Nov. 20, 2007
EASTON, Pa. - - Lafayette junior linebacker Andy Romans (Allendale, N.J./St. Joseph Regional) has been named the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year and is one of 11 Leopards included on the All-Patriot League First or Second Teams, which were released today.
Romans anchored the No. 1-ranked defense in the country, allowing just 85 yards per game on the ground and 175.2 yards per game through the air. He made 60 tackles in six Patriot League games this season with a season high of 16 against Colgate. Romans also forced two fumbles and made two fumble recoveries against league opponents, finishing first and second in the league in those categories. He led the team with 113 tackles (12.5 for a loss), three sacks, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
The History major is the third Lafayette player and second linebacker to receive the honor in the 22-year history of the league. Linebacker Dan Bengele (1997) and defensive back B.J. Gallis (1996) are the others.
Romans is one of five players to earn first All-Patriot League First-Team status, including three on defense. He joins senior free safety Marcel Quarterman (Philadelphia, Pa./Central) who played in 10 games and finished with two interceptions, including one that he ran back for a touchdown at Georgetown on Sept. 8. The senior captain also made 54 tackles.
Fellow senior captain Kyle Sprenkle (Thomasville, Pa./Spring Grove) collected All-Patriot League First-Team honors. The defensive tackle finished the year with 59 tackles (6.5 for a loss) and one fumble recovery, capping off a career with 166 tackles (23 for a loss) and five sacks. Sprenkle and Romans were second-team selections in 2006.
Offensively, junior fullback Joe Russo (Utica, N.Y./T.R. Proctor) earned his first appearance on the team, while senior guard Greg Lippert (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley) and senior tackle Jesse Padilla (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne), both All-Patriot League Second-Team selections last year, made the jump to first-team status.
Russo started nine games in 2007 and served as a threat on the ground and in the air. He carried the ball 26 times for 126 yards and one touchdown and pulled in 12 passes for 96 yards and two scores while leading the way for an offense that averaged 173 rushing yards per game. Lippert and Padilla were the senior members of an offensive line that helped the Leopards average 364.5 yards of offense and 25.5 points per game.
Juniors Shaun Adair (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) and Michael Conte (New Providence, N.J./New Providence) make their first appearances on the All-Patriot League Second Team. Adair, a wide receiver broke into the top 10 on Lafayette's career receiving yards list with 1,431 career receiving yards and ranks 10th in school history. He is three catches shy of the top 10 career receptions list with 96. Conte made his first start against Lehigh and finished the 2007 season with four receptions for 44 yards.
Senior defensive lineman Keith Bloom (Monaca, Pa./Monaca), sophomore linebacker Mark Leggiero (Bohemia, N.Y./Connetequot) and junior defensive back Marvin Clecidor (Lakeland, Fla./Lake Gibson) complete the second team. Bloom had 39 tackles (six for a loss), 2.5 sacks and one interception to finish his career with 96 tackles (22 for a loss) and 9.5 sacks. Leggiero was the youngest starter in the linebacking corps and finished second on the team with 77 tackles (6.5 for a loss) and three sacks for the season. Clecidor was second in the league in passes defended with 10 pass breakups and two interceptions. All three Leopards earned All-Patriot League honors for the first time in their careers.
Lafayette ended the season with its fourth straight win over Lehigh. The Leopards finished 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the Patriot League standings, where they tied for second place.
