The 2024 Liberty League Champion Hobart football team was richly rewarded when the conference announced its postseason awards today. Statesmen were named the Offensive Player, Defensive Player, Special Teams Player and Rookie of the Year, while the Hobart coaches were voted the Coaching Staff of the Year.
The Statesmen also collected the lion’s share of All-Liberty League spots with 18 players receiving 19 nods.
Sophomore running back E.J. Taylor (Salon/Salon, Ohio), senior linebacker Jaimen Bliss (Solvay/Syracuse, N.Y.), senior kicker Tobias Wefering (West Islip/West Islip, N.Y.) and first-year wide receiver Johnny Harding (McQuaid/Rochester, N.Y.) collected top honors as the Offensive Player, Defensive Player, Special Teams Player and Rookie of the Year, respectively.
Taylor, Bliss and Wefering were joined on the All-Liberty League first team by junior wide receiver Ahmad Crowel (Manhasset/Bridgton Academy/Great Neck, N.Y.), senior offensive guard Ethan Kowalski (Lancaster/Lancaster, N.Y.), junior tackle Ashton Mejias (Red Bank Catholic/Tinton Falls, N.J.), senior linebacker Anthony Romano (Methuen/Methuen, Mass.), sophomore cornerback Zeshan Dixon (Hamilton West/Trenton, N.J.), junior punter Vicente Lyon (Yorktown/Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) and first-year athlete Tristan Reynolds (The Hill School/Boyertown, Pa.).
Joining Harding on the second team were junior defensive end Dante Randle (Valley View/Archbald, Pa.), junior linebacker Mike McGhee (Germantown Academy/Jamison, Pa.) and junior free safety Alex Smith (Christian Brothers Academy/Syracuse, N.Y.).
Junior center Quinn Broggy (Syosset/Syosset, N.Y.), senior defensive end Vincent Giordano (Sachem North/Holbrook, N.Y.), and senior linebacker Cashon Young (Capital Prep Harbor/Bridgeport, Conn.) were tabbed honorable mention. Harding made a second appearance on the all-league teams, earning honorable mention as a return specialist.
Taylor was the league’s only 1,000-yard rusher, finishing the regular season 34th in the nation with 1,002 yards. He produced four 100-yard games, including three straight to end the regular season. Taylor has three of the top six rushing yards in a game totals in the league this season. No other player has more than one. He leads the league in total touchdowns (11) and is tied for the lead in rushing touchdowns (9). He produced a career-high 159 yards on 19 carries in the win over Alfred to earn the first of two Liberty League Offensive Performer of the Week awards. He ran for 158 yards and three TDs against Rochester, becoming the only player in the league to rush for 3 TDs in a game this season. A versatile back, he is tied for 4th on the team in receptions (14), ranks fifth in receiving yards (104) and is third in receiving TDs (2).
Bliss leads the team, is second in the league and 56th in the nation with 89 tackles. The two-time Liberty League Defensive Performer of the Week, logged a season-high 14 tackles, including two for loss in the win over Ithaca. Bliss notched a game-high 12 tackles and an interception at RPI. He recorded 10 or more tackles in a game four times this season. His 11.5 tackles for loss are third in the conference.
A three-time all-league selection, including back-to-back first team recognition, Bliss is tied for 10th on Hobart’s career tackles list with 252.
Wefering leads the league and is fourth in the nation in field goals made per game (1.5). He’s made 15 of 20 field goals and 27 of 29 extra points for a league-leading 72 points. Wefering broke the Hobart game (4 at St. Lawrence), season and career (34) records for field goals made this season. He connected on a career-long 49-yard field goal against Union, the second longest in Hobart history.
Wefering is the fifth kicker in Hobart history with 100 career PATs made (104) and the 10th player in Hobart history with 200 career points (34 FGM, 104 PAT, 206 pts). A four-time All-Liberty League honoree, he also holds the Hobart record for most extra points by kicking in a game (9 in 2022).
A four-time Liberty League Rookie of the Week, Harding had at least one reception in every game this season, compiling a Hobart rookie record 41 receptions for 556 yards and eight touchdowns. He is third in the league in receptions, fourth in receiving yards, and tied with Crowell for the league lead in receiving touchdowns. Harding made four catches for a season-high 109 yards and two TDs at Keystone and logged a season-high seven receptions for 83 yards and two TDs at Buffalo State. He also returned punts for the Statesmen, averaging 6.8 yards per return.
In nine games, Colombi completed 57% of his passes for 1,695 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also rushed for 200 yards and two TDs. He is tied for the league lead in passing touchdowns, is second in passing yards and passing efficiency (140.2). The two-time Liberty League Offensive Performer of the Week threw for 250-plus yards and three-plus touchdowns in wins over Moravian (250 yds, 3TD), Keystone (268, 4) and RPI (258, 3). His 77-yard touchdown pass to Crowell against Moravian is the longest pass play in the league this year.
In 28 career games, Colombi has completed 55.3% of his passes for 3,752 yards and 27 touchdowns with a 128.9 pass efficiency rating. He ranks in the Hobart career top 10 in yards per pass (5th, 7.4), completions (6th, 280), completion percentage (6th), passing yards (7th), pass efficiency (7th), total offense yards (7th, 4,398), total offense per game (7th, 157.1), total offense per play (7th, 6.57), passing TDs (t-8th), and passing yards per game (9th, 134.0).
Crowell caught 26 passes for 612 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He leads the Liberty League and is sixth in the nation in yards per reception (23.54). Crowell is second in the league in receiving yards, 90 behind the leader, despite having 39 fewer catches. He has two 100-yard receiving games this season, making four catches for 130 yards and two TDs against Moravian and a season-high five receptions for a career-high 137 yards and a TD at RPI.
In 19 career games, Crowell has 45 receptions for 927 yards and 11 touchdowns. On Hobart’s career lists, he is tied for 15th in receiving TDs and 22nd in receiving yards.
Kowalski, Mejias and Broggy lead a Hobart offensive line that leads the Liberty League and ranks among the best in the nation in tackles for loss allowed (3.6/g, 18th in Division III) and sacks allowed (1.0, 37th). The Statesmen also lead the league in scoring offense (27.3 ppg), red zone offense (80%) and fourth down conversion (65%) while ranking second in total offense (348.3 yds/g), rushing offense (155.9) and time of possession (31:29).
Kowalski is making his second consecutive appearance on the All-Liberty League first team. Mejias moved up to the first team after receiving honorable mention last season. Broggy is making his debut on the all-conference teams.
Romano has started all 10 games this season, producing 77 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and an interception. The two-time Liberty League Defensive Performer of the Week notched a season-high 16 tackles, including half a sack, and an interception in the win over Ithaca. He rang up double digit tackles in three other games this year.
A three-time All-Liberty League selection, Romano also appeared on the first team in 2022. He has played in 43 career games, recording 266 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks, five interceptions, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick. He is seventh on Hobart’s career tackles list.
In his first season as a starter, Dixon logged 39 tackles, two pass breakups, an interception, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He made a season-high six tackles in a game four times (at Keystone, Ithaca, at RPI, Rochester). Dixon made his interception at nationally-ranked Randolph-Macon, helping the Statesmen take the Yellow Jackets to overtime.
Lyon is one of the top punters in the nation this season. In 10 games, he’s punted 38 times for 1,656 yards, an average of 43.6 yards. He leads the league and is third in the nation in punting average. Lyon has been named the Liberty League Special Teams Performer of the Week three times this year and has also been selected to the D3football.com National Team of the Week three times. He has averaged more than 50 yards per punt in a game twice this season, including a Hobart record 65 yards per punt against Ithaca. In that game, Lyon launched the longest punt in Statesmen history, an 86-yarder which is the longest punt in NCAA football this season. He has 10 punts of 50-plus yards this year and has dropped 10 inside the opponent’s 20.
Lyon’s performance this year is made all the more impressive by the fact that he missed all of last season due to injury. He was an All-Liberty League honorable mention as a first-year in 2022.
Reynolds, a wide receiver and kick returner, earned first team honors at the athlete position for his versatility. He caught 16 passes for 157 yards, returned nine kickoffs for 248 yards (27.6/ret), and had three carries for 13 yards out of the backfield. Reynolds caught two passes for a season-high 59 yards at Keystone and pulled in a season-high four passes for 29 yards at St. Lawrence. His longest kickoff return of the season was an 80-yarder at RPI.
Through 10 games, Randle has 44 tackles, 6.5 for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He made a season-high eight tackles against Rochester and produced seven stops against league runner-up Ithaca.
In 23 career games, Randle has 73 tackles, 9.5 for loss, 2.5 sacks, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
McGhee has started all 10 games, making 50 tackles, 8.0 for loss, 2.0 sacks, three interceptions, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery. He had a season-high eight tackles, including a sack, at Randolph-Macon. McGhee is second on the team in tackles for loss and third in tackles and sacks.
McGhee has played in 31 career games, logging 123 tackles, 17 for loss, 5.5 sacks, nine pass breakups, four interceptions, five fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. He moved up to the second team after earning honorable mention last year.
Smith recorded 23 tackles, 4.0 for loss and two pass breakups in 10 games this season. He made a season-high five stops in the win over Moravian. Through 27 career games, Smith has 64 tackles, 5.5 for loss, seven pass breakups, an interception, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
Giordano has played in all 10 games this season, spending time at defensive end and linebacker. He’s recorded 35 tackles, 5.5 for loss, a team-high 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. Giordano had a season-high eight tackles in Hobart’s win at Buffalo State.
In 28 career games, Giordano has 88 tackles, 10.5 for loss, 4.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.
Young has started all 10 games this season, producing 42 tackles, including 1.5 for loss. He made a season-high eight stops at RPI. In 27 career games, Young has 81 tackles, including 2.5 for loss.
Hobart is led by Head Coach Kevin DeWall ’00. Now in his sixth season, he led the Statesmen to a 9-1 record and the Liberty League Championship with a perfect 6-0 mark in conference play. It is Hobart’s first league title since 2016 and first unbeaten run through conference play since 2014. The Statesmen are ranked in the top 20 in the nation in 18 statistical categories, leading the nation in scoring defense (8.3 ppg).
DeWall is assisted by Defensive Coordinator Michael Green ’14, Co-Special Teams Coordinator Colin Schaeffer, Co-Special Teams Coordinator Kevin McDonough, Assistant Coach Liam Murphy, Assistant Coach Seth Williams, Assistant Coach Jacob Lees, Assistant Coach Michael Cragg, and Assistant Coach Jared Leake ’22.
Hobart earned the Liberty League’s automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs. The Statesmen earned a first round bye and will travel to Susquehanna (9-1) for a second round game kicking off at noon Saturday, Nov. 30.
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