NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Seven members of the Christopher Newport University football squad were recognized Wednesday as the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) announced its annual All-State team.
Fifth-year senior offensive lineman
Drew Knott received first-team honors. Six Captains were selected to the second team: junior quarterback
Matt Dzierski, senior offensive lineman
Josh Hartley, freshman cornerback
Yasir Geter, senior cornerback
Josh Uvodich, senior kicker
Ryan Castle, and junior safety
Kindrick Braxton.
The Captains concluded the season with a 7-3 overall record, and registered a 5-1 mark in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), finishing second in the league standings in
Paul Crowley's debut season as Head Coach. The 2022 campaign also saw the squad reel off six consecutive victories.
Christopher Newport's offensive line was anchored this past fall by Knott and Hartley. They helped lead the way for CNU to average 150 yards rushing per game and score 18 rushing touchdowns. Knott, from King George, Va., earns his second straight VaSID honor after he was named second-team last year. He received his third straight All-Conference honor, and second straight first team nod. The statewide honor is the first for Hartley, from Newport News, who also earned his first conference post-season award this past fall..
Dzierski, from Lorton, Va., became the first CNU player in program history to earn back-to-back conference Offensive Player of the Year honors this season. He threw for 11 touchdowns and ran for 11 more, and completed 68 percent of his passes while averaging 172 yards passing and 44 yards rushing per game. The VaSID honor is his second straight.
CNU's defensive backfield created problems all season for opposing offenses, and three Captains in those positions were honored for their outstanding play. Uvodich, a senior from Williamsburg, picked off two passes and made 36 tackles, including 30 solo stops. It's his second All-State honor after receiving his second career honor from the NJAC. Braxton, a junior from Goochland, Va., led the Captains in tackles with 75, and 48 solo stops. Braxton set a new school mark for tackles in a game with 21 in the final game of the season at Salisbury, and also recorded an interception. It's his first All-State honor and comes after he he earned his first conference post-season honor, as well as All-Region acclaim. Geter, from Suffolk, Va., showed steady improvement throughout his freshman season and picked off two passes and also registered a sack for the Captains. He tallied a total of 28 tackles, including 20 solo stops, from his cornerback position, and was voted the NJAC's Defensive Rookie fo the Year.
It's the first All-State honor for Castle, who connected on nine-of-11 field goal attempts as well as 29-of-31 PAT attempts in the fall. The Dublin, Va., native scored 56 points and was chosen All-Region and also moved up to first team All-Conference in the NJAC after being a second team All-Conference selection last year.
The complete list of All-State accolades from VaSID:
| VaSID Coach of the Year |
Pedro Arruza |
Randolph-Macon College |
| VaSID Defensive Player of the Year |
Will Pickren |
Hampden-Sydney College |
| VaSID Defensive Rookie of the Year |
Aaron Nice |
Bridgewater College |
| VaSID Offensive Player of the Year |
Drew Campanale |
Randolph-Macon College |
| VaSID Offensive Rookie of the Year |
Mason Cunningham |
Hampden-Sydney College |
| VaSID Special Teams Player of the Year |
Garrett Graves |
Bridgewater College |
| First Team |
|
|
| Drew Campanale |
Randolph-Macon College |
QB |
| Nick Hale |
Randolph-Macon College |
RB |
| Melik Frost |
Hampden-Sydney College |
RB |
| David Wallis |
Randolph-Macon College |
WR |
| JaQuan Ebron |
Bluefield College |
WR |
| David Byler |
Hampden-Sydney College |
TE |
| Will Jackson |
Randolph-Macon College |
OL |
| Nehemiah Nixon |
Randolph-Macon College |
OL |
| TJ Minter |
Hampden-Sydney College |
OL |
| Drew Knott |
Christopher Newport University |
OL |
| Tyler Halliday |
Washington and Lee University |
OL |
| Wade Grubbs |
Randolph-Macon College |
DL |
| Tucker Harris |
Bridgewater College |
DL |
| Jacob Hutchinson |
Randolph-Macon College |
DL |
| Johnathan Terrell |
Averett University |
DL |
| Ben Burgan |
Shenandoah University |
LB |
| Jackson Deaver |
Randolph-Macon College |
LB |
| David Onyejekwe |
Washington and Lee University |
LB |
| Keyshawn Wilder |
Shenandoah University |
CB |
| Robert Carter |
University of Virginia-Wise |
CB |
| Will Pickren |
Hampden-Sydney College |
S |
| Aaron Moore |
Bridgewater College |
S |
| Jack Hendren |
Bridgewater College |
PK |
| Garrett Graves |
Bridgewater College |
P |
| Brendan Robinson |
Bridgewater College |
RS |
|
|
|
| Second Team |
|
|
| Matt Dzierski |
Christopher Newport University |
QB |
| Rashadeen Byrd Jr. |
Shenandoah University |
RB |
| Kwesi Clarke |
Randolph-Macon College |
RB |
| Mason Cunningham |
Hampden-Sydney College |
WR |
| Austin Fernandez |
Hampden-Sydney College |
WR |
| Ricky Mayfield |
Randolph-Macon College |
TE |
| Matt Hale |
Randolph-Macon College |
OL |
| Termaine Baker |
Bluefield College |
OL |
| Logan Moyer |
Washington and Lee University |
OL |
| Josh Hartley |
Christopher Newport University |
OL |
| Glory Nseka |
Bridgewater College |
OL |
| Mason Caldwell |
Shenandoah University |
DL |
| Robert Poindexter |
Washington and Lee University |
DL |
| Quincy Robinson |
Bluefield College |
DL |
| Jackson Charlton-Perrin |
Bluefield College |
DL |
| Michael Harris |
Hampden-Sydney College |
DL |
| Shawn Harris |
Bridgewater College |
LB |
| Aaron Nice |
Bridgewater College |
LB |
| Dorian Green |
Hampden-Sydney College |
LB |
| Sam Kirtley |
Bluefield College |
LB |
| Yasir Geter |
Christopher Newport University |
CB |
| Josh Uvodich |
Christopher Newport University |
CB |
| Cade Jones |
Randolph-Macon College |
S |
| Kindrick Braxton |
Christopher Newport University |
S |
| Ryan Castle |
Christopher Newport University |
PK |
| Joey Dales |
Bluefield College |
P |
| Brice Wilson |
Hampden-Sydney College |
RS |
