2012 WORCESTER AREA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

22nd Annual Steve “Merc” Morris All-Star Team

As Selected by the Worcester Area Sports Information Directors 

The Worcester Area Football Association All-Star Team is named in the memory of Steve “Merc” Morris, the longtime Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations and Assumption Hall of Famer. “Merc” was a 1972 graduate of Assumption and was a member of the athletics staff for 39 years before passing away in January of 2011. In addition to being the founder of the Worcester Area Association All-Star program, he was a tireless supporter of collegiate athletics in the Worcester area and had a key role in the lives of thousands of student-athletes.

Co-Offensive Player of the Year - Corey Spencer, Worcester State, Sr. QB

Spencer becomes the fourth Worcester State quarterback to garner Offensive Player of the Year accolades and the first in 11 years since Lancer Hall of Famer Cean Oksanish was honored.

The All-NEFC Bogan Division second-team honoree paced the squad with 2,825 yards and 23 touchdowns - marks that are second only to Okstanish's marks in 2001. Spencer was also third in New England in passing yardage (282.5 YPG).

Spencer also set a single-game school records for completions (38) and passing yards (421) in a triumph against Fitchburg State while he established new marks for completions (252) and passing percentage (.664) in a season.

Co-Offensive Player of the Year - Santino Simone, Anna Maria, Sr. QB

In the four-year history of Anna Maria's football program, Simone earns their first-ever major award winner. He also becomes the 13th quarterback since 1992 to be recognized.

Simone had a solid season for the AMCATS as he finished with a school-record 2,322 passing yards and 12 touchdowns through the air while he added 509 yards and eight scores on the ground.

In a 44-42 triple overtime victory over Husson en route to earning ECAC Division III New England Offensive Player of the Week accolades, Simone accounted for six touchdowns and 349 passing yards to tie his own institutional mark earlier in the season.

Co-Defensive Player of the Year - Shaine Grogan, WPI, Sr. LB

Grogan, first-team All-Liberty League selection, becomes the 14th linebacker since 1992 and seventh WPI student-athlete to earn Defensive Player of the Year laurels.

He finished the season with a squad-best 99 tackles - including 68 solo stops to lead the conference.

In addition to finishing the campaign with with 7.5 tackles for a loss, Grogan also returned a fumble 15-yards in a setback against Springfield.

Co-Defensive Player of the Year - Mike Stuppiello, Assumption, Jr. DT

Stuppiello becomes the 12th Assumption honoree since 1992 to earn Defensive Player of the Year recognition.

The first-team All-Northeast 10 pick led the conference with 6.5 sacks for 47 yards as he finished the year with 19 tackles - 8.5 of which were for a loss. Stupiello also chipped in with three forced fumbles, a pass breakup.

He earned Defensive Player of the Week recognition for collecting three sacks for 25 yards in a 24-14 comeback victory against St. Anslem at the beginning of the campaign.

Special Teams Player of the Year - Graham Asum, Worcester State, Sr. RET

Asum adds honor to his growing list of accolades that includes first-team All-NEFC laurels and he became the first Lancer to be recognized with Division II/III New England Writers team accolades in seven years as a kick return specialist.

Asum currently leads the NCAA Division III in average kickoff return yardage per kick (31.7 yards) as he ended his campaign with 32 returns for 952 yards and three scores. In addition to resetting the New England record for kickoff yardage, he eclipsed the NEFC career mark that had stood since 1991 (2,098 yards).

One of his three returns this season was a 90-yard touchdown scamper that helped spark the Blue and Gold to a 28-21 triumph against cross-town rival WPI.

Offensive Freshman of the Year -  Kalif Raymond, Holy Cross, WR/RET

Raymond garners the first Holy Cross Freshman of the Year accolades since current Worcester Area second-team honoree Eddie Haughton was recognized in 2009.

As a return specialist, Raymond received both Division I New England Writers and All-Patriot League first-team laurels. He finished the season with 32 kick returns for 777 yards and a touchdown (24.3 yards per kickoff) while handling 19 punt returns for 101 yards.

Both his kickoffs and kick return yardage are the second highest in Holy Cross history and he ranked first in the Patriot League. Raymonds sprinted to an 80-yard score in a setback against Lafayette and hauled in 10 receptions for 111 yards on the campaign on offense.

Co-Defensive Freshman of the Year - Daniel Reyes, Becker, DB

Reyes becomes first Becker Freshman of the Year selection since linebacker John Dutchick in 2008.

The All-ECFC Honorable Mention pick finished the season second on the team with 64 tackles (47 solo) including 2.5 for a loss, five pass breakups and a forced fumble. He was also 19-for-26 on PATs.

Reyes helped force one of four Hawk turnovers with a 30-yard interception in a 13-3 road win over Fitchburg State to open the season.

Co-Defensive Freshman of the Year - Y-Kim Sheppard, Worcester State, DB

Sheppard, who also garnered NEFC Bogan Division Defensive Player of the Year honors, becomes the fourth Worcester State student-athlete recognized as the Freshman of the Year since 1992.

Starting in nine out of a possible 10 games, Sheppard shored up a unit that had been hampered by injures throughout the season. He finished the year with 46 tackles (37 solo), 3.5 tackles for a loss and five pass breakups.

Sheppard helped lead the way defensively in the squads 28-21 win over WPI with eight solo stops and a pair of pass deflections.

Coach of the Year - Brien Cullen, Worcester State

Coach Cullen has been named the Worcester Area Football Association Coach of the Year for the 12th time in the 22 years that the area sports information directors have named a team.

The 30th year head coach helped guide the squad to their second consecutive winning season at 6-4 overall and 4-3 in the NEFC Bogan Division. It marked the first time since the 2003 and 2004 campaigns.

During the 2012 season, the Lancers eclipsed 13 team or individual single-game records and eight seasonal records. 

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