CLARION’S MATT MORRIS EARNS FIRST TEAM FB GAZETTE HONORS
 

        Clarion junior linebacker Matt Morris (Boiling Springs) was named today as a first team linebacker on the Don Hansen Football Gazette All Northeast Region team.
        The Golden Eagles also saw center Zack Snyder (Akron, Oh. - St. Vincent/St. Mary) and defensive corner back Dwaon Woodard (Erie - Central) earn third team honors.
        Morris, a 6-1, 215-pound, junior, inside linebacker for the Golden Eagles, had an outstanding season in 2005. He led the entire PSAC tackle for loss (tfl’s) with 22, solo tfl’s (14) and tfl’s per game (1.8). He also ranked second in the PSAC in total tackle with 102 and tackles per game at 10.2. For the season Morris had 102 tackles (57 solo), 22 tfl’s for -51 yards, 4 qb sacks and scored a touchdown. His top games included 15 tackles and 4 tfl’s vs Kutztown where he was named PSAC-West defensive “Player of the Week”, along with 11 tackles and 5 tfl’s vs Slippery Rock and 11 stops and 3 tfl’s versus Edinboro.
        In his career Matt has collected 249 tackles, 45 tfl’s, 7 sacks and 6 fumble recoveries. The son of William and Diane Morris of Boiling Springs, Matt is a Management major at Clarion.
        Snyder, a 6-5, 310-pound, junior, center, had another very strong season for the Golden Eagles on the offensive line. The Eagles top lineman in 2005, he can dominate the line of scrimmage. Zack was also named a second team FB Gazette All-Region center in 2004. He started as a freshman at offensive tackle in 2003, then moved to center in 2004. He started 11 games in 2003 and 2004, and all ten games in 2005 for a total of 32 games in his career. As a freshman in 2003 he was named to the D-2 Football All East Freshman team.
        The son of Dan & Noleen Snyder, he is a Secondary Education major at Clarion.
        Woodard, a 5-10, 170-pound, junior, defensive back, marks his second straight year on the Football Gazette team. Selected as a third team defensive back in 2005, he had very good numbers including 51 tackles (29 solo), 2 interceptions, 5 pass break-ups and 4 blocked kicks on special teams. He also returned 23 punts for 198 yards, and 30 kickoffs for 617 yards. He was PSAC-West Defensive “Player of the Week” vs Mansfield including blocking a key field goal and PAT. In 2004 he was named third team FB Gazette as a corner back and as a return specialist. In his career Dwaon now has 126 tackles (78 solo), 20 break-ups, 6 int’s, 43 punt returns for 422 yards (9.8 per return) and 40 kickoff returns for 803 yards (20.1per return).
The son of Pamela Ford, Dwaon is a Math major at Clarion.
CLARION NOTES: Morris will now appear on the All-America ballot in the hopes of earning A-A honors... The A-A team will likely be announced the end of next week... Clarion was 3-7 this season... Head coach Malen Luke resigned following the season and the school is searching for a new head coach.