Six AMCATS Named to Worcester-Area Football All-Star Team
WORCESTER, Mass.—The Worcester Area Football Association has announced the 24th Annual Steve "Merc" Morris All-Star Team as selected by the eight sports information directors of Worcester County who sponsor football.
Among the selections are six Anna Maria College players, including first-team selection Chris Bettano (Tewksbury, Mass.).
Bettano, a junior running back, led the AMCATS' running game this season, as he accounted for over 50 percent of all Anna Maria rushing attempts in 2014. He totaled 645 yards on 204 carries and averaged 64.5 yards per game. He also scored a team-best 10 touchdowns, including a three-score day against Catholic on September 27th.
AMCAT wide receivers Ryan McCarthy (Deer Park, N.Y.), a sophomore, and Will Ricard (Billerica, Mass.), a junior, were both second-team selections. McCarthy and Ricard had similar seasons in 2014. McCarthy totaled 47 catches for 648 yards and three touchdowns, while Ricard finished with 40 catches, 492 yards, and a team-high six touchdown receptions. Together, McCarthy and Ricard combined for 60 percent of Anna Maria's receiving yards in 2014. Ricard repeats as a WAFA selection after earning second team honors last season.
Junior offensive lineman Kevin Grey (Middleboro, Mass.) also repeats as an honoree and was named to the WAFA second team for the second-straight season. Grey spearheaded an offensive line that allowed the AMCAT offense to rush for 66.1 yards per game. Grey started in 10 games for Anna Maria this season.
Defensively, linebacker Mike Sinto (Long Island City, N.Y.) and punter Stefano Marziale (Cranston, R.I.) were both second team selections.
Sinto totaled a team-best 101 tackles in 2014 and averaged 10.1 tackles per game. Nine of his tackles this season were for a loss of yards, including a team-leading four sacks for 29 yards. Sinto also tallied one forced fumble in 2014 and recorded two fumble recoveries for the AMCATS. Marziale totaled 2,452 punting yards this season with an average distance of 35.5 yards per punt. He finished 2014 with seven punts surpassing 50 yards, including a season-long of 66 yards tallied on October 4th against Gallaudet. Fifteen of his punts landed inside the 20-yard line.
The major WAFA award winners included junior running back Kemani Jones (Milton, Mass.) of Worcester State as the Offensive Player of the Year while senior defensive end Derrick Mann (Sharon, Mass.) of Assumption was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
Assumption return specialist De'Ontray Johnson (San Diego, Calif.) copped Special Teams Player of the Year accolades while freshman teammate Ashton Grant (Manchester, Conn.) earned a nod as the Freshman of the Year.
Bob Chesney of Assumption and Brien Cullen of Worcester State both shared Worcester Area Coach of the Year honors.
The Worcester Area Football Association All-Star Team is named in memory of Steve "Merc" Morris, the longtime Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations and Assumption Hall of Famer. Morris was a 1972 graduate of Assumption and was a member of the athletics staff for 39 years before he passed away in January of 2011.
In addition to being the founder of the Worcester Area Association All-Star Program, Morris was a tireless supporter of collegiate athletics and had a key role in the lives of thousands of student-athletes.
