Football Picked To Finish First In ECFC
Click here for the ECFC release
PAXTON, MA: The Anna Maria College football team is back on campus, and the AMCATS are hungry to improve on the best season in the program's history after being picked to finish first in the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) in a preseason poll by the coaches of the conference in a release on Tuesday.
In 2021, the team went 7-3 for their first winning season in school history as they won their first-ever ECFC championship as well as reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time.
The AMCATS are led by quarterback Alex Cohen (Plymouth, MA), who rewrote the AMCAT record books last season with 3087 passing yards and 23 touchdowns through the air while rushing for six more on the ground. Cohen was voted All-ECFC honors, and enters the season on the threshold of setting school records for career passing yards, touchdowns and completions.
Cohen will have an explosive receiving corps to pass to. Deandre Wallace (Waterbury, CT) was voted the ECFC Rookie of the Year after an outstanding first season that saw him haul in 42 receptions for 820 receiving yards and a team-high nine touchdowns. Justin McMillian (Middletown, CT) led the AMCATS with 49 receptions to go along with 718 yards and six scores. McMillian put on one of the greatest performances in AMCAT history against Gallaudet, catching eight passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns and was recognized by the d3football.com Team of the Week. Hayden Braga (Foster, RI), the program's first CoSIDA Academic All-District selection since 2016, finished with 593 yards while also serving as the team's punter and a kick returner.
Running back Vincent Marrone (Wayne, NJ) is projected to lead the ground game. Marrone saved his best for last during the AMCATS' championship-clinching win over SUNY Maritime, as he rushed 164 yards and three touchdowns on just 18 carries.
Safety Armstrong Antoine (Stratford, CT) leads the AMCAT defense after a season where he was named to the 2021 New England Football Writers Division II-III All-New England Team in recognition of his remarkable performance. An ECFC first-team honoree in just his first season at Anna Maria, Antoine finished with a team-high 74 tackles. Armstrong also recorded a 70-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Defensive tackle Elijah Allston was also voted All-ECFC after a season where he tallied 23 total tackles including 4.5 for a loss. Linebacker Sam Jakana (Coto De Caza, CA) finished with 3.5 sacks and 55 tackles, while defensive back Lamar Wilkes (Philadelphia, PA) tallied three interceptions and eight pass breakups. Linebacker Alvin Martin (Philadelphia, PA) posted 49 tackles.
UP NEXT:
Anna Maria will kick-off their season on September 10th when they host UMass Dartmouth in a 12:00 p.m. game.
STAY CONNECTED:
For the latest on Anna Maria College Athletics, follow the AMCATS via social media on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.
