2017 Worcester Area Football Association Steve "Merc" Morris All-Star Team
WORCESTER, Mass. – In addition to seven Worcester State University football players being named to the Worcester Area Steve "Merc" Morris All-Star team, the Lancers' Mike Quinn (Sutton, Mass.) has been tabbed the Worcester Area Freshman of the Year as announced by the Worcester Area Football Association on Wednesday (Nov. 29).
The first team recipients include junior quarterback Noah Brum (Honolulu, Hawaii), sophomore tight end Jacob Maher (Marshfield, Mass.) and junior defensive back Theo Bryant (Lowell, Mass.).
Brum recorded 280 completions on 432 attempts with a league-high 64.8% completion rate. He threw a league-high 3,197 yards and averaged a conference-high 319.7 yards per game. He also led the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) in passing touchdowns with 30, and rushed for one in 10 games played. The NEFW Gold Helmet Weekly Award recipient broke numerous Worcester State single-game and single-season records with his accomplishments this season.
On the receiving end of Brum was Maher, a NEFW All-New England recipient, who finished the 2017 season with a league-best 14 receiving touchdowns for a team-best 84 points on the season. He totaled 986 receiving yards, averaging 98.6 yards per game for the second-best mark in the MASCAC. He also rushed 10 times for 13 yards.
Worcester Area First-Team recipient, Bryant, collected 84 tackles (46 solo, 38 assisted), 5.5 tackles for a loss, three breakups, and an interception this season.
The Lancers had four players named to the second team, including Quinn. Junior wide receivers Kharif Pryor (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Dan Orlando (Westborough, Mass.) along with offensive lineman Chris Walles (Feeding Hills, Mass.) were named to the All-Star second-team.
Quinn, a freshman linebacker, led the team on defense as he racked up 100 tackles (66 solo, 34 assisted), 7.5 tackles for a loss, four breakups, one sack, and one fumble recovery.
Walles, a four-year recipient of the Worcester Area All-Star team, made the team as he helped hold down the offensive line. Pryor totaled 543 yards on 51 receptions and recorded four touchdowns. He also recorded 22 kick returns for 457 yards, and 12 punt returns for 101 yards, totaling 1,100 all-purpose yards. Orlando totaled 595 yards on 52 receptions and averaged 59.5 yards per game. He was second-best on the team in receiving touchdowns with seven.
Other major award winners include Assumption's junior wide receiver/return specialist Deonte Harris and WPI's sophomore running back Sean McAllen who were named co-Offensive Players of the Year. Assumption senior defensive back Andrew Benson and Becker sophomore linebacker Michael Bianco shared Defensive Player of the Year honors. Assumption senior kicker Cole Tracy earned his third straight Special Teams Player of the Year accolade. Assumption's Bob Chesney was named Coach of the Year.
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.