Shane Simpson - 1st Team All American

[RoverNation05]

The Associated Press's FCS All American team came out this afternoon and featured Easton alum and current Towson running back Shane Simpson as the first team selection as an All Purpose Back. Simpson is 2nd in the country in all purpose yards, averaging over 25 yards per kickoff return, rushing for over 700 yards, and catching 40 passes out of the backfield. He was the CAA Special Teams Player of the Year and helped lead the Tigers to their first FCS playoff berth since playing for the national championship in 2013. They finished #16 in the final regular season FCS poll.

Simpson was the only Pennsylvania native to be selected to the first team. Nasir Adderly of Great Valley (Delaware) was a second team pick at defensive back and Alex Petchin of Unionville (Bucknell) was the second team kicker. Simpson has one year of eligibility remaining.

For our Pennsylvania high school people, Simpson set Easton's single season rushing record (2,124 yards) and led the state in touchdowns (41 rushing/receiver/return) in 2014 on his way to earning All State honors. He was the EPC South Player of the Year (over Saquon Barkley) and led Easton to an undefeated regular season. The Rovers were ranked #3 in the state when they were upset by Parkland in overtime in the D11 final. Simpson is one of two three-time 1,000 yard rusher in Easton history. He also set Lehigh Valley freshman records playing receiving with 40 catches and 700 yards as a 9th grader playing wideout. In addition to those single season records, he is Easton's all time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. He's second in school history in rushing yards. One of our all time greats, and I’d have to go back in the archives, but I think he’s our first ever Division I All American (would have to check Ray Rissmiller at Georgia). Huge congrats!!

 

[RoverNation05]

Also, speaking of Simpson and Barkley - here are the stats from their insane dual in 2014 at Cottingham, won by Easton 63-49.

Barkley ran 14 times for 113 yards and two touchdowns, caught a touchdown pass, and returned a kickoff 86 yards for a TD (his touches were limited because Whitehall had 3 return TDs and a defensive TD). Simpson ran for 21 times for 278 yards and six touchdowns, and caught a TD pass.

Scoring in the second half went:
Simpson 75 yard TD run
Barkley 69 yard TD run
Easton TD pass
Barkley 86 yard kick return TD
Simpson 7 yard TD run
Simpson 10 yard TD run
Barkley 10 yard TD run
Simpson 5 yard TD run

 

[Relayer]

Very happy for Simpson, great player! However, why are you comparing Simpson to Barkley? Barkley is arguably the best back in the NFL.

 

[RoverNation05]

To drive traffic and discussion.

I mentioned in the initial post the great bar bet question that Simpson was the league (and both major Lehigh Valley newspapers) player of the year was over Barkley in 2014. Does that mean he’s a better player, of course not. But that’s a fun little trivia question that gets more fun as Barkley makes his way to an NFL MVP. The two are friends and trained together, so I don’t think either would be offended. And I think it underscores a point I don’t want to be lost to history: Shane Simpson was an f’in monster of a high school player and was crazy fun to watch.

And I brought up the box score to that game because it’s one of the most amazing high school games I’ve seen and is definitely the best running back duel I’ve seen. Super fun memory (though before I looked it up, I would have said Barkley had an extra return TD). The post was nostalgia, not malicious.

 

[Relayer]

OK Rover, fair enough. Saw CRS dismantle Quakertown last night. I think QT has some injuries because they weren't too competitive, and are supposed to be one of the better teams in D1 this year. That freshman at 170 looked good for South, pinning his kid in 50 seconds. A couple of the upper weights always seem to hurt South when it comes to duels against the better programs.

 

[RoverNation05]

The CRS team should do some damage in tournaments, no? Waterman is preseason #2 in the state, Hanson-Ashworth is #5, Ricchini, Menedez, and Woloshyn all should be state qualifiers and could medal. Looking at the boxscore from last night, surprised to see Kahn beat DeFalco - that's a good early season win. Is Colajezzi a multi-sport kid? State junior high medalist as a 7th grader at 157 is usually a pretty good indicator that he's going to be a guy. Might take his lumps this year up at 170, but that tends to bode really well for the future. And Brad can really develop guys, he'll be a kid I watch out for.

Easton had such a nightmare end of season/offseason that I just hope this year is getting back to normal, both for Jamarr and the kids. After losing Miers to Wyoming Seminary and Gleason to Bethlehem Catholic, they're down two returning state qualifiers, plus Brandan Chletsos enrolled at Notre Dame instead of Easton. I think that is all of the bleeding from the coaching coup fiasco. But it's definitely gone from an Easton team that I think could have been back in the top 10 at states to one that is still figuring things out.

This year is all about development and showing the kids coming up that the system works and Easton can still create kids that are on the path to compete for titles. So, does Dom Falcone make the jump from state qualifier at 170 as a freshman to a threat to medal as a sophomore at 182? Can Isaiah Reinert make the leap from holding his own as a freshman to being a staple of the lineup and pushing to qualify for states as a sophomore? Does Kyron Bryson as a sophomore first year starter really make gains after being stuck behind Miers as a freshman and wrestling junior high (where me medaled at states)? Do the two freshman - Braxton Appello-Fries at 106 and Matt Cruise at 195 - grow and look like future contenders for state titles? If there are more yes's than no's there, I think the program is going to be okay.

 

[Relayer]

Thanks for the info, good stuff! Korbich and Gilch also went to Hershey last year, so South should be a heavy favorite in D1. North and South wrestle next week. Should be a couple good matches, North has four guys that could medal, but the rest of the team is meh. I don't know much about Colajezzi.

Looking at D11 from afar, I see Beca consistently getting transfers from the pubs, like they really need the extra help. I can see your passion for Easton, very frustrating situation. I know Nazareth won the CV tourney, I take it they will be right up there again this season?

 

[RoverNation05]

It’ll be interesting to see what happens at Becahi. Jeff Karam retired and their junior high coach, who was a pied piper at bringing in kids, left last season and now is the head coach at Notre Dame. They are loaded this year, they might put 5 in state finals, but they weren’t the choice school for the stud freshmen in the valley. Dante Frinzi (Quakertown) is really good, but his dad is a Becahi assistant and his brother is already there. But Ryan Crookham, the best freshman in the United States, went to Notre Dame even though he wrestles in Becahi’s junior high program. Chris Arciulo and Evan Maag also were Becahi junior high wrestlers who were junior high medalists, but Arciulo is at Saucon Valley and Maag is at Notre Dame.

The other big freshmen all either went to Notre Dame (Brandan Chletsos from Easton is the third one they landed) or stayed at their home schools. Becahi might not be the place where all LV talent congregates in the future. Even this roster - a lot of the studs aren’t Valley kids. Ryan Anderson lives in Hackettstown, NJ, the Frinzis are from Quakertown, the Lackmans are from Berks County, Hermann is from Palisades. It’ll be interesting to see how that looks moving forward. They got Evan Gleason from Easton as their big transfer, but that was a long time coming - his family did not get along with the Easton staff (Powell or Billman) and while it sucks to lose a state qualifier, everybody will be happier apart.

As for Easton, the program is important to me. I’ve also known Jamarr Billman for a long time and for personal reasons, want him to be successful. I also really believe in him.

Nazareth will be in the mix. Their best wrestler, Andrew Cerniglia, transferred to Notre Dame, but they still have firepower. Pierson is the favorite to win states at 126 and Stefanik and Smith both could be finalists. Dave Crowell also might be the best high cool coach in America, he’ll bring his guys along. They did lose to Northampton last night, who is loaded and will be the team chasing Becahi in my opinion.