MORRISVILLE, N.Y. – The Empire 8 announced its 2018 Football All-Conference Teams Monday morning, naming seven from Morrisville State to its first, second and honorable mention teams for offense and defense, as voted by coaches conference wide.
Four earned the nod for First Team Offense accolades, including Nick Edmond (Blythe, Calif.), Jeffrey Carrozza (Johnsonville, N.Y.), Petrit Boga (Bronx, N.Y.) and Marcus Thompson (Syracuse, N.Y.).
Zach Hutchinson (Tioga Center, N.Y.) earned second team honors, while Scott Irons (Syracuse, N.Y.) got the nod on the second team defense along with Mike Bodnar (Miller Place, N.Y.) on the honorable mention team.
Edmond, running back and senior captain, collected 1016 total yards on 221 carries across the 2018 season, accounting for nine rushing touchdowns. The talented backfield senior added 93 yards on nine receptions to his tallies on the year; connecting on 5-of-6 passes for an additional 143 yards and three touchdowns in the option game.
Five times on the year Edmond posted 100+ yards rushing in a single contest, with a high 153 coming in the win over Utica, as he recorded his second straight season of more than 1000 yards rushing.
Carrozza, junior fullback, got the nod on the first team after his blocking ability on the field to allow Morrisville State room in their offensive game. Acting as part of the offensive line, the junior was able to assist the Mustangs in maintaining possess for more than 30 minutes per game on average, while acting as a force on the third and fourth down opportunities, as they on average, converted 48-50% on the season.
Boga, senior tight end, was a constant threat to opponents throughout the season as he racked up 388 yards in the receiving game on 23 catches, an average 16.9 yards per reception. Seven times on the season the senior posted touchdown scores, collecting a high 91 yards against non-conference opponent Norwich University.
Boga is a two-time first team All-Conference selection, also earning first team honors in 2017.
Thompson wraps up a stellar career on the offensive line for the Mustangs after leading them to a league fourth best offensive game, as they averaged 389.3 yards per game. He was responsible for providing size and push up front for the Mustangs running game, ranking third in the Empire 8 with 170.6 yard per average. Morrisville State was able to convert 64% of its appearances in the red zone into touchdowns, in part from the blocking received by Thompson on the line.
The senior captain wraps up his career as a three-time All-Conference selection, twice earning second team accolades.
Hutchinson is the second offensive lineman to be honored by the conference this season after making 11 starts for the Mustangs this season. His steadfast ability on the line assisted Morrisville State to 33 red zone scores this season, and second best league total 20.9 first down average per game.
Irons, senior captain on the defensive line, started in all 11 games for the Mustangs on the line, collecting 34 total stops, while posting a sack for a loss of six yards and three additional tackles for a loss of 11 yards. The senior also forced a fumble, recovered one for a return of 10 yards, while registering a pass break up.
He posted a single game high five stops in the win over Buffalo State, contributing to the four game win streak by the Mustangs in the second half of the season.
Bodnar was responsible for chaos for opponents in the backfield and earns All-Conference recognition for the first time. The junior safety led Morrisville State with a total 108 stops on the year, 57 solo tackles, as he started all 11 contests in the secondary.
Five of his tackles were for a loss of 10 yards, while he also snagged two out of the air for 53 return yards on the interceptions, one for a touchdown. Bodnar also forced two fumbles and recovered another, and was responsible for six pass breakups throughout the year. The junior averaged 9.8 tackles per game.
"I am proud of these young men and the way they performed this season which led to their selections as all-Empire 8 performers," said head coach Curt Fitzpatrick.
"To make the all-conference team means that you are a well-respected player by opposing coaches."
"Beyond the individuals that were selected, this is a reflection on our team's growth and performance as a whole," he continued. "Football is a team game, and I'm sure these guys would be the first to tell you that their successes individually are dependent on the performances of the teammates that surround them."
Morrisville State wrapped up the season with a 6-5 overall record, receiving a bid to the ECAC Division III post-season with a James Lynah Bowl game selection. They went 4-3 within conference play.
Morrisville State College's curricula are enriched with applied learning and pave the way for opportunity at both the Morrisville and Norwich campuses. An action-oriented, interactive learning lab, the college is a national leader in technology and has been lauded for its exemplary, innovative and effective community service programs.
The college was ranked among the Best Regional Colleges in the North by U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2018 issue and was also recognized in the Top Public Schools, Regional Colleges North in the 2018 Best Colleges rankings. For more information about Morrisville State College, visit www.morrisville.edu.
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