WESTERVILLE, Ohio — After a remarkable football season, Marietta College placed 16 players on the All-Ohio Athletic Conference Football Team announced Tuesday (Nov. 26) morning by the league office.
 
Seniors Dawson Snyder (Pittsburgh, Pa./Moon Area), Connor Vierstra (Thornville, Ohio/Lakewood), Chance Knight (Bridgeport, Ohio/Linsly School), David Busch (Strongsville, Ohio/Lutheran West), Brady Panucci (Crescent, Pa./Moon Area), and Jake Visnic (St. Clairsville, Ohio/Shadyside) and juniors Harley Hopkins (Zanesville, Ohio/West Muskingum), Brady McManaway (Pleasant City, Ohio/Meadowbrook), and Brayden Adams (Fresno, Ohio/Garaway) were named to the All-OAC First Team.
 
Three of those players also received added honors. Vierstra received the Bob Packard Offensive Back of the Year, Knight was named Paul Hoernemann Defensive Lineman of the Year for the second consecutive season, and Hopkins won the Gene Slaughter Linebacker of the Year award.  In addition to the player awards, Marietta College assistant coach Reed Florence received the honor of being named the Assistant Coach of the Year.
 
Vierstra is a first team all-conference pick for the first time after being named to the second team last season. He was second in the conference with 241 yards passing per game and third in the OAC with 24 touchdown passes.  Vierstra completed 213 passes in 329 attempts, good for 5th in the conference with a 64.7% completion percentage.
 
"Connor had an exceptional year, and he rewrote our record book as a quarterback," said Marietta Head Football coach Andy Waddell. "He came to work every day and led our guys in a very professional manner."
 
Knight again earned the top award for defensive linemen in the conference after finishing the season with 58 tackles and leading the OAC with 12.5 sacks. His 20 tackles for a loss also led the conference. 
 
"Chance is a very special football player who caused opposing offenses havoc throughout the season," said coach Waddle. "He was great as a pass rusher with 12.5 sacks and as a run defender finishing second on our team in total tackles, both rare accomplishments from the defensive tackle position."
 
Hopkins walked away with the award given to the top linebacker in the conference as he placed second in the OAC with 8.9 tackles per game.  He was fourth with 5.5 tackles for a loss and seventh with 5.5 sacks per game.
 
"Harley led our defense in tackles from his middle linebacker position," said Waddle. "Harley has great physical traits as well a very good feel for the position. He is a very sure tackler and good blitzer."
 
Florence made his third season as offensive coordinator a special one as his team ranked second in the OAC, behind Mount Union, with nearly 460 yards per game.  Marietta claimed the highest amount of passing yards in the conference this year as they were the only team to eclipse 3000 yards (3020).
 
"Reed has done a great job of developing Connor and our offense over the past three years," said coach Waddle. "He's a very good play caller, and motivator for the entire offense. We broke our school record for points in a season and scored at least 35 points 9 times."
 
After injuries cut into his playing time last season, Snyder came back to lead all OAC receivers with 84 catches and was second with 1015 yards receiving, 92.5 yards per game, and 11 touchdown receptions.
 
Marietta also boasted the top defense in the conference, giving up only 238 yards per game, and Visnic, McManaway, and Panucci were all major contributors.  Visnic was seventh in the OAC with 5.5 sacks.  Panucci was in the top 20 in tackles and was second in the conference with three interceptions.  McManaway averaged nearly five tackles per game and was highly ranked with 5.5 tackles for loss on the season.
 
Busch is a now four-time All-OAC selection, with a second consecutive year being named to the first team. He started all eleven games this fall playing primarily at the right guard position.  Adams made the all-conference first team for the first time as he also started in all 11 contests, primarily as the Pioneer left tackle.
 
In addition to those nine Pioneers, wide receiver Jay Melchiori, running backs Taz Morris (Tampa, Fla./Wharton) and Vante' Hodges (Horn Lake, Miss./Horn Lake), offensive lineman Seth Wallace (Cleveland, Ohio/Holy Name), and defensive back Jaelon Quiero-Gordon (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville South) were named second team All-OAC. Tight end Derek Witsberger (St. Clairsville, Ohio/St. Clairsville) and defensive back Sal Laure (Aliquippa, Pa./Rochester) were named honorable mention.
 
Melchiori caught 46 passes for 723 yards on the season, both good for fifth in the conference, and scored five touchdowns on the season.
 
Morris and Hodges emerged as the preeminent one-two punch of rushing the ball in the OAC.  Hodges slashed his way to 727 yard on 98 carries (7.4 yards per rush) and 10 touchdowns.  Morris pounded his way 696 yards on 131 carries (5.3 yards per rush) and eight TDs.  They both had a rushing touchdown of plus-60 yards on the season.
 
Wallace earned his second all-conference selection, starting all 11 games on the offensive line this fall playing primarily at the center position.
 
Quiero-Gordon is making his fourth appearance on the all-conference team. He finished the season with 22 tackles and picked off one pass. He also finished with four pass break ups.
 
Witsberger missed the first five games of the season due to injury but came back to contribute with eight receptions from the tight end position, averaging 13.5 yards per catch.
 
Laure earned a spot on the All-OAC team for the first time in his career. The junior collected 33 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss.  He also picked off one pass on the year.
 
Fans can follow all the Pioneer teams all year long at pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on X and Instagram.