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The three local college football teams in the Rockbridge area boasted 24 selections for all-conference honors.
Washington and Lee University, which went 8-3 under sixth-year head coach Garrett LeRose and ended its season with a 20-17 loss to Lycoming College in the inaugural Cape Charles Bowl on Nov. 18, led the way with 12 players receiving all-conference honors and two winning individual awards. Virginia Military Institute, which went 5-6 under first-year head coach Danny Rocco, had eight players honored. Southern Virginia University, which went 1-9 under head coach Joe DuPaix in his first year returning to the program, had four players honored.
For W&L, freshman running back Anthony Crawford was named Old Dominion Athletic Conference rookie of the year, rushing for 409 yards and a team-high 10 touchdowns on 110 carries this year. Senior defensive end Peyton Pack was selected as the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Pack was a threat to opposing offenses this season, recording 27 total tackles with 13 solo stops. He posted 7.5 tackles for loss which cost opponents 40 yards of offense. That includes five sacks for 33 yards. Pack registered three quarterback hurries while forcing two fumbles. Pack had a careerhigh 2.5 sacks in the Generals’ 21-17 comeback win over Hampden-Sydney on Oct. 21.
Generals named to the All-ODAC First Team were offensive lineman Tucker Jacobson and defensive linemen Nathan Unger and Will Mahmud. W&L players named to the All-ODAC Second Team were running back Jacob Romero, tight end Evan Novak, offensive lineman Harrison Donovan, defensive lineman Will Knight, linebacker Hunter Hawk and defensive back Jack Johnson. Generals selected to the All-ODAC Third Team were quarterback Stephen Murrin, all-purpose back Marcus Payne and defensive back Charlie Fleming.
For VMI, both tight end Aidan Twombly (offense) and punter Jack Culbreaeth (special teams) earned Southern Conference First Team honors from both the coaches and the media, while linebackers Evan Eller and Eric Rankin were named First Team Defense by the media and Second Team Defense by the coaches. Running back Hunter Rice garnered Second Team Offense recognition from both the coaches and the media, while long snapper Justin Peterson was named First Team Specialist by the media and Second Team by the coaches. Defensive lineman Dorien Starnes was named to the All-SoCon Defensive Second Team by the media, and wide receiver Ivan Thorpe earned All-Freshman honors from the coaches.
Three SVU players were named to the all-conference second team in the USA South Conference: linebackers Colby Hyder and Seth Dahl and wide receiver Isaac McMullin. Hyder is a senior, while Dahl and McMullin are both freshmen. Another Knight recognized was junior defensive tackle Inoke Kaufusi, who was named to the USA South All-Sportsmanship Team honors for his role as a vocal leader showing exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season.
