Wagner's First Team All-OAC honors highlight Pioneer football award winners

Seven Pioneers receive All-OAC recognition

Nov. 22, 2004
TWINSBURG, Ohio - The Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) football special awards, as voted on by the league coaches, were released from the Conference office this morning (Nov. 22). Seven Pioneers received All-OAC recognition for their efforts in 2004, including Steven Wagner (Harwick, PA/Fox Chapel), who picked up First Team honors.

Wagner, a junior running back, compiled 1,091 yards on the ground with seven TD this season. He became the 17th Pioneer to finish with over 1,000 yards in a season. Wagner's 1,091 yards ranks 12th all-time for a Pioneer and gives him 2,335 career rushing yards with one season to play. He has six 100-yard games, including a career-high 258 yards against Heidelberg in week two. Wagner is the first Pioneer to earn All-OAC First Team honors since Kenneth Sasu in 2000.

Four Pioneers received All-OAC Second Team honors, while two other were given All-OAC Honorable Mention this fall. Seniors Chris Sidick (Cecil, PA/Canon McMillan), Brett Munn (Newbury) and Thadd Sharrett (Circleville), as well as junior Joe Brennan (Aurora/University) picked up Second Team honors.

Sidick, who received Honorable Mention for special teams in 2003, spent times on both sides of the ball in 2004. He was moved to wide receiver in week four, after playing linebacker for the first three games. Sidick caught 25 passes for 256 yards (10.2 yards per catch) and one TD in his seven games on offense. He also carried the ball 24 times for 197 yards and three TD. On defense Sidick collected 22 tackles, three for a loss, and had two sacks and one interception. He also returned kicks for Marietta and became the NCAA DIII's career leader in kick returns (106) and kickoff return yards (2,235).

Brennan, the team's center, anchored the offensive line, which included three freshmen this season. The offense rushed for 1,527 yards, which ranked fourth in the OAC this season. The line also allowed just 1.7 sacks per game, fourth-best in the league.

Munn earned All-OAC recognition for the third time in four seasons. The 2002 Second Team and 2003 Honorable Mention honoree finished 2004 with 59 tackles, 39 solo. He also had four interceptions, broke up six passes, recovered two fumbles (one for a TD), forced a fumble and blocked four kicks. His four interceptions ranked fourth in the OAC and gave him eight for his career.

Sharrett spent time in the defensive backfield and at linebacker during the 2004 season. He led the team with 91 stops, 45 solo and 13 for a loss. The senior added two sacks, an interception, five pass deflections, four QB hurries and one forced fumbles in 10 games this season. It was the first All-Conference award of his career.

Sophomore Lance Parrish (Loudonville) and freshman Clay Ream (Burbank/Northwestern) received All-OAC Honorable Mention this season. Parrish held down the right guard position on the offensive line in 2004.

Ream was a huge addition to the Marietta defensive line this fall. He collected 61 tackles, 25 solo and six for a loss, in 2004. Ream also had one sack, broke up three passes, forced one fumble and blocked two kicks for the Pioneers, who finished the season 6-4 overall and 5-4 in the OAC. This fall was Marietta's first winning season since 1998, when it also finished 6-4. Head Coach Todd Glaser was recognized for his leadership by being named the OAC Coach-of-the-Year.