DUDLEY, Mass. – Six members of the Nichols College football team have been selected to the 2008 Worcester Area Football Association All-Star Team, it was announced Thursday. Senior linebacker Josh Harris (Northbridge, Mass.) and junior defensive lineman Bill Hassett (Oxford, Mass.) led the way with First Team honors, while junior kick return specialist Lawrence Scott (Oxford, Mass.), junior wide receiver Anthony Pillari (Lumberton, N.J.), offensive lineman Brandt Genga (Middletown, R.I.), and running back Robert Morris (Melbourne, Fla.) all earned Second Team accolades.
Harris led the team and ranked eighth among NEFC linebackers with 72 tackles (44 solo) and ranked third in the league with 16.5 tackles for a loss of 54 yards. Harris posted four sacks for a loss of 25 yards, an interception, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. The senior was named the NEFC Defensive Co-Player of the Week on Oct. 26 after an impressive all-around effort against UMass Dartmouth which included a game- and career-high 12 tackles and four tackles for a loss of 18 yards, a sack for a loss of 11 yards, a blocked punt and a forced fumble that led to a Nichols touchdown that gave the Bison the third quarter lead.
Hassett ranked fourth among league linemen and second on the team with 66 tackles (41 solo), and led the NEFC with three forced fumbles. Hassett recorded 13.5 tackles for a loss of 49 yards and ranked eighth in the league with five sacks for a loss of 34 yards. The junior, who earned Second Team honors last season, was named the NEFC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 22 forcing two fumbles in the third quarter led directly to a pair of Nichols touchdowns in the Bison's 33-25 comeback win at Worcester State. Hassett also posted five tackles and 3.5 tackles for a loss of eight yards in the game.
Scott led the NEFC averaging 28.7 yards per kick return, totaling 546 yards on 19 returns this season. The junior racked up a school-record 255 yards against Curry on Nov. 1, including a 90-yard return for a touchdown, earning him a spot on the NEFC Weekly Honor Roll.
Pillari picked up honors at both wide receiver and punt return specialist. The junior averaged 59.6 receiving yards per game, racking up 596 yards on 38 catches with three touchdowns in 10 games this season. Pillari returned 10 punts for 63 yards.
Genga led the offensive line at tackle, helping the Bison to the fourth-fewest sacks allowed in the league (13) and an average of 149.7 yards of rushing offense per game.
Morris led the team with 834 rushing yards, averaging 104.2 yards per game. The senior posted five 100+ yard games this season, including four in a row from Sept. 12 to Oct. 4, and scored four touchdowns in eight games played this year.
