With Nationals around the corner also comes one of the fan favorite events, the All-Star Game presented by SAVAGE Apparel Co. This year the game will be larger than ever before, both figuratively, and quite literally. As Colin mentioned in his article, there are definitely members of each team that don’t get selected who are more than worthy of being called All-Stars for their team. As such, I wanted to take the time as well to highlight some of the East Coast players that I believe could be All-East Coast athletes from this season. This is not organized in any type of first team or top-15 group, but just giving recognition to players who have worked hard and performed well all season.
No this was not Co-authored by Colin O’Brien, it was however inspired by him.
Current All-Stars
Doug Schilling (JMU) – Better student ambassador than he is dodgeball player
Joe Bringuier (JMU) – Best hair on this list
Damian Pazuchanics (PSU) – Best last name on this list
Ken Russ (PSU) – Strong arm, stronger sleeve
Michael Hinely (Towson) – His hat holds all his powers
David Guare (Towson) – Sneaky player with an irrational jersey number
Justin Anderson (UMD) – Easiest guy to get along with, not always easy to play against
Nathan Stock (UMD) – Looks like he belongs on the basketball court, good thing we play on basketball courts
Jeremy Shaw (UVA) – Best abs in dodgeball
Casey Simon (UVA) – Well rounded young player with a good future in the league
Kristofer DeJesus (Stevenson) – Best player no one gets to see, also it’s pronounced “Duh-Hey-Soos” not “Duh-Jesus”
C.J. Kilpatrick (Stevenson) – It was his birthday recently, happy birthday C.J.
Hunter Ford (VCU) – Overrated, wears too much makeup
Wayne Shortt (VCU) – Underrated, needs to wear makeup
Honestly, I can’t disagree with many of the selections from these teams, as this has definitely been a strong year for the East Coast teams. Now it’s time to take a look at some of the other ballers from this region that deserve recognition, in no particular order.
Mario Romanelli (Stevenson #85)
Mario was a former DePaul dodgeballer before he pursued his graduate degree at Stevenson University. While only being with the team for a short time, he has had some huge moments already, primarily with some quality catches.
Andrew Kerr (Towson #47)
A quiet guy at heart, but his play speaks for itself. Kerr is a future captain for the Tigers who definitely deserves that honor. He will surprise a lot of people at Nationals if they don’t take him seriously.
Tim Wells (Towson #8.5)
The former RIT and current Elite star, Tim is as skilled as they come. Even while playing with a torn labrum almost the entire season, he has come up with huge plays for Towson.
Jonathan Shaw (Towson #11)
An ageless wonder for the team and the league, Jon has been through it all. A vocal leader on the court, Jon provides a sense of direction and experience for his team like not many others can. I’m glad to see him get the chance to lead Towson to a potential Final Four spot in what is likely his last season.
Matthew Bosco (VCU #88)
A former All-Star selection from VCU, Matt has had a lot of great moments during his career at VCU. While not looking like an intimidating player, he comes up with a lot of big catches for the Rams and can be hard to hit.
Sam Lammie (VCU #0)
Another former All-Star for VCU, Sam is definitely the power thrower of this VCU team. He stands out among his VCU teammates because of his throwing ability, and for also being one of the few people taller than 5’7″.
Torao Ota (VCU #7)
Also known as the Hokage, he is one of the hardest players in the league to hit, even on good team throws. He is someone that should remind a lot of people of Justin Lin from PSU. On top of that, every play he makes he does with a smile on his face, which bothers most competitors to no end.
Connor Post (JMU #00)
He might not be the most distinguished hard throwing lefty on this team, but he certainly makes his presence known on the court. One of the stronger players on a talented JMU team, he is a guy that will likely turn some heads at Nationals this year.
Evan Eschenburg (JMU #4)
Unfortunately, Evan has been hurt for most of the semester which has left him off the court for some time in the Spring. That being said, he is still a strong catcher and good thrower who, when healthy, makes this team better.
Kyle Porter (JMU #69)
A strong catcher with a big presence on the court, he carries a lot of the JMU attitude many people have become accustomed to over the years. While being a skilled catcher, he also has a strong arm in his arsenal whenever it is needed.
Clark Girardin (JMU #12)
This guy is one of the toughest to get out on the court. A small but quick player, he plays with a lot of poise and catches very well.
Carl Boettner (UMD #44)
Boettner fits the Maryland mantra of placing catching as a priority. A solid young leader for this group, he will be an important piece for Maryland during Nationals.
Adam Zwick (UMD #25)
One of the veterans of this team, Adam is definitely a difference maker for this group. A good catcher with a decent arm to match, he can keep this team in most games.
Jeff Schwartz (PSU #10)
A BOTM winner this season, Jeff is certainly a big component of PSU’s team. With a big arm and important leadership presence for the club, he has helped guide the Nittany Lions to a 5-1 record this year. Look for him to make some more noise at Nationals.
Sami Beining (PSU #29)
Sami is the only female player on this list, and she has earned her right to be recognized with the other top players of the league. The softball turned dodgeball product has a throw that will get the best of almost anyone. In both the Ladies’ Match and throughout the entire weekend, expect her to turn some heads.
Morgan McLean (PSU #15)
Morgan has made big strides during his time with PSU, and will continue to do so until his time is done. A solid player in many aspects of the game, expect him to continue to develop and add games to PSU’s win column.
Marty Knauf (UVA)
One of UVA’s best, unfortunately he will not be able to attend Nationals due to prior commitments. Marty is a solid all-around player who excels in close range play.
A.J. Getter (UVA)
Another one of UVA’s best that won’t be able to attend Nationals, A.J. has as strong of an arm as anyone else in the league. He has both good power and accuracy on his throw, which many teams will come to recognize in the next couple of years.
Mitch Godfrey (UVA)
One of the few graduate students who didn’t previously play dodgeball during his undergraduate career, Mitch has picked up on dodgeball very quickly. Already a good thrower and catcher, it’s too bad we didn’t get the chance to see him with a couple more years of practice.