Feb. 28, 2007
Washington, D.C. - The Gridiron Club held its awards banquet to honor the 2006 Georgetown football team at the Leo J. O'Donovan Dining Hall on Friday, February 16. Families, friends and alumni gathered for the event to honor the team and the outgoing seniors.
Assistant head coach Rob Sgarlata welcomed the audience and was followed by head coach Kevin Kelly, who honored the 2006 seniors and presented the 2006 awards.
Included was the annual presentation of the Joseph Eacobacci Memorial Jersey Award, in which Joe's brother, Tom and the 2006 jersey recipient, Alex Buzbee (Chester, N.J./Seton Hall Prep), awarded the No. 35 jersey to linebacker Stephen Smith (Upper Marlboro, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt). Beginning in the 2003 season, Georgetown's athletic department and the football program began honoring Joe every year by having the most deserving football student-athlete wear his former playing number, No. 35. Joe was a tri-captain of the football team his senior year at Georgetown and killed in the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.
The evening's honorees included seniors Buzbee, Robert Browning III (Cleveland, Ohio/Glenville), Nick Cangelosi (Camden, N.J./Camden Catholic), Matt Cooper (Newport Beach, Calif./Corona del Mar), Roosevelt Donat (Union, N.J./St. Benedict's Prep), David Fajgenbaum (Raleigh, N.C./Ravenscroft), Derek Franks (Austin, Texas/Reagan), Julius Griauzde (Riverside, Ill./Fenwick), Liam Grubb (Massapequa, N.Y./Chaminade), Shaun Johnson (Linden, N.J./Linden), Jarrod Kohl (Raveena, Ohio/Crestwood), Christopher Paulus (Manlius, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy), Andrew Rehwinkel (Dallas, Texas/Jesuit) and Brian Tandy (Virginia Beach, Va./Frank Cox).
Franks was the recipient of the John L. Hagerty Award for Outstanding Back. The defensive back finished his career on the Hilltop with a strong senior season, recording 75 tackles to finish tied for second on the team and among the top-20 in the Patriot League.
Rehwinkel, a two-year starter, was the recipient of the George A. Murtagh Award for Outstanding Lineman. Rehwinkel and his line mates helped freshman running back Charlie Houghton (Toronto, Ontario, Canada/Phillips Academy [Mass.]) earn Patriot League Rookie of the Year honors, the first major award winner for the Hoyas since joining the league.
Fajgenbaum was the recipient of the Mush Dubofsky Award for the most Outstanding Student-Athlete. A four-year letterwinner, Fajgenbaum was named to the American Football Coaches Association All-Good Works Team this year and was named a USA Today First Team All-USA College Academic selection.
Donat, a four-year letterwinner, was the recipient of the John D. Burke Award for Outstanding Courage and Spirit. Despite seeing limited game action throughout his career, Donat was one of the team's leaders in the weight room, where he set the school record for squat lift with a weight of 655 pounds (April 28, 2006).
Grubb and Tandy were the recipients of the Jeremiah Minihan Coaches' Award. Grubb, one of the team's co-captains, was one of the team's top offensive linemen throughout his career. Tandy, meanwhile, was a three-year starter in the defensive backfield. He finished sixth on the team with 54 tackles last season.
Buzbee, a first-team All-Patriot League selection as a defensive end, was the recipient of the Al Blozis Award for Most Valuable Player. Buzbee, a co-captain who earned honorable mention All-American honors last season and was a three-time all-league selection, finished tied for second on the team, and was 11th in the Patriot League, with 75 tackles. The 75 tackles were a career-high for Buzbee, who finished his four years on the Hilltop with 176 stops.
