DECEMBER 2, 2009
KING'S FOOTBALL STANDOUTS VERBITSKI, O'CONNOR SELECTED TO PLAY IN NORTH-SOUTH SENIOR FOOTBALL CLASSIC
SALEM, VA – When the King's College football team posted a 33-16 victory over cross-town rival Wilkes University in the annual Mayor's Cup Game on November 14, Monarch senior standouts Mike Verbitski (Burlington, NJ/Burlington Twp.) and Claude O'Connor (Moscow/North Pocono) walked the length of King's McCarthy Stadium after the contest believing they had just played collegiate football for the final time.
Three weeks later, the pair will be back in helmets and shoulder pads when they travel to Salem, Va. to play in the North-South Senior Football Classic on Saturday, December 5. The game will kick off at 2:00 p.m. at Salem Stadium.
This game will be hosted by the Collegiate Development Football League and will showcase ninety of the nation's top D-III players, 45 on each team, representing the 238 NCAA Division III football programs around the country. Verbitski and O'Connor will have an opportunity to showcase their talents in front of professional football scouts from the NFL, CFL, UFL, Arena2, and the CDFL.
Verbitski, a 6-2, 205-pound wide receiver, concludes an outstanding senior year at King's where he established new school single-season records with 57 catches and 13 touchdown receptions. He led the MAC with 917 receiving yards, the second most receiving yards in one season in King's history. His 20 career touchdown receptions are the most in the history of the Monarch football program. He also caught a school-record three touchdown passes in one game on two occasions. Verbitski concluded his career with 113 receptions and 1,753 receiving yards, both ranking second in King's history. He was a first-team All-MAC selection.
“Being selected for the North-South Division III Senior Classic is an extremely humbling and exciting experience,” Verbitski stated. “To even be considered to take part in a game that showcases some of the best talent in the country at the Division 3 level was shocking. My selection is such an honor and would not be possible without the tremendous effort from my teammates and coaches who helped me have such an enjoyable senior season. I could not think of a better way to end my collegiate career and am looking forward to proudly representing King's College.”
After playing his first two-and-a-half seasons as a reserve linebacker, the 5-10, 200-pound O'Connor wrapped up his career with a highly productive senior year at tailback where he finished second in the MAC in rushing with a 99.7 yards-per-game average. O'Connor, who missed one game with an injury, finished the season with 897 yards on 206 carries with six touchdowns. He also caught four passes out of the backfield for 27 yards. In just 14 career games at tailback, O'Connor amassed 1,050 rushing yards on 240 carries, averaging 4.4 yards per-carry and 75 yards per-game.
“I thought the Mayor's Cup was going to be the last game of my football career, but I am honored and privileged to have one last chance to play the game I enjoy most,” O'Connor stated. “It means a lot to me to be selected from all the best Division 3 football player in the country. Win or lose I am just happy to be a part of this game. Special thanks go out to my family, my coaches and teammates, and the rest of the King's community who are supporting me in this game.”
The North-South Senior Football Classic will be held one week prior to the Amos Alonzo Stagg NCAA Division III National Championship Game, also slated to be held at Salem Stadium.
Two King's offensive linemen were also named alternates to the team. Senior tackle Brandon Cogley and senior guard Zach Dunn will make the trip and will play should injuries occur and other selected players are unable to play. Cogley was a two-time first-team All-MAC selection while Dunn was a second-team choice, plying along side CogleyDunn earned his first post-season selection playing alongside Cogley at right guard. The pair helped the Monarchs to finish the regular-season at second-place in MAC rushing at 176.4 yards per-game while allowing just seven quarterback sacks all season long, the fewest in the MAC. The next best total was 13 sacks allowed by Lebanon Valley.
