WILLIAMSPORT, PA – Twenty Lycoming College football team alumni have earned mention on the Middle Atlantic Conference’s Century Team, the conference office in Annville, Pa., announced on Friday, Dec. 7.
The Century Team was split into five distinct eras. In the 1912-69 era, John Joe ’59 earned mention. In the era from 1970-82, James Jeffries ’78, Mike Prowant ’78, Tom Vanaskie ’75, Steve Weigle ’77, Jeff Wert ’83 and Jim Rich ’76 were honored. Larry Baretta ’87, Rick Bealer ’91, Darrin Kenney ’92, Bill Small ’92 and Walt Zataveski ’86 earned mention in the era from 1983-92. From 1993-01, Cameron Coleman ’00, Michael Downey ’96, Keith Jenkins ’99, Jason Marraccini ’99, John Verton ’99 and Brett Zalonis ’98 were placed on the team and in the 2002-11 era, Anthony Marascio ’12 and Ray Bierbach ’12 were each honored.
Joe was an Honorable Mention Little All-American in 1958 as a fullback. He led the Warriors to a three-year record of 17-5-1 and was also a three-time all-state selection. He was inducted into the Lycoming College Athletics Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 1986. A Spanish major at Lycoming, Joe went on to be signed by the New England Patriots, but a knee injury ended his career. He became the first African-American in the eastern United States named head football coach at a predemoinately white high school when he was hired at Conshohocken High in Montgomery County. He served as a teacher of Spanish, French and German for 40 years.
Jeffries, from Willingboro, N.J., was a two-time All-MAC wide receiver, making 46 catches for 795 yards in his career, which still makes up the ninth-best yards-per-catch average in school history at 17.28. He tied the school record for touchdown catches as a senior with five. Two of his sons, Ethan and Jarrett, are currently members of the football team. Jeffries, a Biology major at Lycoming, went on to earn his degree at New Jersey Medical School. He is a certified plastic surgeon from the American Board of Plastic Surgery and has more than 20 years of experience as a doctor.
Prowant, from Duboistown, Pa., helped transform the Warriors defense into one of the best defensive units in the nation. He earned Honorable Mention Associated Press Little All-American honors as a junior and First Team AP Little All-American honors as a senior and was a four-time All-MAC selection. He was inducted into the Lycoming College Athletics Hall of Fame with the inaugural class of 1986. Prowant is now a principal at Montgomery Area High School.
Vanaskie, from Shamokin, Pa., had a decorated career as a defensive back for the Warriors, finishing his career with nine interceptions. He was First Team All-MAC as a senior and also earned Honorable Mention AP Little All-American honors. He also became the school’s first football player to earn CoSIDA Academic All-American honors and won the school’s Tomahawk Award as its best male athlete. He was inducted into the Lycoming College Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994. Vanaskie went on to graduate from Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law and he has served as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals Third Circuit since 2010.
Weigle, a Williamsport native, was a two-time All-MAC defensive end and also earned All-ECAC East honors as a senior while anchoring a line that led the nation in rushing defense. To cap his senior year, he was named an Honorable Mention AP Little All-American. Weigle went on to earn a Master of Arts in Counselor Education from the University of South Florida and he is a school counselor at Collier County School District in Naples, Fla.
Wert, a Stroudsburg, Pa., native, helped lead the Warriors to two MAC titles during his four-year career as a wide receiver. He finished his career with three All-MAC citations, 102 receptions, 1,511 yards and 20 touchdowns. He capped his career by earning Honorable Mention AP Little All-American honors in 1982. Dr. Wert went on to graduate from the Temple University School of Dental Medicine in 1987. He moved back to Monroe County and owns his own dental practice, Dr. Jeffrey R. Wert & Associates – Family Dentistry, in Tannersville, Pa.
Rich, from Shermansdale, Pa., was one of the most versatile athletes in the early years of Coach Frank Girardi’s tenure. A four-year starter at wide receiver and defensive back, Rich broke Lycoming’s school record for receiving yardage with 363 yards in 1973, helping him earn Honorable Mention All-MAC honors at the position. Even after leading the MAC North Division in receiving in his first two years at the College, Rich moved to defensive back to help fill a gap on the team. As a senior in 1975, he earned First Team All-MAC honors at the position and he led a unit that allowed the fewest yards per game in the NCAA. He was inducted into the College’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011. Rich is an area sales manager at Swift Transportation at Harrisburg, Pa.
A product of St. John Neumann in Philadelphia, Larry Baretta was a game-changing force at quarterback for the Warriors. A three-year starter for the Warriors, the mobile quarterback posted a 26-5 (.839) record as he practically rewrote the school’s record book. As a junior, Barretta was a force for the team, finishing with 23 touchdowns passing while leading the Warriors to a perfect 10-0 record in the regular season. His running style helped him rack up 548 yards on the ground, helping him earn Honorable Mention Associated Press Little All-American honors. As a senior, he was even better. While leading the Warriors to an 8-2 mark, he passed for 2,097 yards, a then-school-record 25 touchdowns and he rushed for 778 yards and seven touchdowns. His 32 touchdowns responsible for still stand as a school record and his 2,875 yards of total offense not only set a school-record, but also led the NCAA Division III in 1986. He earned the MAC Player of the Year award and AP Little All-American status again and he was also named a Football News Second Team All-American for his efforts. The 1987 Tomahawk Award winner, Barretta left Lycoming holding school records in career total offense yards (7,431), total touchdowns responsible for (83), passing yards (5,413), passing touchdowns (59) and pass completions (368), although those records have since fallen. After playing a year of pro football as a tailback in Italy in 1988, Barretta went on to play three years in the Arena Football League, serving as a starter for Pittsburgh in 1990. His No. 2 was retired by the football program and he was inducted into the Lycoming College Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992. Barretta is an account manager with Wayne Moving & Storage Company in West Chester, Pa.
A 6-2, 196-pound defensive back, Rick Bealer terrorized Lycoming’s opponents for four years. More than 20 years after he last walked off the field, Bealer still holds the Division III record with 58 punt returns in 1989. He posted 566 yards on those returns, an average of 9.8 per return. As impressively, his 28 regular-season interceptions are second in NCAA Division III history, and if his three career postseason picks are included, he has 31 picks. The West Point, Pa., native posted nine picks as a sophomore to earn Second Team Pizza Hut All-American honors. He posted nine more as a junior to earn consensus All-American honors, being placed on the Associated Press Little All-American, Kodak Small College and Pizza Hut First Teams while helping the Warriors to the NCAA Division III playoffs for the first time since 1985. He also earned the school’s Sol “Woody” Wolfe Award after the season. As a senior, he posted eight picks while helping the Warriors reach the NCAA Division III finals, as he picked up consensus All-American honors for a second time. He is still the only three-time All-American in the football program’s history. The four-time All-MAC selection was inducted into the College’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001. Bealer owns his own landscaping company near Philadelphia, B&T Landscape and Patio Design.
Perhaps the greatest offensive lineman in school history, Kenney has had one of the most decorated athletic careers in the history of the College. A Southhampton, Pa., native, Kenney was a two-time All-MAC offensive lineman during his career, earning consensus All-American honors his senior year by earning First Team Champion USA and Honorable Mention Don Hansen Football Gazette accolades. He helped lead the 1990 team to the first Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl appearance in school history and helped the team win three MAC titles. After his graduation from Lycoming, Kenney played in the Arena Football League for 11 seasons, seeing time with the Tampa Bay Storm (1993), Albany Firebirds (1994-95), Arizona Rattlers (1997-00) and the San Jose SaberCats (2001-03). He played on three ArenaBowl Champions (1993, ’97, ’02) and every team he played on reached the semifinal round of the playoffs. Kenney has spent six seasons as a coach in the AFL, working with the Philadelphia Soul in 2012, the Alabama Vipers in 2010, the Grand Rapids Rampage in 2008 and the Nashville Kats from 2005-07. He was inducted into the Lycoming College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002.
Small, from Philadelphia, Pa., was a three-time All-MAC linebacker that left his impact on the Warrior defense. He recorded 202 career tackles, 15 interceptions and four sacks, earning the College’s Defensive Player of the Year three times. A team captain in 1991, he helped lead the Warriors to three MAC titles from 1989-91 and the 1990 national title game. He was a two-time Champion USA All-American, earning third-team honors as a junior and first-team accolades as a senior. He was inducted into the College’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005. Small is an operations manager at FedEx Freight in Delanco, N.J.
Zataveski, from Roslyn, Pa., is one of the most honored offensive linemen in the program’s history, earning back-to-back First Team All-MAC honors in 1984-85 and helping the team to its first undefeated regular season in 1985. He was also a two-time All-American, earning Honorable Mention AP Little All-American and Pizza Hut honors as a junior and then repeating on the AP list and earning First Team Pizza Hut and AFCA All-American honors as a senior. He was inducted into the College’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991. An economics major at Lycoming, Zataveski is the director of the Highland Insurance Group. His oldest son, Nick, is a member of the Lafayette College football team.
Coleman, from Bethlehem, Pa., came to Lycoming after his career at Liberty High School was cut short due to a knee injury as a senior. The injury took him off the radar of many Division I and II schools and landed him at Lycoming to nothing but the Warriors’ gain. He finished his career as a two-time First Team All-MAC selection and he also was a four-year starter, starting on the 1997 team that reached the national championship game. As a senior, he capped his career with a seven-sack season that landed him on the AFCA All-American Team. Coleman is currently a child care worker in Lehigh County.
A four-year letterwinner for the Warriors, Michael Downey, a Pottsville, Pa., native, helped the Warriors to two Freedom League titles and two NCAA Tournaments during his career. The offensive lineman earned three First Team All-MAC honors, anchoring the line for much of his career. He also earned two Downtown Wilkes-Barre Touchdown Club MAC Offensive Lineman of the Year awards. As a senior, he was a consensus Preseason All-American, earning the honors from The Sporting News, Griese’s Preseason and Don Hansen’s Football Gazette. After the season, he was named a First Team Don Hansen’s Football Gazette All-American and Second Team Hewlett-Packard/SID All-American. He was inducted into the College’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007. He went on to earn a Master of Business Administration at Lebanon Valley College and he is currently the Director of Career Services at Berks Technical Institute.
Jenkins anchored the Lycoming defense during one of the program’s most successful periods. The defensive end from South Williamsport, Pa., helped the Warriors to a 41-6 record in his career and four Freedom League titles and three MAC titles while starting all four seasons. Along the way, the team reached four NCAA Tournaments, including the 1997 national championship game. A two-time First Team All-MAC selection, Jenkins finished his career with 204 career tackles and an astounding 41 sacks, which is third in school history. A ballhawk, Jenkins holds the school record with eight career forced fumbles, including a record four as a junior in 1997, when he also posted 15.5 sacks, helping him earn Hewlett-Packard/SID Honorable Mention All-American honors. As a senior, he started the year as a Street & Smith’s Preseason All-American. He finished with 11 sacks, an incredible 20 tackles for loss and 50 total tackles, helping him pick up more All-American honors, earning third-team honors from Hewlett-Packard and the Don Hansen Football Gazette. He was also a second-team all-region pick. He was selected to the College’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012.
Marraccini stepped into the starting quarterback role in 1997 and immediately guided the Warriors to the NCAA Division III National Championship game. A team leader from the first snap of his junior year, he earned back-to-back First Team All-Freedom League honors. Perhaps his greatest performance came in the semifinals of the 1997 NCAA Tournament against Rowan, when he led the Warriors back from a 20-0 halftime deficit, scoring on a five-yard run to cap an 80-yard fourth quarter drive to give Lycoming a 21-20 lead en route to the 28-20 win. During the season, he tied the school record for rushing touchdowns with 13. As a senior, the Bangor High graduate was even better – earning American Football Coaches’ Association All-American honors, becoming the only first team All-American quarterback in school history. Marraccini set the school record for passing yards in a game (243.8) while tossing for 2,682 yards and finishing ninth in the nation with a 149.1 pass efficiency rating. He finished his career with two MAC titles and he still holds the school’s all-time records for pass efficiency (141.3), average yards per pass attempt (8.3) and average yards per completion (15.6). Currently a news photographer with WPVI TV in Philadelphia, he was inducted into the Lycoming College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.
A two-year letterwinner from Lake Ariel, Pa., John Verton left an indelible mark on the Lycoming football program. In 1995, after converting from running back to the defensive side of the ball, the natural athlete turned into a force as a defensive back. While leading the Warriors to an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, Verton notched 47 tackles and picked off three passes, helping him earn Third Team Hewlett-Packard/SID All-American honors. As a senior, he was even better, posting 109 tackles, the seventh-most in school history, and three more interceptions, as he was named the Downtown Wilkes-Barre Touchdown Club’s MAC Defensive Player of the Year award, first-team all-region by Don Hansen’s Football Gazette and second team All-American honors from Hewlett-Packard. The two-time All-MAC first teamer is still tied for the school record with eight forced fumbles in his career.
Zalonis, from South Williamsport, was one of the best linebackers in school history, recording 273 tackles in his career, which is still second-most in school history. He also added 18 interceptions, which is third. Anchoring a team that won four Freedom League and three MAC titles in his career, Zalonis was a three-time team defensive player of the year and three-time first-team all-conference selection. He was honored as the winner of the Sol “Woody” Wolf Award as the College’s most improved junior student-athlete in 1997 and was named the Tomahawk Award winner as the school’s top male athlete in 1998. He was also a Second Team Hewlett-Packard All-American and Third Team Don Hansen Football Gazette selection as a senior. He was inducted into the College’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005. Zalonis is a biology teacher at South Williamsport Area High School.
From the time he enrolled at Lycoming College, Marascio was one of the best defensive lineman in the program. By his senior year, given a chance to play all four positions on the line depending on the situation, the Philadelphia, Pa., native became the first Lycoming player to earn the MAC Defensive Player of the Year award. He led the MAC in tackles for loss in 2011, posting 20, and finished tied for third in the league with 8.5 sacks, helping him earn a slew of postseason awards. In addition to earning the football team’s MVP and defensive lineman of the year award, he was named to the AFCA All-American squad, the D3football.com All-American Second Team, the Associated Press Little All-America Third Team and the D3ProDay.com All-American First Team. Marascio earned two D3Football.com Team of the Week honors during the year and added one Beyond Sports Network Athlete of the Week mention. The 6-2 lineman led the team in tackles twice, as he finished his career with 227 tackles and 45 tackles for loss, the fourth most in school history. A three-time All-MAC selection, Marascio finished his career by earning the 2011 Male Athlete of the Year award. Marascio works at Glen Mills Counseling Center.
Bierbach, from Hunlock Creek, Pa., was an Honorable Mention D3football.com All-American as a junior and a third-team selection as a senior and Honorable Mention Beyond College Sports Network All-American. He earned placement on six Preseason All-American teams and lived up to the attention as a senior, finishing tied for the Middle Atlantic Conference lead with five interceptions, the second straight year he led the league. He set a school record with three career D3football.com Team of the Week nods, earning two mentions as a junior and one as a senior. Bierbach finished his career with two All-MAC honors and he earned second team All-East Region honors from the website after earning first-team mention as a junior. Bierback is a Management and Sales Trainee at Penske Trucking in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
As a part of the MAC 100 celebration, the Middle Atlantic Conference is recognizing top athletes from conference history, naming student-athletes to Century Teams in each sport from each era. Eras were delineated based on conference membership and sport sponsorship. The number of individuals selected per team varies depending upon the nature of the sport. Century Teams were selected from an online fan vote combined with the MAC Sports Information Directors vote. Century Teams will be announced at the conclusion of each respective sport season.
During 2012-13, the Middle Atlantic Conferences celebrate MAC 100 to honor a century of intercollegiate competition as one of the oldest intercollegiate athletics associations in the United States. Founded on Dec. 10, 1912, the MAC has evolved into the only intercollegiate sports umbrella organization in the country and includes the Middle Atlantic, Freedom and Commonwealth conferences. The first conference competition occurred on May 20, 1913, with a track and field meet at Lafayette College. Since then, 57 institutions have competed in 25 sports and won 21 NCAA team championships. The MAC currently features 18 schools spanning four states and includes 6,448 student-athletes competing in 23 sports for 36 conference championships.
