Beach and Facaros Selected to Play in D-III Football Senior Classic
MEADVILLE, Pa. – Senior team captains Keith Beach and Sid Facaros accepted invitations to participate for the North squad in the second annual Division III Football Senior Classic to be played December 3, 2010 in Salem, Va. The senior classic will feature the top senior football players in all of Division III in a North vs. South All-Star format. The duo is the first Allegheny players to be chosen and accept to play in the classic.
Beach, a versatile offensive lineman during his four years played in 28 games, making 21 starts. Most of his career, Beach was the anchor of the o-line serving as the center. However, halfway through his senior campaign, due to numerous injuries to his fellow linemen, Beach slid over to his left to fill the void at left guard while the Gators got healthier. His unselfish and consistent play in the trenches garnered him All-NCAC Honorable Mention accolades in 2010.
Facaros, a two-time All-NCAC First Team performer, was the unquestioned leader of the Gators' "Black Flag Defense." Known around the league as one of the top overall safeties, Facaros picked off nine career passes and amassed 152 career tackles. The highlight of his final season in Blue and Gold came in the waning moments of the Gators clash with Case Western Reserve. In that game, he made a career-high 15 tackles and took a 76-yard fumble recovery to the house with 1:46 left in the game to force overtime.
Both Beach and Facaros have been instrumental in the upswing of the Gators' storied football program. Over their four years they helped guide the Gators to a 25-15 overall record, with 15 of those wins coming in the past two seasons. The 15 wins is the most wins in back-to-back seasons since 1996 & 1997 seasons when the Gators collected 19 wins over those two seasons.
