Three Yellow Jackets receive MSFA Mideast League Honorable Mention

DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Mid-States Football Association announced the Mideast League All-Conference Teams on Monday with three Defiance Yellow Jackets earning recognition among the division's seven football programs.

With Defiance holding provisional membership for the 2024 season, DC received just three honorable mention selections and was not considered for First and Second Team Awards. The three award winners for the Yellow Jackets were senior offensive lineman Aidan Burke, junior corner Jerry Addo-Boateng and junior defensive end Dominic Harris. This year's three all-conference selections runs up the team's total to 27 under head coach Bill Nickell since 2022.

Aidan Burke (Indianapolis, Ind./Purdue Polytechnic) earned his first-career all-conference award with his play at left tackle. He started all 11 games at the position for the second straight season and was one of two DC linemen to do so. The senior was a critical member of the unit by protecting the blindside of three different quarterbacks who averaged over 200 yards passing per game for the first time since 2017.

Dominic Harris (Detroit, Mich./Southeastern) earned his second straight all-conference honor after being selected Second Team All-HCAC last year. Harris led DC's defensive line in tackles with 46 and finished second on the team with four sacks. The junior also led the team with 10 tackles for loss. Harris scored his first-career touchdown in the team's final home game when he scooped up a Hanover fumble in the end zone. He also impacted the special teams game with a blocked extra point that Defiance turned into two points at Saint Francis in Week 2. 

Defiance's third all-conference selection was Jerry Addo-Boateng (Sanford, Fla./Orangewood Christian/Indianapolis), who earned his second career all-conference award after earning All-HCAC Honorable Mention at Anderson in 2022. Addo-Boateng was an active presence from the secondary. He made 69 tackles to lead all of DC's defensive backs and was sixth in tackles among DBs in the MSFA. He recorded three interceptions, tied for 13th in the conference, including a two-interception game in DC's home opener against Judson. The Florida native also broke up eight passes to rank tied for eighth among players in the conference and blocked an extra point against Madonna.

The Yellow Jackets finished the 2024 season with a 4-7 record, which was the program's first at the NAIA level and as members of the MSFA. DC will become a full member of the conference in 2025.

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