Pickerington Native Brent Walton Named All-OAC in Football

2013 Nov 27

Brent Walton, a native of Pickerington, OH, and graduate of Pickerington Central, was one of three members of the Capital University football team tabbed All-Ohio Athletic Conference, the league announced Monday, Nov. 25.

Senior slot back Alex Coleman (Columbus, Ohio) was named to the second team, while sophomore defensive back Anthony Cicione (Akron, Ohio) and freshman b-back Brent Walton (Pickerington, Ohio) were selected honorable mention.

The Crusaders wrapped up their first season under head coach Craig Candeto on Nov. 16, wrapping up the campaign with their second straight win, a 41-27 triumph over Wilmington at Bernlohr Stadium.

Capital finished 3-7 overall and 3-6 in the conference to place seventh in the league standings and improve by one win from a season ago.

Coleman led a balanced Capital rushing attack that is currently 21st in the nation in rushing offense with 586 yards on the ground. He averaged 9.5 yards per carry and scored three touchdowns while finishing ninth in the OAC in rushing yards per game (58.6). Coleman also played a leading role in the return game, collecting 113 punt return yards and 510 on kick returns. He currently ranks fourth in the league in all-purpose yards with 1,286 (128.6 per contest).

Coleman rushed for more than 100 yards on two occasions during the season, including a 12-carry, 185-yard performance at cross-town rival Otterbein on Nov. 2. He also caught seven passes for 77 yards and two touchdowns, including a juggling scoring catch over a defender in the team's victory over Wilmington.

A three-year starter at wide receiver and slot back, Coleman finishes his career as one of just three players to post more than 1,000 career kick return yards. He collected 3,054 all-purpose yards as a Crusader.

Cicione currently leads the OAC with five interceptions, including a pair at Baldwin Wallace on Oct. 26. Cicione returned an interception 32 yards to set up a Capital touchdown against Wilmington. He is also tied for third in the conference in passes defensed with nine.

Cicione finished fourth on the team with 37 tackles, including 25 solo stops and a tackle for a loss. He registered a season-high seven tackles at Otterbein on Nov. 2, and tallied six stops as well as a pick against No. 1 Mount Union on Oct. 19.

Walton finished second on the team with 540 rushing yards, running for 5.1 yards yards per carry and a team-best five touchdowns, all coming in the team's final four games of the season. He also hauled in six passes for 80 yards.

After rushing for 46 yards in his debut against Thomas More (Ky.) on Sept. 7, Walton enjoyed a breakout performance at Marietta two weeks later, totaling eight carries for 131 yards. He finished the campaign with consecutive efforts of more than 100 yards rushing. Against Muskingum on Nov. 9, Walton carried 22 times for 100 yards and a 3-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter to tie the game, which Capital went on to win, 27-24, in overtime. One week later, he ran through the Wilmington defense for 112 yards on 22 carries and two scores.

John Carroll's Tom Arth and Mount Union's Vince Kehres shared OAC Coach of the Year honors after leading their respective teams to the NCAA Division III Playoffs.