Eagles Land 12 on All-SAC Teams
Nov. 10, 2008
ROCK HILL, S.C. - The Carson-Newman Eagles led the way with 12 players receiving All-South Atlantic Conference Football honors, league officials announced Monday.
C-N (7-3, 5-2 SAC) claimed a share of the 2008 South Atlantic Conference title, the 20th for the Eagles in the last 27 years.
Carson-Newman senior offensive guard Thomas Battle (Chattanooga, Tenn.) who anchored an offensive line that helped average 323 yards rushing per game, received the Jacobs Blocking Trophy. The award goes to the top offensive lineman in the South Atlantic Conference.
Running back Buck Wakefield (Drummonds, Tenn.) and wide receiver Reggie Hubbard (Chattanooga, Tenn.) joined Battle on the first team offense.
Wakefield ran for 859 yards in the regular season on only 94 carries. He averaged 9.1 yards per rush and led the Eagles with 13 touchdowns.
Hubbard finished the season with only 17 receptions, but averaged 23.7 yards per catch and caught seven TDs. He also earned a second team spot as a return specialist, where he averaged 20.7 yards per kick return, and 11.5 yards per punt return. The Chattanooga, Tenn. Native had a 70-yard punt return against Mars Hill for a touchdown.
Three Eagles notched first team defense honors, led by repeat selections Brian Brown (Hartwell, Ga.) at linebacker and Darius Wrentz (Miami, Fla.) at defensive end.
Sophomore safety Mario Russell (Cincinnati, Ohio) also earned first team honors in just his second year at Mossy Creek.
Brown led the Eagles with 38.5 tackles and 11 tackles for a loss. He also had four sacks and a fumble recovery. Wrentz finished the season with a pair of sacks and four tackles for loss. Russell was the team's third leading tackle with 34.5 for the season. He also tied for the team lead with two interceptions, including a 37-yard touchdown return of his second pick of the year on the first snap of a 59-18 win at Bentley in September.
Junior quarterback Alex Good (Greensboro, N.C.) grabbed second team honors after steering the Eagles to the national lead in rushing yardage at 324 yards per game through the end of the regular season. The Eagles also rank in the nation's top five in scoring offense (42.7 ppg.) and total offense (485.8 ypg.).
Good, a first team selection last season, rushed for 856 yards on the year, scoring 12 touchdowns. He twice, against Newberry and Tusculum, rushed for over 200 yards. He also completed 58 percent of his passes for 1,231 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Junior Ricky Harris (Perry, Ga.) joins Good on the second team offense. He averaged 7.7 yards a carry and scored two TDs.
Offensive tackle Jeff Weaver (Marietta, Ga.) took a spot on the second as well, paving the way for C-N's veer-option offense.
Junior defensive tackle Brandon Harmon (Houston, Tex.) finished the season with seven tackles for loss and six quarterback hurries to take a spot on the second team defense.
Punter Chris Jones (Rome, Ga.) also earned second team honors after finishing the season with a 38.5 yard average.
Carson-Newman takes the field for the first time in the postseason in four years this weekend in southern Georgia against Valdosta State (8-2). Kickoff is Saturday at 1 p.m. in Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.
First Team - Offense
Quarterback - Corey Russell, Tusculum
Running Back - Buck Wakefield, Carson-Newman
Running Back - Jamelle Cuthbertson, Catawba
Running Back - Nelson Woods, Wingate
Wide Receiver - Reggie Hubbard, Carson-Newman
Wide Receiver - Tyrea Allen, Mars Hill
Wide Receiver - Kelton Tindal, Newberry
Wide Receiver - Ryan Tallent, Tusculum
Tight End - Jarrell NeSmith, Tusculum
Offensive Line - Thomas Battle, Carson-Newman
Offensive Line - Terence Crosby, Catawba
Offensive Line - Chandler Rearden, Lenoir-Rhyne
Offensive Line - Marchent Faustin, Newberry
Offensive Line - Danny Partida, Tusculum
Placekicker - Colin Corpe, Lenoir-Rhyne
Long Snapper - Jordon Simmons, Lenoir-Rhyne
First Team - Defense
Defensive Line - Darius Wrentz, Carson-Newman
Defensive Line - Melquan Fair, Catawba
Defensive Line - Chris Dowdell, Mars Hill
Defensive Line - David Harris, Newberry
Linebacker - Brian Brown, Carson-Newman
Linebacker - Charles McAfee, Catawba
Linebacker - Will Newell, Newberry
Linebacker - Justin Scott, Tusculum
Defensive Back - Mario Russell, Carson-Newman
Defensive Back - Deshon Nesbitt, Mars Hill
Defensive Back - Kamaal McIlwain, Newberry
Defensive Back - Jeremy Thompson, Tusculum
Punter - John Gregory, Tusculum
Return Specialist - Patrick Pinchinat, Wingate
Second Team - Offense
Quarterback - Alex Good, Carson-Newman
Running Back - Ricky Harris, Carson-Newman
Running Back - George Washington, Mars Hill
Running Back - Marcus Foster, Tusculum
Wide Receiver - Nate Binder, Tusculum
Wide Receiver - Shawn Barrett, Wingate
Tight End - Ryan Webber, Wingate
Offensive Line - Jeff Weaver, Carson-Newman
Offensive Line - Eric Nelson, Mars Hill
Offensive Line - Josh Sims, Mars Hill
Offensive Line - Matt Holmes, Newberry
Offensive Line - Cam LeGrand, Wingate
Placekicker - Michael Pinkerton, Mars Hill
Long Snapper - Chad Case, Catawba
Second Team - Defense
Defensive Line - Brandon Harmon, Carson-Newman
Defensive Line - Brandon Sutton, Catawba
Defensive Line - Lance Clark, Newberry
Defensive Line - Rynel Butler, Tusculum
Linebacker - Stanley Jones, Brevard
Linebacker - Brandon Rawls, Brevard
Linebacker - Stan Galbraith, Mars Hill
Linebacker - Jarvis Littlejohn, Tusculum
Defensive Back - Jasmon Carpenter, Catawba
Defensive Back - Marcus Shuford, Lenoir-Rhyne
Defensive Back - Andre Moyd, Newberry
Defensive Back - Tylan Merkerson, Wingate
Punter - Chris Jones, Carson-Newman
Return Specialist - Reggie Hubbard, Carson-Newman
Return Specialist - Barry Tate, Lenoir-Rhyne
Offensive Player Of The Year - Corey Russell, Tusculum
Defensive Player Of The Year - Will Newell, Newberry
Offensive Freshman Of The Year - John Brown, Mars Hill
Defensive Freshman Of The Year - Lakeem Perry, Catawba
Jacobs Blocking Trophy - Thomas Battle, Carson-Newman
Coach Of The Year - Frankie DeBusk, Tusculum
