GREENSBORO, N.C. – Tyriek Able (Greensboro, N.C./Smith), Kemar Bachelor (Greensboro, N.C./Southern Guilford), Tyler Campbell (Summerfield, N.C. /Northwest Guilford), Ke’Desh Edwards (Greensboro, N.C./Western Guilford), Hunter English (Greensboro, N.C./Western Guilford), Steven Gordon, Jr. (Greensboro, N.C./Western Guilford), Tyler Hunt (Gibsonville, N.C./Eastern Guilford), Demonte Newman (Greensboro, N.C./Grimsley (Shaw)), Dwain Norcott, Jr. (Greensboro, N.C./Northern Guilford), Matt Pawlowski (Greensboro, N.C./Northwest Guilford), and Austen Thompson (Greensboro, N.C./Southern Guilford) recently completed the 2014 football season at Guilford College.
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Able, a 5-10, 170-pound sophomore cornerback, played in all 10 games for the Quakers. He ranked fifth on the team with 58 tackles (34 solo) and six pass breakups. Able’s best performance came in the latter part of the season against Hampden-Sydney College where he totaled nine tackles (8 solo) in the Quakers’ first win over the Tigers since 1999. Able also recorded interceptions in victories over Methodist University and Bridgewater College.
Bachelor, a 5-8, 280-pound defensive lineman, played in eight games for the Quakers, starting seven. He had five tackles on the year, two solo and three assisted. He made a season-high two tackles in games with Methodist and Washington and Lee University. Bachelor was part of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference’s (ODAC) top rushing defense, which yielded 138.3 rushing yards per game.
Campbell, a 6-0, 285-pound senior, played in four games for the Quakers as a reserve offensive lineman. Guilford’s line supported an offense that set school records for passing touchdowns (43), total offensive yards (5,231) and points (452). The Quakers led the ODAC and rank among Division III’s best through games of December 5 in passing offense (4th, 363.2 ypg.), total offense (6th, 523.1), passing efficiency (4th, 175.12) and scoring offense (10th, 45.2). Guilford stands 20th nationally in first downs (241) and 37th in tackles for loss allowed (4.90 per game).
Campbell appeared in seven career contests for Guilford. A two-time member of Guilford’s Student-Athlete Honor Roll he is scheduled to graduate next May with a degree in education and religion.
Edwards, a 6-3, 210-pound junior, appeared in 10 games for the Quakers as a reserve receiver and on special teams. He has led the team for the third straight year in blocked kicks with three, which ranks 11th in NCAA Division III. Edwards also recorded four tackles as a reserve cornerback, two in Guilford’s season-opening victory over Greensboro College.
English, a 5-7, 180-pound senior defensive back, finished this season with a total of 23 tackles (17 solo). He made a season-high nine tackles in the loss at league-champion Washington and Lee and had five stops in the victory over Hampden-Sydney.
English tallied 216 tackles (132 solo), 22 for loss, three and a half sacks, three interceptions, and eight pass deflections in 35 career contests. He was an All-ODAC selection his sophomore and junior seasons, receiving third-team and second-team honors, respectively. English graduated earlier this month with his degree in sociology and psychology.
Gordon, a 6-1, 265-pound sophomore left tackle, was a Third Team All-ODAC honoree this year. He started all 10 games for the Quakers and was named the USA College Football D-III Offensive Lineman of the Week after helping Guilford compile a school-record 725 total offensive yards in a 52-49 win at Catholic. Like Campbell, Gordon contributed to the Quakers’ line that supported one of the best offenses in school history.
Hunt, a 6-2, 205-pound punter, was selected as the First Team All-ODAC punter for the third straight season, earning his school-record sixth all-conference selection, which include three all-league honors as a place-kicker. He also earned Second Team All-South honors from D3football.com. Through games of December 5, the 6-2, 205-pound senior leads Division III with a 42.9-yard punting average, second-best in ODAC and school history. If he maintains his top national ranking, he will become just the fourth two-time Division III punting champion and the first since 2006. Hunt totaled 1,543 yards on 36 punts and placed 13 kicks inside the opponent’s 20-yard-line. He had a long punt of 65 yards, one of his eight kicks of at least 50 yards and one of 25 that travelled at least 40 yards. Guilford’s punt coverage team, combined with Hunt’s powerful leg, helped the Quakers lead Division III with a 39.22-yard net punting average.
In four seasons, Hunt averaged a school- and league-record 41.4 yards per punt in 141 attempts. His average stands 13th in Division III history. He set ODAC and school standards with a 43.8-yard average in 2013 and booted a school-record 81-yard punt in 2014.
As the Quakers’ kicker, Hunt scored 66 points on six-of-nine field-goal kicking and 48-of-58 extra points. He set the ODAC and Guilford standards with 156 career PATs in 169 attempts. His career-long 44-yard field goal at Washington and Lee ranks second in school history. Hunt set the school standard with 11 successful PAT conversions in Guilford’s season-opening win at Greensboro. He stands second in school history with 29 career field goals (in 45 attempts) and scored 243 points, the second-highest total in school history.
Newman, a 5-9, 165-pound sophomore defensive back, appeared in one game this season for the Quakers.
Norcott, Jr., a 5-11, 160-pound freshman defensive back, appeared in two games this season for the Quakers.
Pawlowski was named one of four finalists for the Gagliardi Trophy earlier this month. The Gagliardi is presented annually to NCAA Division III football’s top student-athlete. The 6-2, 205-pound quarterback completed a school-record 39 touchdown passes, which ranks fourth in NCAA Division III through games of December 5 and is the second-highest total in ODAC history. He connected on 227-of-350 passes (64.9%) for 3,333 yards with just two interceptions. Pawlowski stands fifth in Division III in passing yards, passing yards per game (333.3), and sixth in total offense per game (344.1).
Pawlowski, a four-year starter, completed 872-of-1,369 passes in 40 career games for a school-record 63.7 completion percentage, 11,625 yards and 116 scores with 16 interceptions. In his final two seasons, he threw for 6,809 yards with 74 touchdowns and only five interceptions. The Quakers won 17 of 20 games in that stretch. Pawlowski ranks ninth in Division III history with 116 career touchdown passes. He stands 11th among the national career leaders in total offense (12,456) and passing yards (11,625), and 16th in total offensive yards per game (311.4) and completions (872).
Thompson, a 5-11, 175-pound senior, played in seven games with three starts as a wide receiver and on special teams. He ranked second on the team with 38 receptions for 424 yards and three touchdown catches. His longest reception was for 66 yards against Catholic. One of Thompson’s best performances came in the win at Bridgewater, where he caught 13 passes for 111 yards with one touchdown grab. He made nine receptions for 83 yards in the Quakers’ season finale, a win over Emory & Henry College.
Coach Chris Rusiewicz’s Quakers enjoyed the best season in school history with a record of 9-1 overall (6-1 ODAC). The Quakers set 29 school records and placed in the conference standings. The senior class recorded the best four-year record (28-12) in school history. Guilford could return as many as 17 starters next fall, including Able, Bachelor and Gordon.