Football Places Five Players on All-Conference Squad

November 18, 2004

SMITHFIELD, RI - A year after only placing two players on the all-conference squad, a total of five Bryant University football players were named Northeast-10 All-Conference in an announcement made today by NE-10 Commissioner David Brunk. Four of the five players selected are underclassmen and two of the five were named first-team all-conference. Bryant posted a 4-5 record this season under first-year coach MARTY FINE.

Earning first-team distinction this year from Bryant are senior kicker PETE DIMARTINO (Ansonia, Conn.) and sophomore punter MIKE LAJTERMAN (Ramsey, N.J.). Dimartino was 4 for 9 in field goal attempts this season including a long of 36 yards in the team?s win over Stonehill. He was also a perfect 17 for 17 on all point after attempts this season. Lajterman posted one of the conference?s best punting average at 38.6 yards per punt including a school record 71-yarder in the opener at American International.

The Bulldogs placed three players the Northeast-10 All-Conference Second Team, with sophomore tailback CHRIS PEAKS (Silver Spring, Md.) earning second team offense and junior linebacker GREG DANIEL (Providence, RI) and sophomore defensive back TOMI OKUNFOLOMI (Providence, RI) named to the second team all-conference defense.

Peaks led the Bulldogs in scoring this season with a total of six touchdowns, including four rushing and two receiving. He caught ten passes including a 59-yard touchdown reception in the team?s win at Pace University. But Peaks was more valuable to the Bulldogs with his hard-nosed style of running. Averaging 70.3 yards per game, Peaks carried the ball 175 times for 633 yards with four touchdowns.

Defensively, the Bulldogs were led this season by the standout play of local products Greg Daniel and Tomi Okunfolomi, both of Providence. Daniel led the Bulldogs with a career-best 56 tackles this season including 10 for a loss of 49 yards and was second on the team with six sacks. Okunfolomi helped anchor a veteran secondary this year as the second-year player tallied 25 tackles and led the team with four interceptions including one returned 45 yards in the thrilling overtime win against Saint Anselm.

Bentley?s Marc Eddy earned MVP honors for 2004 while teammate Dallas Mall was named the offensive player of the year. C.W. Post took home three honors with Joe Gangemi earning defensive player of the year, Taibiki Hickson named offensive lineman of the year, and Peter Lazare named defensive lineman of the year. Merrimack?s Elfren Quiles was named the NE-10 Freshman of the Year with Bentley coach Peter Yetten voted as the league?s coach of the year for 2004.