NAPERVILLE, Ill. (Nov. 14, 2007) - North Central College quarterback Aaron Fanthorpe (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) was tabbed the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Offensive Player of the Year while 10 other Cardinals earned all-conference.
All-Conference Teams
Named to the first team along with Fanthorpe were running back Dominic Sulo (Oak Forest, Ill./Mt. Carmel), right guard Don Kasper (Bridgeview, Ill./Argo), right tackle Josh Delancey (Stuart, Fla./Jensen Beach), return specialist Joe Schneiderbauer (Sterling, Ill./Sterling), defensive lineman Anthony Imbordino (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) and linebackers Matt Wenger (Davis, Ill./Dakota) and Nick Hammers (LaSalle, Ill./LaSalle-Peru).
Second team selections included defensive back Jordan Hoffman (Dwight, Ill./Dwight), wide receiver Joe Mastrino (Elmhurst, Ill./Immaculate Conception) and left guard Weston Welnack (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central).
Fanthorpe follows in the footsteps of two-time CCIW Offensive Player of the Year award winner Kam Kniss '07. Fanthorpe, only a sophomore and in his first season as a starter, led the conference in total offense, averaging 262.9 yards per game. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound QB rushed for 499 yards while passing for 1,341 in seven league contests. Fanthorpe also ranked second in passing efficiency, completing 90 of 156 passes for 1,341 yards and 14 touchdowns with seven interceptions for a rating of 150.5. He was a two-time CCIW Player of the Week.
Sulo led the conference in rushing despite missing one conference game. The sophomore finished with 625 yards (104.2 avg.) and six touchdowns. He was also eighth in the league in all-purpose yards with 676 (112.7 avg.). Sulo was honored as CCIW Player of the Week after gaining 205 yards and scoring three touchdowns in a 61-34 win over North Park University (Ill.) Sept. 29. It is the sophomore's second straight selection to the All-CCIW First Team Offense.
Kasper, Delancey and Welnack anchored an offensive line that was tops in the CCIW in scoring offense (40.3 avg.) and total offense (2,949 total yards, 421.3 avg.) while finishing second in rushing offense (221.1 avg.) and time of possession (32:39 avg.). Kasper was also All-CCIW First Team in 2006 and All-CCIW Second Team in 2005. Delancey and Welnack were first-time honorees.
Schneiderbauer led the CCIW in punt returns and kickoff returns. The freshman returned 18 punts for 237 yards (13.2 avg.) and 16 kickoffs for 395 yards (24.7). Mastrino caught 18 balls for 465 yards and six touchdowns in conference play.
Wenger led the conference in tackles for most of the season and may have finished first if not for sitting out the second halves of several blowout victories. The 5-11, 220-pound linebacker finished with 65 total tackles (32 solo, 33 assisted) to go along with 11 tackles-for-loss of 26 yards. He was twice honored as CCIW Defensive Player of the Week. Hammers totaled 41 tackles in the league (21 solo, 20 assisted) in addition to 2.5 tackles-for-loss and one interception returned 44 yards.
Imbordino led the conference in sacks with eight (seven solo, one assisted) while also contributing 21 tackles, 10 tackles-for-loss of 39 yards, two forced fumbles and two pass breakups. Hoffman was second in the CCIW in pass breakups with nine. The senior picked off three passes and totaled 14 tackles (11 solo, three assisted).
North Central plays at Franklin College (Ind.) in the first round of the NCAA III Playoffs Saturday at 11 a.m.
