ITHACA, N.Y. – Five Bombers of the Ithaca College football team have been named to Football Gazette’s East Region all-star team. Senior defensive back Charlie Stephens (Staples/Westport, Conn.) was named to the first team. Senior kick returner Kelly Gordon (Ausable Valley/Ausable Forks), senior placekicker Brett Kitenplon (Admiral Farragut Academy/Seminole, Fla.) and senior tight end Mike Oertel (Peru/Plattsburgh) were third-team choices. Senior linebacker Tom Blumenauer (Brentwood/Brentwood) received honorable mention.

 

Stephens, a first-team Empire 8 and ECAC Northwest all-star, started all but one game at free safety after missing nearly all of the 2005 season with an injury. He led the team with four interceptions (including a Bomber record-tying three in the Brockport win) and recorded 56 tackles to rank fourth on the team. He forced two fumbles and recovered both of them and collected two tackles for loss. Stephens was picked as Ithaca’s Honorary Defensive Captain after the Hartwick and Alfred games and was named the team’s Outstanding Back after the Brockport win.

 

Gordon is the only player to rank in the top 10 nationally in punt returns and kickoff returns (he’s eighth in both) after finishing the season with team-leading averages of 15.1 yards per punt return (first in the Empire 8) and 30.7 yards per kickoff return (second). A second-team all-American kick returner, he earned first-team accolades on D3football.com’s East Region all-star team. A first-team Empire 8 all-star as a kick returner, he scored on three returns – a punt against Hartwick and kickoffs against Norwich and Cortland – and his five career return touchdowns tied a Bomber record. Gordon received honorable mention to the Empire 8 all-star team as a kick returner last fall. He was named Ithaca’s Specialist of the Week following the Hartwick and Norwich wins.

 

Kitenplon leaves holding Ithaca records for points (281), field goals (40) and extra points (161) and his 11 field goals this fall set a Bomber single-season record. Kitenplon led the conference in field goals and field-goal accuracy and was the Empire 8’s second-leading scorer among kickers. He was a first-team selection to the Empire 8 and ECAC Northwest all-star teams. He scored 65 points, converting 11 of 13 field-goal attempts and 32 of 36 extra-point tries. Kitenplon was named Ithaca’s Specialist of the Week after the Buffalo State, Utica and Alfred games. A four-time Empire 8 all-star (he earned first-team accolades the past two years and second-team honors in 2003 and 2004), and is the league’s second four-time all-star.

 

Oertel was a first-team Empire 8 all-star and a third-team pick to D3football.com’s all-region team. A repeat pick to the all-conference team (he received honorable mention last fall), he started every game and was Ithaca’s leading receiver. He caught 40 passes – including a team-leading four touchdown receptions – and averaged 10.9 yards per catch. His 40 catches were the second highest total by a Bomber tight end and Oertel’s career total of 71 catches rank second among Ithaca tight ends and 17th on the program’s overall list. He was selected Ithaca’s Honorary Offensive Captain after the Huntingdon and Buffalo State wins.

 

Blumenauer was a repeat selection to the Empire 8 all-star team; he earned first-team recognition this fall after receiving honorable mention as a free safety last season. He collected 54 tackles (21 solo, 33 assisted) in nine games and led the Bomber linebackers with 13 tackles for loss and three sacks. Blumenauer was named Ithaca’s Outstanding Lineman after the Huntingdon win and was selected Honorary Defensive Captain following the Norwich win. He was picked to d3football.com’s Team of the Week for his performance against Huntingdon.

 

The Bombers finished 7-3; their stretch of 37 straight winning seasons is the second-longest streak at any level of college football.