Football | 11/19/2019 4:00:00 PM
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – Senior defensive back
Logan Deri was a first-team selection and four of his West Liberty teammates also earned All-Mountain East Conference honors on Tuesday when the 2019 All-MEC Football Team was released by the league coaches.
This marks Deri's fourth All-MEC selection while senior defensive tackle
Cody Rine, junior linebacker
Clay McDonald and sophomore tight end
Thomas Cole were second-team picks. Junior H-Back
Ridge Durbin made the Honorable Mention list for the second consecutive season.
Notre Dame tailback Jaleel McLaughlin was a repeat selection as the MEC Offensive Player of the Year while Glenville State linebacker Dominic Cizauskas earned Defensive Player of the Year honors. The Notre Dame tandem of Nick Beans and Bryce Sheppert were the MEC Offensive and Defensive Freshmen of the Year while Falcon coach Mike Jacobs collected his second straight MEC Coach of the Year honor.
Following are brief capsules on West Liberty's All-MEC honorees:
LOGAN DERI, a 6-1, 205-pound safety from North Huntingdon, Pa., was the Hilltoppers' leading tackler and ranked among the MEC's Top 10 with 79 tackles despite missing all or part of WLU's final four games due to injury. Had five double-figure tackle games – highlighted by a career-high 15 stops vs. nationally-ranked Notre Dame – and leaves West Liberty as only the sixth Hilltopper ever to pass the 300-tackle career milestone.
CODY RINE, a repeat second-team All-MEC honoree, the 6-4, 300-pound senior from Wellsburg, W.Va. bounced back from an early-season injury to anchor the middle of the Hilltoppers' defensive line with 32 tackles and 6.5 tackles-for-loss, including a safety in the season-opening win at Wheeling.
CLAY MCDONALD, a 6-3, 230-pound junior from Wheeling, W.Va., emerged as a defensive force in his first full season as a starter. McDonald stuffed the stat sheet with 63 tackles – including a career-high 11 stops vs. Notre Dame – to go along with 8.0 tackles-for-loss, 3.0 quarterback sacks, an interception, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a team-high 3 quarterback hurries.
THOMAS COLE, a 6-4, 240-pound sophomore transfer from Wake Forest who hails from Wellsburg, W.Va., Cole caught at least one pass in every game and led the Hilltoppers with 53 catches for 583 yards and 6 TDs. Had 9 catches for 184 yards and 3 TDs – including the game-winning grab with 31 seconds remaining – in the 33-30 win at Wheeling.
RIDGE DURBIN, a 6-2, 240-pound junior from Howard, Ohio, impressed with his blocking ability at multiple positions while catching 15 balls for 182 yards and 3 touchdowns. Durbin had a career-high two TD grabs to help WLU jump out to a 30-0 halftime lead vs. Concord on Homecoming at West Family Stadium.
FOOTBALL
2019 All-MEC Honor Roll
Offensive Player of the Year: Jaleel McLaughlin (Notre Dame)
Offensive Freshman of the Year: Nick Beans (Notre Dame)
Defensive Player of the Year: Dominic Cizauskas (Glenville State)
Defensive Freshman of the Year: Bryce Sheppert (Notre Dame)
Coach of the Year: Mike Jacobs (Notre Dame)
FIRST TEAM
Pos. Name School Cl.
QB Austin Hensley W.Va. State Sr.
RB Tyreik McAllister Charleston Jr.
RB Jaleel McLaughlin Notre Dame So.
RB Tyree Randolph Fairmont State So.
WR Javon Hayes Fairmont State Jr.
WR Marvelle Ross Notre Dame Sr.
WR Isaiah Scott W.Va. State Sr.
WR Michael Strachan Charleston Jr.
TE Zaire Mitchell Notre Dame So.
HB Dante Jones W.Va. State Jr.
OL Jimmy Burchett Notre Dame Jr.
OL Brandon Nicholson Notre Dame Jr.
OL Mike Mollohan Urbana Sr.
OL Wade Olsen Frostburg State Sr.
OL Austin Ringel Charleston Sr.
OL Chandler Zavala Fairmont State Jr.
Defense
DL D.J. Adediwura Fairmont State Jr.
DL Kenny Randall Charleston Jr.
DL Zach Strand Frostburg State Jr.
DL Mikal Toliver Urbana Sr.
DL Sha'haun Williams Notre Dame Sr.
LB Dominic Cizauskas Glenville State Sr.
LB Dustin Crouser W.Va. State Jr.
LB Duray Hall Urbana Jr.
LB Guam Lee Notre Dame Jr.
LB Trevon Shorts Fairmont State Sr.
DB Kei Beckham Charleston Sr.
DB LOGAN DERI WEST LIBERTY SR.
DB Delonte Hood Glenville State So.
DB Davionn Johnson Notre Dame Jr.
DB John Merica W.Va. Wesleyan So.
DB Michael Porter Fairmont State Sr.
Special Teams
P Justin Watts Glenville State Sr.
K Justin Watts Glenville State Sr.
Ret Marvelle Ross Notre Dame Sr.
SECOND TEAM
Offense
QB Brant Grisel Charleston Sr.
RB Khalik Hamlin Fairmont State Jr.
RB Gavin Lavat Frostburg State Jr.
RB Mario Pender Glenville State Sr.
RB WR Sanders Urbana Jr.
WR Javon Butler Glenville State Jr.
WR Ryan LaFollette Wheeling So.
WR Tremaine Ross Charleston Sr.
TE THOMAS COLE WEST LIBERTY SO.
HB D.J. Greene Notre Dame Sr.
OL Devon Bradshaw W.Va. State Sr.
OL Lavon Cottemond W.Va. State Jr.
OL Chris Hawkins Urbana Sr.
OL Garrett Kapstein Fairmont State Sr.
OL Lonnell McGuire Fairmont State Sr.
OL Elbert Munn Charleston Jr.
Defense
DL Carl Igweh Frostburg State Jr.
DL Jack Kosko Notre Dame So.
DL Harry Lewis W.Va. Wesleyan Sr.
DL CODY RINE WEST LIBERTY SR.
DL Aman Speed W.Va. Wesleyan Sr.
DL Glenwood Williams Fairmont State Sr.
LB LA Kelly Urbana Jr.
LB CLAY MCDONALD WEST LIBERTY JR.
LB Nate Moore Notre Dame So.
LB Wayne Palmer Frostburg State Sr.
LB Kenjae Rose Charleston Jr.
DB Kyle Alexander W.Va. State Sr.
DB Mike Bell Frostburg State Sr.
DB Imani Moore Concord Jr.
DB Vincent Persichetti Frostburg State Sr,
DB Chris Richardson Urbana Sr.
Special Teams
P Dominic Buttazzoni Notre Dame Fr.
K Tanner Harding Notre Dame Jr.
Ret Austin Ratliff Glenville State Jr.
Honorable Mention
Offense
QB: Takwan Crews-Naylor (Fairmont State)
RB: Dylan Lucas (W.Va. State), Isaiah Young (Urbana)
HB: RIDGE DURBIN (WEST LIBERTY)
WR: AJ Barrette (W.Va. State)
OL: Zach Cox (Fairmont State), Ethan Furgason (Glenville State), Mike Kyle (Notre Dame), Trey Milam (W.Va. Wesleyan), Jason Money (Frostburg State), Adam Riegler (Notre Dame), Nathan Toney (Concord)
Defense
DL: Derrick Brumfield (Notre Dame), Ryan Gattrell (Concord), Keenan Johnson (W.Va. State) Brandon Munoz (WU)
LB: Will Mayes (Glenville State), Dwain Porterfield (Concord), James Reese (Wheeling), Grant Safford (W.Va. Wesleyan)
DB: Tevon Littleton (W.Va. State), Bryce Sheppert (Notre Dame), Sam Thomas (Glenville State)
Special Teams
P: Martin Ahlstroem (W.Va. State)
K: Martin Ahlstroem (W.Va. State)
Ret: Tywan Pearce (Concord)
