NEFW Div. II-III All-New England Team

WALTHAM, Mass. – Bentley University junior linebacker Blaine Hopwood (New Bedford/New Bedford HS) has been named to the 2012 New England Football Writers Division II-III All-New England team.

Hopwood and the remainder of the team will be honored Dec. 6 when the NEFW holds its annual Captains and Awards Banquet at the Montvale Plaza in Stoneham.

Hopwood, a first-team All-Northeast-10 Conference selection, led the Falcons in tackles for the second straight season, finishing with 74 despite missing two games due to injuries. In two seasons as a starter, the 5-foot-10, 200-pounder has amassed 153 tackles, including 16.5 for losses.

Hopwood had at least eight tackles in six of his eight games, including back-to-back 13-tackle performances against Saint Anselm and undefeated New Haven, while leading a defense that ranked amongst the best in Division II. The Falcons rank fifth in both rushing defense (77.7) and fewest yards allowed (275.5), and eighth in fewest points allowed (15.7).

Bentley finished the season with an 8-2 record, with each of the losses by exactly four points.