BHS Alum John Merica Caps Dominating Sophomore Season at Wesleyan as First-Team All MEC Pick
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on November 21, 2019
Former Bridgeport High School standout and West Virginia Wesleyan Sophomore Safety John Merica has received First Team football honors from the Mountain East Conference for the first time in his career.
Anyone who attended a Wesleyan Football game this year should be familiar with Merica, he was the #20 that covered the entire field on defense. Coming down from the safety position, Merica finished the season with 70 solo tackles. That total is good for the third most in the
entire NCAA, and the second most in the Mountain East Conference.
entire NCAA, and the second most in the Mountain East Conference.
The sophomore from Bridgeport collected double-digit tackles in five separate games in 2019. He started off the season strong with 16 total tackles, 10 solo, in the opening game against Urbana. Merica then showed that he could hang with the best, putting up the same tackle totals against Division I Davidson the next week. He also recovered a fumble in that contest.
His most impactful game of the season may have come against West Liberty on November 9, when he recovered a fumble and made two interceptions, one of which he returned for a late touchdown to take the lead. Merica was often the best defensive player on either side when the Bobcats took the field this season, and the Mountain East Conference honored him accordingly. His 2019 season was an impressive showing from a sophomore, and Bobcats fans should be excited for two more seasons of #20.
Here is the entire team, as well as the individual award winners.
Editor's Note: Photo courtesy of West Virginia Wesleyan's Web site.
| 2019 MEC Individual Awards | ||||
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Offensive Player of the Year: Jaleel McLaughlin (Notre Dame) Offensive Freshman of the Year: Nick Beans (Notre Dame) Defensive Player of the Year: Dominic Cizauskas (Glenville State) Defensive Freshman of the Year: Bryce Sheppert (Notre Dame) Coach of the Year: Mike Jacobs (Notre Dame) |
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| 2019 All-MEC First Team | ||||
| Pos. | Name | School | Cl. | |
| QB | Austin Hensley | W.Va. State | Sr. | |
| RB | Tyreik McAllister | Charleston | Jr. | |
| RB | Jaleel McLaughlin | Notre Dame | So. | |
| RB | Tyree Randolph | Fairmont State | So. | |
| WR | Javon Hayes | Fairmont State | Jr. | |
| WR | Marvelle Ross | Notre Dame | Sr. | |
| WR | Isaiah Scott | W.Va. State | Sr. | |
| WR | Michael Strachan | Charleston | Jr. | |
| TE | Zaire Mitchell | Notre Dame | So. | |
| FB/HB | Dante Jones | W.Va. State | Jr. | |
| OL | Jimmy Burchett | Notre Dame | Jr. | |
| OL | Brandon Nicholson | Notre Dame | Jr. | |
| OL | Mike Mollohan | Urbana | Sr. | |
| OL | Wade Olsen | Frostburg State | Sr. | |
| OL | Austin Ringel | Charleston | Sr. | |
| OL | Chandler Zavala | Fairmont State | Jr. | |
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| DL | D.J. Adediwura | Fairmont State | Jr. | |
| DL | Kenny Randall | Charleston | Jr. | |
| DL | Zach Strand | Frostburg State | Jr. | |
| DL | Mikal Toliver | Urbana | Sr. | |
| DL | Sha'haun Williams | Notre Dame | Sr. | |
| LB | Dominic Cizauskas | Glenville State | Sr. | |
| LB | Dustin Crouser | W.Va. State | Jr. | |
| LB | Duray Hall | Urbana | Jr. | |
| LB | Guam Lee | Notre Dame | Jr. | |
| LB | Trevon Shorts | Fairmont State | Sr. | |
| DB | Kei Beckham | Charleston | Sr. | |
| DB | Logan Deri | West Liberty | Sr. | |
| DB | Delonte Hood | Glenville State | So. | |
| DB | Davionn Johnson | Notre Dame | Jr. | |
| DB | John Merica | W.Va. Wesleyan | So. | |
| DB | Michael Porter | Fairmont State | Sr. | |
| == | ||||
| P | Justin Watts | Glenville State | Sr. | |
| K | Justin Watts | Glenville State | Sr. | |
| KR/PR | Marvelle Ross | Notre Dame | Sr. | |
| 2019 All-MEC Second Team | ||||
| QB | Brant Grisel | Charleston | Sr. | |
| RB | Khalik Hamlin | Fairmont State | Jr. | |
| RB | Gavin Lavat | Frostburg State | Jr. | |
| RB | Mario Pender | Glenville State | Sr. | |
| RB | WR Sanders | Urbana | Jr. | |
| WR | Javon Butler | Glenville State | Jr. | |
| WR | Ryan LaFollette | Wheeling | So. | |
| WR | Tremaine Ross | Charleston | Sr. | |
| TE | Thomas Cole | West Liberty | So. | |
| FB/HB | D.J. Greene | Notre Dame | Sr. | |
| OL | Devon Bradshaw | W.Va. State | Sr. | |
| OL | Lavon Cottemond | W.Va. State | Jr. | |
| OL | Chris Hawkins | Urbana | Sr. | |
| OL | Garrett Kapstein O'Brien | Fairmont State | Sr. | |
| OL | Lonnell McGuire | Fairmont State | Sr. | |
| OL | Elbert Munn | Charleston | Jr. | |
| == | ||||
| DL | Carl Igweh | Frostburg State | Jr. | |
| DL | Jack Kosko | Notre Dame | So. | |
| DL | Harry Lewis | W.Va. Wesleyan | Sr. | |
| DL | Cody Rine | West Liberty | Sr. | |
| DL | Aman Speed | W.Va. Wesleyan | Sr. | |
| DL | Glenwood Williams | Fairmont State | Sr. | |
| LB | LA Kelly | Urbana | Jr. | |
| LB | Clay McDonald | West Liberty | Jr. | |
| LB | Nate Moore | Notre Dame | So. | |
| LB | Wayne Palmer | Frostburg State | Sr. | |
| LB | Kenjae Rose | Charleston | Jr. | |
| DB | Kyle Alexander | W.Va. State | Sr. | |
| DB | Mike Bell | Frostburg State | Sr. | |
| DB | Imani Moore | Concord | Jr. | |
| DB | Vincent Persichetti | Frostburg State | Sr, | |
| DB | Chris Richardson | Urbana | Sr. | |
| == | ||||
| P | Dominic Buttazzoni | Notre Dame | Fr. | |
| K | Tanner Harding | Notre Dame | Jr. | |
| KR/PR | Austin Ratliff | Glenville State | Jr. | |
| 2019 All-MEC Honorable Mention | ||||
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QB: Takwan Crews-Naylor (Fairmont State) RB: Dylan Lucas (W.Va. State), Isaiah Young (Urbana) FB/HB: Ridge Durbin (West Liberty) WR: AJ Barrette (W.Va. State) OL: Zach Cox (Fairmont State), Ethan Fergason (Glenville State), Mike Kyle (Notre Dame), Trey Milam (W.Va. Wesleyan), Jason Money (Frostburg State), Adam Riegler (Notre Dame), Nathan Toney (Concord) DL: Derrick Brumfield (Notre Dame), Ryan Gattrell (Concord), Keenan Johnson (W.Va. State) Brandon Munoz (WU) LB: Wil Mayes (Glenville State), Dwain Porterfield (Concord), James Reese (Wheeling), Grant Safford (W.Va. Wesleyan) DB: Tevon Littleton (W.Va. State), Bryce Sheppert (Notre Dame), Sam Thomas (Glenville State) P: Martin Ahlstroem (W.Va. State) K: Martin Ahlstroem (W.Va. State) KR/PR: Tywan Pearce (Concord) |
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