Amherst's Ladd, Trinity's Goldstein Named Players of the Year

HADLEY, Mass. - Running back Fletcher Ladd of Amherst College and Trinity defensive back Aaron Goldstein were honored as the 2004 NESCAC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year respectively in a vote by the conference coaches. Trinity captured the NESCAC title with a second perfect 8-0 season while Amherst tied for second place with Colby and Williams with a mark of 6-2. Trinity head coach Chuck Priore garnered his second consecutive Coach of the Year honors. The Bantams have not lost since week two of the 2002 campaign and hold the longest winning streak in NCAA football at 22 games.

Ladd, a three-time first team all-NESCAC selection, led the conference in rushing with a league high 1137 yards and finished second in the conference in rushing, averaging 111.8 yards/game to pace Amherst’s second ranked rushing offense.

Goldstein, a first team selection a season ago, anchored a Trinity defense which led the nation in scoring defense allowing just 6.5 points per game and led the NESCAC in rushing defense yielding just 95 yards per game on the ground. Goldstein finished second on the team with 50 tackles including three for loss, had an interception and returned a fumble for a touchdown.

Bates College quarterback Brandon Colon was honored as NESCAC Offensive Rookie of the Year and Tufts University linebacker Adam Arsenault was awarded NESCAC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Colon ranked third among NESCAC quarterbacks averaging 173 yards per game with a 99.6 pass efficiency rating. Arsenault made 52 total tackles for the Jumbos including 6.5 tackles for loss.

Leading the first team offense is Middlebury senior quarterback Mike Keenan. Keenan, making his second consecutive first team, finished the season with 155 completions (fifth most in conference history) in 290 attempts for a league-leading 215.8 yards per game. The senior threw for 13 touchdowns with 10 interceptions to finish with a pass efficiency rating of 111.3. Keenan, and favorite target Tom Cleaver, led Middlebury to the second rated passing offense in the conference.

Senior running backs Drew Finkeldey of Trinity and Tim Crawley of Williams join Ladd as first-team selections in the backfield. Crawley rushed for over 1,000 yards on the year averaging 134.6 yards per game with 11 touchdowns. Finkeldey, who averaged almost 112 yards per game, was the primary rusher for a team which ranked ninth in the country in rushing offense.

Cleaver and Amherst’s Jay Wagstaff were both repeat selections on the first-team at wide receiver. Middlebury’s Cleaver led the conference in receptions with 62 and five touchdowns. The senior’s caught balls for 943 yards, placing him third all-time in league history. Wagstaff, who added 25 catches for 359 yards and three touchdowns, was also a first-team all-league selection as return specialist. The senior led the league in punt return average with 13.7 yards per return including a 65-yard return for a touchdown week four against Colby.

The receiving corps is rounded out by Tufts senior wide receiver Kevin Holland and Williams senior tight end Jonathan Siff. Holland made 56 receptions for 571 yards and a touchdown as a Jumbo. Siff was Williams’ third leading receiver totaling 154 yards on 14 receptions.

Trinity senior Chris Balestrino, a second team selection a year ago, leads a trio of seniors selected as all-NESCAC on the offensive line. Bowdoin’s Greg Berry, a second team selection in 2002, and Colby’s Dave Hatch join juniors Daniel Oliphant of Colby and Eric Ludwig of Williams as first team honorees.

Heading the all-NESCAC defensive honorees is Trinity junior lineman Michael Blair. Blair led the league with seven quarterback sacks and finished with 11 solo tackles for loss. Blair is joined on the first team by fellow junior L.J. Spinnato of Amherst and senior linemen Caleb Bliss of Williams, Tufts’ Chris Lawrence and Peter Sherman of Colby. Sherman forced six fumbles this season to lead the conference.

First team linebackers Wes Connors of Williams and Wayne Harrington of Colby led the league in fumble recoveries with three apiece. Harrington led the 6-2 Mules with 79 tackles including 13 for loss while Connors paced the Ephs with 43 solo tackles (62 total) including 4.5 sacks. Senior Rich Decembrele of Middlebury, a second team selection last season, and junior Avon Morgan of Trinity, who led the Bantams with 55 tackles, round out the linebacker selections.

Joining Goldstein in the defensive backfield are Trinity junior teammate Kevin Quinn and seniors Rob Walsh of Amherst and Mike Horan of Bates. Horan, a two-time first team selection, led Bates with seven pass break-ups and 7.5 tackles for loss. Walsh led the league with 14 passes defended including six interceptions.

A pair of junior kickers earned first team all-conference special team honors. Colby place kicker Jon Goss led the conference with 44 points including nine field goals. Trinity punter Tim Coughlin averaged 37.1 yards per punt for the Bantams.

NESCAC all-conference selections are determined by the conference coaches. Additional players honored are due to ties in the voting.