Nov. 25, 2008
Bronx, N.Y. -
Fordham senior defensive lineman Greg DeMarco (Hillsdale, N.Y./Bergen Catholic) and senior safety Matt Loucks (Port St. Lucie, Fla./South Fork) were honored today by the League's seven head coaches as each was named First Team All-Patriot League. Also receiving accolades from the League's coaches were senior defensive lineman Ryan Mehra (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood), junior linebacker James Crockett (Maple Heights, Ohio/St. Peter Chanel) and senior offensive lineman Justin Sarabaez (Nanuet, Mass./Holyoke) who were all named to the Second Team.
DeMarco, a two-year starter on the defensive line, finished the season with 43 total tackles, 28 solo, including a team-high 12.5 for loss (52 yards) and four sacks, which was second best on the squad. He is ranked third in the Patriot League in tackles for loss (tied for 43rd in the NCAA FCS) and ninth in sacks. DeMarco also recorded two quarterback hurries and broke up one pass while also forcing a fumble.
DeMarco closes out his career with 87 total tackles, 49 solo, including 19 for loss and five sacks.
Loucks, a two-year starter at free safety who missed two games this year due to injury, notched 56 totals tackles in 2008, third best on the team, including 37 solo stops. He also registered five pass breakups.
Loucks completes his Fordham career with 156 tackles, 104 of those solo, including a team-best 84 total tackles in 2007. He also intercepted four passes over his tenure in the defensive backfield.
Mehra, a two-year starter on the defensive line and a Second Team All-League pick last year, closed out the season with 38 total tackles, 25 solo, including eleven for loss, second best on the squad, and a team-high 5.5 sacks. He tied for third in the Patriot League in sacks (tied for 67th in the NCAA FCS) and was sixth in tackles for loss.
Over his career, Mehra recorded 115 total stops, 74 solo, including 19 tackles for loss and nine sacks.
Crockett, a two-year starter at linebacker who also received Second Team honors last fall, was second on the 2008 team with 67 total tackles, 39 solo, including 7.5 for loss and two sacks. He also intercepted one pass and broke up five others.
Over the past three years, Crockett has compiled 155 total tackles, 95 solo, including 14 for loss and 4.5 sacks. He also has four interceptions and ten pass deflections.
DeMarco, Loucks, Mehra and Crockett were all members of a Fordham defense which recorded two shutouts in 2008, tying the Patriot League mark for most shutouts in a season. The 1997 Fordham squad set the record, a mark which was matched by the 2002 Lehigh and 2004 Georgetown squads.
Sarabaez, a two-year starter who started ten games at right tackle and one at left tackle in 2008, was a cog on an offensive line that helped sophomore running back Xavier Martin become the sixth Ram to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season. The line also protected junior quarterback John Skelton, who set the Fordham career record for passing yards this season, accumulating 6,215 yards.
The Rams finished the regular season with a 5-6 overall record, 1-5 in the Patriot League.
