Keenan, Cleaver and Decembrele Earn ECAC Honors

January 3, 2005

1/3/05 - <?xml:namespace prefix = "st1" ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Middlebury College football players Mike Keenan (Rutland, Vt.), Tom Cleaver (Severna Park, Md.) and Rich Decembrele (Walpole, Mass.) were all recently first-team selections to the ECAC Northeast All-Star team. The threesome led the Panthers to a strong 3-1 finish and a 4-4 overall record in '04.

Keenan earns All-ECAC honors after being named the NESCAC's first-team quarterback for the second consecutive season. He led the NESCAC with 215.8 yards passing/game and was ranked second in the league with a 111.3 efficiency rating. He connected on 155 of 290 passes for 1726 yards with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season. He ends his career at Middlebury as the school's most prolific passer, holding eight school records, including  most completions in a game (31), in a season (155) and in a career (397). He also holds marks for passing yards in a game (427), season (1,726) and in a career (4,544), as well as touchdown passes in a game (5) and in a career (38).

Cleaver, also a two-time first-team All-NESCAC selection, earned first-team All-ECAC honors. He led the NESCAC with 7.75 receptions/game as well as 117.9 yards receiving/contest. He caught 62 passes this year for 943 yards with five touchdowns. He ends his career at Middlebury with school records for most catches in a season (62 in '04), most yards receiving in a season (943 in '04) and in a career (1,974). <?xml:namespace prefix = "o" ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Decembrele earns first-team honors, after being named to the first-team All-NESCAC squad in November. The linebacker was second on the team with 74 tackles this season, including nine for lost yardage and nine pass break-ups. The senior also forced two and recovered two fumbles, while having 10 or more tackles four times this season, including 15 vs. Amherst.