Five members of the Hobart football team were named to the D3football.com All-Region 2 Teams which were announced today. Senior linebacker Jaimen Bliss (Solvay/Syracuse, N.Y.), junior punter Vicente Lyon (Yorktown/Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) and sophomore running back E.J. Taylor (Solon/Solon, Ohio) headline the quintet, representing the Statesmen on the first team. Senior offensive guard Ethan Kowalski (Lancaster/Lancaster, N.Y.) and senior kicker Tobias Wefering (West Islip/West Islip, N.Y.) garnered second team recognition.
The Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year, Bliss led a dominant Hobart unit that ranked fifth in the nation in scoring defense (11.4 ppg), seventh in turnovers gained (27), 21st in red zone defense (.643) and 22nd in total defense (256.1 ypg). He recorded 104 tackles in 11 games this season, ranking seventh on Hobart’s single season list and 38th in the nation in tackles per game (9.5). Bliss made a career-high 15 tackles in the NCAA playoffs at No. 6 Susquehanna. He ranked second in the Liberty League with 13.5 tackles for loss, posting a season-high 2.5 stops behind the line at then-No. 9 Randolph-Macon and against Rochester.
Bliss is a three-time All-Liberty League selection, earning first team honors in each of the past two seasons. In 43 career games, he produced 267 tackles, 33.5 for loss, 11 sacks, 10 pass breakups, four forced fumbles, and three interceptions. Bliss is ninth on Hobart’s career list for tackles for loss and eighth in career tackles.
A two-time All-Liberty League pick, Lyon was one of the top punters in the nation this season. He led the Liberty League and is fourth in the nation, averaging a Hobart season record 43.6 yards per punt. Lyon was named to the D3football.com National Team of the Week three times this season. He was named to the team of the week the first time after breaking a pair of Hobart records in the team’s win over Ithaca. He punted four times for 260 yards against the Bombers, a single game record 65.0 average. Lyon’s longest punt of the game was an 86-yarder, breaking his own record. It’s the longest punt in NCAA football this season.
Lyon, who missed last season due to injury, has played in 21 games. He’s punted 74 times for 3,007 yards, an average of 40.6. Lyon has pinned opponents inside their own 20 22 times. He’s also launched 16 punts that have traveled 50 or more yards.
The Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year, Taylor was the only 1,000-yard rusher in the Liberty League this season, finishing with 1,196 yards (5.7 yds/carry). He had five 100-yard games, including a season-high 194 yards and three touchdowns at Susquehanna. Taylor’s 82-yard TD run against the River Hawks is the longest in Hobart’s postseason history and the ninth longest run from scrimmage by any Statesman. He also had three more games of 95 or more yards. Taylor led the Liberty League in rushing touchdowns (12), total touchdowns (14) and points per game (7.6).
In two seasons, Taylor has appeared in 22 games recording 1,529 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. He’s also caught 18 passes for 134 yards and three TDs.
Kowalski started all 11 games this season. He earned first team All-Liberty League honors after allowing just one sack on the year. The only senior starting on the offensive line, Kowalski led a unit that led the league and ranked 14th in the nation in tackles for loss allowed (3.55/g). The Statesmen were also tops in the league and 43rd in the country in sacks allowed (1.09/g). Kowalski and his fellow linemen cleared the way for the league’s No. 2 rushing offense, averaging 159.8 yards per game. Hobart rushed for a season-high 232 yards in the win over Rochester.
A two-time All-Liberty League first team pick, Kowalski played in 26 career games. He and his classmates led the Statesmen to a four-year record of 33-11, making four postseason appearances (3 ECAC Bowl games and 2024 NCAA playoffs).
The Liberty League Special Teams Player of the Year, Wefering led the Liberty League and ranks fifth in the nation in field goals per game (1.36) and ranks 28th in the country in field goal percentage (.714). He was 15-of-21 on field goals and 32 of 34 on extra points. Wefering’s 49-yard field goal in the win over Union was a career long and is the second longest in Hobart history. He tied the Hobart record for field goals in a game with three against Ithaca and then broke the mark with four at St. Lawrence.
A four-time All-Liberty League selection, Wefering holds the Hobart career record for field goals made (34) and points by kicking (211). He also holds the season record for field goals made (15 in 2024). Wefering set the Hobart game record for PATs kicked with nine at Buffalo State in 2022.
Hobart finished the season with a 9-2 record. The Statesmen won their 12th Liberty League Championship with a perfect 6-0 mark in conference play.
D3football.com is the premier website for all things related to Division III football. Founded in 1998 by executive editor Pat Coleman, the website selects its All-Region teams in a vote of Region 2 sports information directors and D3football.com staff. All-Region honorees are eligible for selection to the D3football.com All-America Teams, which will be announced Jan. 2, 2025.
Since 2005, Statesmen have earned 65 all-region awards from D3football.com.
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