke (DL); Drew Snouffer (LB); Kellan Hughes (DB).