Frank, Habel, Knauss and Krut Earn First Team All-PSAC East Honors for ESU Football

EAST STROUDSBURG - Senior linebacker Jayson Frank and offensive tackle Mike Habel, along with sophomore kicker Greg Knauss and junior punter Nick Krut, are among nine East Stroudsburg University Warriors named to the All-PSAC East football team released Wednesday.

Frank and Habel are repeat selections to the first team, while Knauss and Krut give ESU both of the first-team kicking specialists for the fourth time in the last seven years, joining kicker Mark Brubaker and punter Ken Parrish (2004 and 2005) and kicker Mike Berry and punter Adam Hostetter (2001).

Tailback Joe Partridge, wide receivers Sam Shuman and Drew Stem, defensive tackle Miguel Rivera and linebacker Dave Lotier are all members of the second team.

Frank (Greenbrook, N.J./Watchung Hills) finished the year as the second-leading tackler in the PSAC with 10.3 per game (93 total tackles), and led ESU with four sacks and two interceptions. He had at least eight tackles in eight of ESU's nine games, including five games with 11 or more stops, and saved his best performance for his final game with two blocked kicks in the final five minutes to help the Warriors to a 24-23 win at Kutztown in the season finale.

Habel (Brookhaven/Sun Valley) was a four-year starter for the Warriors and ended his career with 43 starts. He started at right guard as a freshman and then moved to left tackle for his final three seasons.

Knauss and Krut headlined an exceptional performance by the ESU special teams in 2007, which also featured seven blocked kicks (six extra points) and kick return units led by Stem and freshman Jon Clouse.

Knauss (Allentown/Parkland) established himself as one of the top kickers in the nation in his first season at ESU. He set school records for the longest field goal (53 yards vs. IUP) and most field goals made in a game (five at West Chester), and made a 40-yard field goal on the final offensive snap of the season to give the Warriors a come-from-behind victory at Kutztown.

He ranked second in Division II with 1.4 field goals per game and made 13-of-19 field goal attempts, the fourth-highest total in school history, despite playing a nine-game schedule. Knauss made four of his five attempts between 40 and 49 yards and had five made field goals of more than 40 yards for the season.

Krut (Clarks Summit/Abington Heights) was second in the PSAC with a 40.7-yard punting average and had a net average of 38.2 yards per punt. He landed 15 of his 48 punts inside the 20-yard line and had just four touchbacks on the season.

Partridge (Bethlehem/Freedom), a redshirt junior, was the fifth-leading rusher in the PSAC and ranked third among PSAC East tailbacks with 87.2 yards per game. He ran for 698 yards and seven touchdowns in eight contests, including a school-record 284 yards and four touchdowns in the Warriors' win at Cheyney.

Stem and Shuman give ESU two wide receivers on the all-conference team, the seventh straight season that the Warriors have had at least one receiver earn recognition.

Stem (Lincoln/Salesianum) had a team-high 21 catches for 196 yards when he suffered a season-ending injury against Slippery Rock in the fifth game of his junior year. He also averaged 30.9 yards on 14 kick returns, which would have led the conference, and had a 12.7-yard punt return average on seven attempts.

Shuman (Lancaster/Hempfield) led the Warriors with 36 catches for 534 yards and scored four touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore, and will go into his junior year with 1,006 yards receiving in his career. He had four games with at least 88 yards and ranked 10th in the PSAC with 59.3 yards per game.

Rivera (Bethlehem/Liberty) had 24 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss and a sack as a junior in his second year as a starter for the Warriors and will lead a defensive line that returns all four starters for 2008.

Lotier (Harleysville/Souderton) joined Frank to give ESU a pair of standout seniors at inside linebacker. Lotier was second on the team and seventh in the conference with 8.8 tackles per game (79 tackles). He had 3.5 sacks and blocked two extra points, and added a 42-yard interception return for a touchdown at Lock Haven.