PSU Football players named to NEFC Weekly Honor Roll

            PLYMOUTH, N.H. - Two standouts on the Plymouth State University football team were honored by the New England Football Conference Monday for their performances in last Saturday's 33-7 victory over Salve Regina to wrap up the regular season.

            Junior quarterback J.J. Brooks (Seabrook, N.H./Winnacunnet) and senior defensive end Jim Sestito (Foxborough, Mass.) were PSU's representatives on the NEFC Weekly Honor Roll.  Brooks has been a mainstay on the honor roll, earning NEFC weekly honors six times this season, while Sestito makes his second appearance of the season on the list.

            A 6'1", 218-pound QB, Brooks (right) rushed for 108 yards on 16 carries (6.8 avg.) and scored three touchdowns in Plymouth State's win over Salve.  He scored the first three touchdowns of the game to give PSU a 20-0 halftime lead, going into the end zone from one and six yards out in the first quarter and from two yards out in the second.  He led a Panther offense that churned out 364 of its 374 yards on the ground.

            Brooks has enjoyed a successful season in his first year as starting QB.  He has rushed for 665 yards on 159 carries (4.2 average) with 12 touchdowns. He has thrown the fewest passes of any starting quarterback in the 16-team NEFC, but he leads the league in pass efficiency, completing 61-of-111 passes for 1183 yards with 15 touchdowns and just five interceptions.  He is tied for fourth in the NEFC in scoring and is ranked seventh in total offense.

            A 6'1", 215-pound defensive end, Sestito (left) led the Panther defense with a team-high eight tackles, including six solo stops, as PSU allowed Salve only 135 yards and seven points in the game. He made three-and-a-half tackles for lost yardage and one-and-a-half sacks, and he also broke up a pass at the line of scrimmage.

            Sestito is enjoying another strong season after earning First Team All-NEFC, All-East Region and ECAC Northeast All-Star honors a year ago. He is tied for fifth in the NEFC with six sacks, and second on the team with 10.5 tackles for lost yardage.  Sestito has 45 total tackles, fourth best on the team, and he was credited with seven pass break-ups.

            The Panthers completed the regular season at 8-2 overall and in second place in the NEFC Boyd Division with a 6-1 mark.  The Panthers are hoping their strong season will be recognized when the NCAA and ECAC post-season selections are announced next Monday, Nov. 16. 

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