Special Players for a Special Year
Wichlinski Team MVP/Best Offensive Player, Bowers Best Defensive;
Eisenhard, Hernandez, Lane, Pinter, Sosnovik, Zook Cop Other Awards
SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) - Senior All-American fullback and career rushing and scoring leader Matt Wichlinski (Claymont, Del./Brandywine H.S.) was the reciepient of both the Susquehanna University football team's Most Valuable Player and Best Offensive Player Awards at the team's recent Quarterback Club Awards Banquet.
Wichlinski rushed for a school record 3,243 yards and scored a record 246 points and was the Middle Atlantic Conference Offensive Player of the Year and MAC Commonwealth League Most Valuable Player - also repeating as a first-team league All-Star. He was also selected as one of the best 38 NCAA Division III players by the American Football Coaches Association and will play in the 51st Aztec Bowl in Monterrey, Mexico, this Sunday, December 13. The week long all-expense paid trip by the AFCA is capped by a game with the Mexican National team in the 60,000-seat Estadio Universitario Stadium.
In addition to Wichlinski, junior defensive end Denny Bowers (Westminster, Md./Westminster H.S.) was named Susquehanna's Defensive Player of the Year, senior quarterback Ken Eisenhard (Allentown, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) was the recipient of the Coaches' Award, junior offensive tackle Randy Zook (Belleville/Indian Valley H.S.) received the Bob Pittello Offensive Lineman of the Year Award, senior split end and return specialist T.J. Lane (Brandon, Fla./Tampa Jesuit H.S.) was the Special Teams' Player of the Year, and senior defensive tackle Marty Pinter (Hackettstown, N.J./Warren Hills H.S.) was awarded the ROTC Leadership Award. Freshmen halfback Issac Hernandez (Selinsgrove/Selinsgrove H.S.) and linebacker Troy Sosnovik (Belvidere, N.J./Belvidere H.S.) were also awarded the awards for offensive and defensive players of the year respectively.
Together, these players helped Susquehanna win a share of its first Commonwealth League championship, scoring a 28-24 win at co-champion and nationally-ranked Widener in the season-finale to finish at 6-3 overall. It was the program's 13th-straight non-losing season and second-straight winning record.
Nicknamed "The Claymont Cannonball," the 5-6, 200-pound Wichlinski finished second this season in the MAC in both rushing and scoring - rushing for 1,163 yards on 207 carries for an MAC-best 5.6 per-carry average while scoring 102 points on 17 touchdowns (11.3 points per game). Both totals were the second best single-season marks in Susquehanna history behind his own records from 1997 (1,322 rushing yards, 108 points). He was 17th in scoring and 18th in rushing in the final regular-season NCAA Division III rankings.
Wichlinski was the first back to post back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons at Susquehanna and now owns school records for rushing yards (3,243), rushing attempts (582), scoring (246 points) - finishing second in all-purpose yardage (3,604), fourth in total offense (3,243) and fifth in per-carry average (5.6). He also finished second in the MAC modern era (since 1983) for career rushing touchdowns (37), and fourth in both rushing yardage, scoring and total TDs.
A quad-captain, Wichlinski is a corporate communications major and the son of Sheila Wichlinski of West Chester, Pa.
The 6-2, 250-pound Bowers was voted both a first-team league All-Star and second-team All-South Region pick as he posted the best numbers along the defensive line which helped the Crusader defense finish second in MAC and fifth in Division III against the run (69.7 ypg). In his first full season as a starter, Bowers topped the team with nine sacks and 20 tackles for 89 yards in losses among his 41 total stops (26 solo). He also had a pass break-up.
Also a first-team Commonwealth League All-Star as a designated hitter last spring in baseball, Bowers is a mathematics major and the son of Dennis and Pamela Bowers of Westminster.
The 6-0, 190-pound Eisenhard was a starter for most of his first three seasons at Susquehanna, but was the back-up at quarterback this season. He came off the bench in his final game to lead the team to the upset at Widener, earning him both MAC Offensive Player of the Week, and the team's Gus Weber Crusader Player of the Week, sponsored by the Golden Corral Family Restaurant in Shamokin Dam.
Eisenhard completed 16 of 27 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in the Widener win as he rallied the Crusaders from a 14-0 first quarter deficit for their first victory over a nationally-ranked opponent in three years. He completed touchdown passes of 22, 30 and 10 yards.
He saw time in six games this season, completing 19 of 41 passes (46.3%) for 290 yards with three touchdowns and just one interception. He finished his career second in Susquehanna history in career passes (530), completions (249), passing yardage (3,800) and total offense (3,762), ranking third in touchdown passes (28).
A sociology major, he is the son of Sonny and Donna Eisenhard of Allentown.
The 6-4, 250-pound Zook was both a first-team All-South Region pick by Don Hansen's Football Gazette, and also a first-team league All-Star. In his first season as a starter at offensive tackle, he became the best performer on a group which led the MAC and finished 16th in Division III in rushing offense (254.4 yards per game), finishing second in the MAC in total offense (401.2 yards per game). The O-line became just the second group to be collectively recognized by the MAC in its weekly awards this season as it made the MAC Honor Roll after leading the team to a modern MAC record 455 yards rushing vs. Lebanon Valley on October 10. Like Wichlinski, Zook was a unanimous selection by the other league coaches.
He is a public relations major and the son of Raymond and Joann Zook of Belleville.
The 5-8, 170-pound Lane repeated as a league All-Star this season - making the second-team as both a wide receiver and return specialist this season. A quad-captain, he broke the Susquehanna record for career punt return yardage this season, finishing with 680 yards. He is also third in career returns with 66, ranking fifth in average at 10.3, fifth in career receiving yardage (1,259), and sixth in receptions (84).
This season, he led the team in both receiving and punt returns - catching 21 passes for 298 yards (14.2 avg.) and returning 23 punts for 192 yards (8.3 avg.). He was seventh in MAC punt return average this season.
A sociology/psychology major, Lane is the son of JoAnne Lane of Brandon, Fla.
The 6-1, 255-pound Pinter has been a three-year starter who had his best season this year while earning first team league All-Star honors. It was the second time he was a league All-Star, also being a second-teamer in 1996. A quad-captain, Pinter topped the D-line in tackles with 47 (25 solo), including 15 for losses of 49 yards with three sacks. He finished his career with 149 tackles (77 solo), including 40 for losses of 135 yards and 14-and-a-half sacks.
Pinter is a history major and the son of Craig Pinter of Hackettstown, and Diane Rowe of Flemington, N.J.
The 5-10, 185-pound Hernandez was one of the team's primary return men this season - returning three kickoffs for 71 yards (23.7 avg.) and one punt for three yards. Hernandez also played defensive special teams and had six tackles (four solo). He also rushed for 55 yards in 10 carries (5.5 avg.) on the varsity, and had a team best 121 yards in 19 carries (6.4 avg.) in a junior varsity home loss to Lycoming on October 5.
He is a Spanish major and the son of Shirley Cintron of Selinsgrove.
The 6-0, 200-pound Sosnovik made 12 varsity tackles (eight solo) while playing in all but one varsity game - primarily on special teams. He also was one of the team's leading tacklers in that JV home loss to Lycoming on October 5, coming up with eight (two solo).
He is a sociology major and the son of Theodore and Karen Sosnovik.
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