Solan, Cody and Hansens named to All-Area Football Team
Although Hudson County failed to come away with a state champion in 2001, it still was a very memorable football season, evidenced by the array of talent selected to the Hudson Reporter All-Area Football team.
Coming off a 9-1 season and a No. 10 ranking in the final statewide football poll, the Marauders of St. Peter’s Prep were clearly Hudson County’s finest team in 2001 and the proof of that comes with the honorees to this year’s All-Area team.
Not only did senior running back John Solan earn Offensive Player of the Year honors, courtesy of his 1,500-plus yards and a county-best 21 touchdowns, but senior defensive end Alan Cody was named the defensive player of the year for his dominating play along the line of scrimmage.
And to complete the trifecta, head coach Rich Hansen was selected as the Reporter’s coach of the year for leading the Marauders to the HCIAA National Conference championship and collecting the most power points in the entire state.
It was a great year for the Marauders, as several other players earned All-Area honors, including senior guard Marc DeGennaro, junior wide receiver Adam San Miguel, junior quarterback Joe Dailey, junior linebacker Richie Hansen, the coach’s son, and freshman defensive back Mike Brown.
Brown’s selection marks a first, because it is the first time that a freshman has earned All-Area football honors in the 11 years that the Hudson Reporter has been selecting the post-season team.
However, as good as the Marauders were this season, the most valuable player of the 2001 season goes to Emerson’s do-everything standout Miguel Merrick, who collected nearly 3,000 yards in total offense – receiving, rushing and kick returns – as well as playing solid defense in the secondary.
Without the talents of Merrick, who returned an amazing six kicks – five punts and one kickoff – for touchdowns this season and scored 10 other touchdowns in a variety of ways, the Bulldogs don’t come close to reaching the North Jersey Section I, Group IV finals. The multi-talented Merrick also led the Bulldogs to the HCIAA American Conference title, Emerson’s first county crown since 1987.
Merrick should be selected to the All-State team sometime within the next few weeks.
The rest of the team features Solan, Dailey, Cody, Hoboken’s Robert Braxton, North Bergen’s David Castro, Ferris’ Michael Dupree and the Red Wing kicking tandem of kicker Alvaro Hasani and punter Joe Radigan as returnees to the All-Area team.