Husson University senior linebacker Tucker Buzzell, who led the Commonwealth Coast Conference in tackles for the second straight season with 111, has been named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year.
He was one of 11 Eagles who earned berths on the All-CCC first or second team. The Eagles finished the season with a 7-3 record and were 3-2 in their conference.
Joining Buzzell on the first team were junior tight end Cullen Casey from Eliot and senior defensive lineman Tyrek Mann and junior running back Elijah Garnett, who are both from Brooklyn, New York.
Chosen to the second team were senior quarterback Nic Visser from Santa Rosa, California; senior linebacker Adam Bertrand and sophomore return specialist Nason Berthelette, both from Pittsfield; junior wide receiver Ja’Quan Myles from Daphne, Alabama; senior defensive back Parker LaFrance from West Paris; junior offensive tackle Hayden Fielder from Londonderry, New Hampshire; and sophomore offensive guard Jade Hutchinson from St. Catherine, Jamaica.
The 6-foot, 215-pound Buzzell, who led the country in tackles a year ago with 134, had 18.5 tackles for loss among his 111 tackles and had 6.5 sacks. He also had an interception, four pass breakups, two quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.
He is tied for 13th in the country among 238 NCAA Division III schools in tackles per game with 11.1 and tied for 17th in tackles for lost yards per game (1.8).
The Lovell native and Fryeburg Academy standout has made 372 tackles in his four seasons at Husson.
He is a three-time first team selection.
The 6-foot, 225-pound Mann, who earned his second straight first-team berth, led the conference with nine sacks. He had 56 tackles including 17 for lost yards. He also forced three fumbles and blocked a kick. He is 26th in the country in tackles for lost yards per game (1.7).
Mann had seven sacks last season.
The 6-2, 220-pound Cullen hauled in a league-high 53 passes for 571 yards and five touchdowns. He was a second team pick a year ago.
The 5-foot-10, 200-pound Garnett carried the ball 197 times for 1,349 yards and 19 touchdowns.
He is tied for fifth in the nation in rushing touchdowns, eighth in rushing yards and yards per game (135) and tied for 12th in yards per carry at 6.85. His yards per carry set a school record.
The 6-2, 225-pound Visser completed 189 of 260 passes for 2,158 yards and 17 touchdowns. His 72.7 percent completion rate is sixth best in the nation. Visser, the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year last season and a two-time first team selection, threw for 215.8 yards per game and was intercepted seven times. He also ran for three TDs.
In his four-year career, Visser has completed 63.7 percent of his passes (611-for-959) for 7,421 yards and 53 touchdowns. He broke the program’s single-game passing record with 414 yards in his final game, a 61-31 win over Nichols.
The 5-9, 220-pound Bertrand was second on the team in tackles with 72 including 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks and he also recovered three fumbles.
The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Myles led the Eagles in receiving yards with 645. He hauled in 43 passes and had six touchdown receptions.
LaFrance, who stands 6-2 and weighs 185 pounds, had 48 tackles and eight pass breakups.
The 5-7, 145 pound Berthelette returned 15 kickoffs for 402 yards and one touchdown. He averaged 26.8 yards per return.
The 6-5, 315-pound Fielder and 6-2, 315-pound Hutchinson anchored an offensive line that helped the Eagles average 34.5 points and 407.9 yards per game. They averaged 5.3 yards per rush.
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