SPOTLIGHT SHINES ON
SEVEN SHAW
STUDENT-ATHLETES
SELECTED TO 2007 ALL-CIAA
FOOTBALL TEAM
November 5, 2007 –
Hampton, VA –
The Central
Intercollegiate Athletic
Association (CIAA) has
announced its 2007
All-Conference Teams.
Shaw University has
three student-athletes
that have been named to
the All-CIAA Football
Team and four
student-athletes
positioned on the All-CIAA
Second Football Team.
The Shaw University
Bears’ representatives
that were selected to
the All-CIAA Football
Team were
Oliver Pazdry (#74 /
Offensive Lineman /
Junior / Physical
Education / Brooklyn,
NY),
Louis Ellis (#92 /
Defensive Lineman /
Junior / Recreation /
Jackson, MS),
and
Robert Brown (#1 / Kick
& Punt Returner / Wide
Receiver / Sophomore /
Public Administration /
Miami, FL).
Furthermore, Shaw’s
quadruple representation
on the All-CIAA Second
Team was composed of
Lenell King (#9 / Wide
Receiver / Sophomore /
Business Management /
Mound Bayou, MS),
Alan Atwater (#34 /
Fullback / Junior / Mass
Communications / Chapel
Hill, NC),
Ryne Powell (#39 /
Kicker / Junior /
History / Brown Summit,
NC), and
Tiquan Collins (#42 /
Linebacker / Sophomore /
Recreation / James City,
NC).
Oliver Pazdry
is one of Shaw’s premier
players that provide
veteran leadership on
the offensive line. At
Left Guard, Pazdry has
helped the Bears to
accumulate 3,041 yards
in total offense (1,372
rushing yards and 1,669
passing yards – 304.1
average yards per game)
on 640 plays for 165
first downs, 26
touchdowns (14 rushing,
12 passing), and 218
points scoring (21.8
points per game). In the
CIAA, the Bears are
ranked 4th in
scoring offense average
per game (21.8), 3rd
in passing yards per
game (166.9), 6th
in rushing yards per
game (137.2), and 4th
in total offensive yards
per game (304.1). In
addition, Pazdry has
twice been named a
simultaneous
National Gazette Player
of the Week
and
CIAA Offensive Lineman
of the Week.
Once occurred at the end
of week eight when he
aided the Bears in
collecting 402 total
yards on 70 plays;
including three passing
touchdowns and one
rushing TD as Shaw beat
Livingstone for its
fourth consecutive win,
35-7. The second time
was at the end of week
ten when Pazdry aided
the Bears in
accumulating 419 yards
of total offense (264
yards rushing, 155 yards
passing); including one
rushing touchdown in
their 16 – 14 win over
Bowie State.
Louis Ellis
has indeed been a
seriously scouted threat
to opponent’s coaching
staff. Ellis has aided
in the Bears being
clearly established as
the Nation’s #1 Ranked
Defense which has only
allowed a season average
1,719 total yards on
offense (171.9 yards per
game) and only 115
points total on the
season (11.5 points per
game).In 10 games, Ellis
has totaled 57 tackles
(40 solo, 17 assisted –
22 tackles for 101 yards
loss), eight sacks for
57 yards loss, two pass
break ups, and two
quarterback hurries.
Ellis’ individual season
highlights include a
team high three sacks
against Livingstone
College, a team high
five tackles for loss
against Morehouse
College and Livingstone
College. He is ranked 3rd
in average tackles for
loss per game (2.2) on
the NCAA Division II
Football National
Ranking Summary Report.
In the CIAA, he is
ranked 3rd in solo
tackles (40), in a
three-way tie for 2nd in
pass sacks per game
(0.8), and 1st
in tackles for loss per
game (2.2). Furthermore,
he is listed on the
conference individual
game high as 2nd
and 3rd for
tackles for loss of
yards (5, 5).
It is a wonder why
Robert “Mr. Excitement”
Brown did not
carry fire extinguishers
to help control flames
flaring from his feet as
he used Olympic speed to
flash by defenders. In
nine games, he led with
16 punt returns for 351
yards (21.9 yards per
return) with his longest
return being of 69
yards. Furthermore, he
accumulated 252 kick
return yards (36 yards
per return) on seven
kick returns with his
longest kick return
being of 55 yards. In
addition, he caught one
pass for 16 yards. On
the NCAA Division II
Football National
Ranking Summary Report,
Brown is ranked #1 in
punt return yards per
game (21.9). In the CIAA,
Brown is #1 with a punt
return average of 21.9
yards per game and 12th
in all purpose yards per
game (69.6). Brown’s
season highlights
include game high
longest punt return of
69 yards against Bowie
State University and a
game high longest kick
return of 55 yards
against Elizabeth City
State University. Also,
Brown is listed on the
conference season high
list as 2nd
in punt return yards in
a game (69), 1st
and 2nd in
longest punt return in a
game (69, 62), and 1st
in punt return average
in a game (29.7).
Lenell King
emerged as one of Shaw’s
go-to-receivers. King
led all Shaw receivers
with 29 receptions in
nine games for 467 yards
(66.7 yards per game,
16.1 yards per catch –
longest catch for 49
yards) and one
touchdown. Also, he
completed two
completions on two
passing attempts for
four yards for a
conference high
completion percentage of
100% against Morehouse
College. King’s
highlights include a
team and season high
seven catches and 101
receiving yards against
Morehouse College.
Alan Atwater
makes up half of Shaw’s
powerful and prominent
one-two punch in the
backfield. Atwater led
all rushers with 690
rushing yards (76.7
yards per game, 5.6
yards per carry –
longest rush of 60
yards) on 123 carries
for a team eight rushing
touchdowns in nine
games. Also, Atwater
caught one pass for 20
yards, had three kick
returns for 74 yards
(24.7 yards per return –
longest of 45 yards). In
the CIAA, Atwater is
ranked 4th in
rushing yards per game
(76.7), 12th
in total offensive yards
per game (76.7), 4th
in scored points per
game (5.3), 7th
in all purpose yards per
game (87.1), and 4th
in rushing yards (690).
Atwater has had team and
season highs of most
rushing attempts in a
game (24 against Bowie
State University), most
rushing touchdowns in a
game (three against
Johnson C. Smith
University), and longest
rush in a game (60
yards). Furthermore, he
is listed 2nd
on the conference’s
individual high list for
most scored points (18),
2nd for most
touchdowns scored and
rushing touchdowns in a
game (3), and 1st
for the longest rush
(60).
Simply remarking that
Ryne “Automatic” Powell
is the “foot”
of Shaw’s offense is a
complete understatement.
Powell has successfully
made 13 of 23 attempted
field goals (56.5%);
including making two of
seven attempts field
goals between 40 and 49
yards long with his
longest field goal of 45
yards as well as 19 of
20 extra point attempts.
Also, he has punted the
football six times for
177 yards (29.5 yards
per punt, longest of 41
yards, two punted inside
the 20 yard line).
Furthermore, Powell has
assumed kickoff
responsibilities on 20
occasions for 1,002
kickoff yards (50.1
yards per kickoff).
Powell leads the team in
points scored (58 – 13
made field goals, 19
made extra points). On
the NCAA Division II
Football National
Ranking Summary Report,
Powell is ranked #2 in
field goals per game
(1.4). In the CIAA,
Powell ranks as #1 in
scoring average per game
(6.4), 1st in
field goals per game
(1.4), 1st in
scoring total and
scoring via kicking (58
points total, 6.4 points
per game), 1st in field
goals (13 – 1.44 per
game), 3rd in
field goal percentage
(56.5), and 2nd
in point after touchdown
attempt percentage
(95%). In addition,
Powell has been named
the
CIAA Specialty Player of
the Week
during week ten and
eleven. At the end of
week ten, Powell was the
beginning and ending of
Shaw's offensive
production as he
accounted for nine of
Shaw's 16 points
totaling 75 yards in
field goal yardage. He
was three of three in
attempts as he
successfully kicked
field goals of 24 yards,
36 yards, and 25 yards.
His last made field goal
undeniably propelled
Shaw from being down by
one, to being up by two
to win the game. Then,
at the end of the
regular season in final
week, he sealed Shaw's
17 - 3 triumph over
Saint Augustine's, by
nailing a season long 45
yard field goal. His
three points were the
only points scored in
the second half.
Tiquan Collins
is a hands-down vote to
being a veteran and
productive leader of
Shaw’s linebacker core.
Collins has aided in the
Bears being clearly
established as the
Nation’s #1 Ranked
Defense which has only
allowed a season average
1,719 total yards on
offense (171.9 yards per
game) and only 115
points total on the
season (11.5 points per
game). As Shaw’s leading
tackler, in nine games
Collins has totaled 66
tackles (24 solo, 42
assisted – 12 tackles
for 39 yards loss), one
and a half sack for 14
yards loss, two pass
break ups and one fumble
recovery. On the very
week of play, the CIAA
carded Collins as the
Defensive Lineman of the
Week as he
led the Bears with 10
total tackles and had
one sack for seven yards
loss in Shaw’s 24 – 7
win over Miles College.
Furthermore, Collins
season highlight was
against Fayetteville
State University when he
totaled 12 tackles. In
the CIAA, Collins is
ranked 8th in
tackles per game (7.3),
and 6th in
tackles for loss (12 –
1.33 per game),
For more information,
please visit:
http://www.theciaa.com/sports/fball/2007/news/allconf1105
Demarcus Merritt
Shaw University
Director of Sports
Information
