Men's Lacrosse 5/7/2018 2:00:00 PM

Klipple, Perzinski win major awards; Four Jays named All-Landmark

TOWSON, Md. -- Elizabethtown College men's lacrosse made history with the announcement of the 2018 All-Landmark Conference teams.

Junior defenseman Jeremy Klipple became the program's first Landmark Player of the Year, while head coach Chris Perzinski and his staff were voted Coach and Coaching Staff of the Year.

Klipple was also named All-Landmark First Team, while sophomore attack Mike Scrafano, junior defenseman Jeff Bloom and junior short stick defensive midfielder Jon Knapp were recognized on the Second Team.

Klipple, of Purcellville, Virginia, has started all 18 games for E-town to date. His 34 caused turnovers are second most in the Landmark and his 48 ground balls ninth.

A 2017 All-Landmark First Team defenseman and 2016 Second Team long stick midfielder, Klipple is three caused turnovers shy of joining Matt Frey '15 as the only Blue Jays to register 100 or more in a career and already ranks third in program history. With 145 career ground balls, Klipple is poised to join E-town's top 10 leaders in that category as well.

Klipple is not usually called upon for offense, but registered his only point of the season so far with a goal against Stockton on April 11.

While Klipple is the first Blue Jay to earn Landmark Player of Year honors, he is the fourth conference Player of the Year in program history. Frankie Puzzangara (2006, 2007) and Aaron Weber (2010) were previously selected as Middle Atlantic Conference Players of the Year.

Perzinski led Elizabethtown to its first-ever conference championship in 2017, but had to replace more than 90% of his program's scoring output due to the graduation of many of the Blue Jays' offensive centerpieces.

The Blue Jays have found a way to be effective at both ends of the field even while playing one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country. Though E-town heads into Tuesday's NCAA Championship First Round game against John Carroll with a 9-9 record, it has already faced three nationally-ranked programs in Christopher Newport, Franklin & Marshall and York (Pa.). Colorado College, has since moved into the USILA Top 20, while another opponent, Lynchburg, made the national tournament.

Scrafano has been a goal-scoring machine for the Blue and Gray. His 36 goals are tied for the 10th most in a season in team history and he's also gone off for six hat tricks. Scrafano needs one point to eclipse the 40-point barrier for the first time in his career.

Bloom is having a breakout season. The junior from Miller Place, New York has appeared in all 18 games, starting 17. He's established new career-highs of 32 ground balls and 17 caused turnovers for a Blue Jay defense which allowed just 47 goals in conference play (7.83/game).

Knapp was a solid contributor to the Jays' success over his first two seasons, but is also putting up career-best numbers in 2018. The West Grove, Pennsylvania native ranks second on the team (behind only Klipple) and fifth in the conference with 22 caused turnovers. He is one ground ball shy of 30 on the season and scored his first career goal in E-town's victory over Scranton on April 14.

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Players Mentioned

#19 Jeff Bloom: D; 6' 0"; Junior

#6 Jeremy Klipple: D; 5' 8"; Junior

#25 Jon Knapp: M; 5' 11"; Junior

#8 Mike Scrafano: A; 6' 1"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#19 Jeff Bloom
: 6' 0"; Junior
: D

#6 Jeremy Klipple
: 5' 8"; Junior
: D

#25 Jon Knapp
: 5' 11"; Junior
: M

#8 Mike Scrafano
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: A