Mark King

Career with the Hurricanes

1. 1997–98 · 15 February 1998

   Defensive MVP in a 38–0 win at Kent.^[1][10]

2. 1997–98

   Played in all 11 games of the unbeaten season, which ended with a 16–7 win over Leeds Celtics in College Bowl XII. He made 45 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss, and was voted the club’s Rookie of the Year. Linebackers coach Matt Coppinger counted him among three linebackers he tutored to league honours that year.^{[11][1][6][12]}

3. 1998–99 · 14 February 1999

   With Tony Groden, Steve Dennis and Neil White he anchored the linebacker corps, and he intercepted a pass and returned it 23 yards in a 32–0 win at Kent.^[13][14][15]

4. 1998–99 · 7 March 1999

   Described as the defensive captain, he was Defensive MVP of the 7–2 playoff win over Oxford Cavaliers, played in heavy rain. His interception on Oxford’s first drive set up the game’s only touchdown.^[16]

5. 1998–99 · 21 March 1999

   Played in the 7–3 College Bowl XIII win over Loughborough Aces, his second national title.^[17][18]

6. 1999–2000

   Returned for the playoffs with a sack and four tackles against Cardiff Cobras, then led the team in tackles in the Southern Conference Final against Oxford Cavaliers. He won a third national title as the Hurricanes beat Leicester Lemmings 20–6 in College Bowl XIV, one of nine veterans who had played in and won all three bowls.^[19][20][7]

7. November 2002

   Inducted into the Hurricanes Hall of Fame in its founding class and named at inside linebacker in the club’s 10th-anniversary All-Time Team.^{[6][8][21][22][23]}

Beyond the Hurricanes

• GB Bulldogs (national student team), linebacker · 1997–98^{[2][4][5][12]}
• Southern Conference Wildcats (BCAFL all-star team), linebacker; North v South All-Star game against the Northern Cougars · 1998–99^[2][5][24]

Sources for this feature

1. Caneweb (2002 club site), seasons/1997/Awards.htm
2. Hertfordshire Hurricanes club records (2002), awards.txt: club annual awards, All-College, Wildcats and GB selections, and 1999–2000 and 2000–01 squad lists, compiled by webmaster Neil White (Sep 2002)
3. Hurricanes club website (Wayback Machine): 1997–98 awards
4. Caneweb (2002 club site), team/AllTimeAccolades.htm
5. Hurricanes club website (Wayback Machine): All-Time Accolades (2002)
6. Caneweb (2002 club site), team/HallofFame.htm
7. Caneweb (2002 club site), seasons/1999/CollegeBowlXIV.htm
8. Hurricanes club website (Wayback Machine): Hall of Fame biographies (2002)
9. Hertfordshire Hurricanes club records (2002), hof.htm: Hall of Fame 2002 inductee list
10. Caneweb (2002 club site), seasons/1997/season.htm
11. Caneweb (2002 club site), seasons/1997/SeasonStats.htm
12. Caneweb (2002 club site), team/Coaching Staff.htm
13. Caneweb (2002 club site), seasons/1998/season.htm
14. Caneweb (2002 club site), seasons/1998/Games/140299RC.htm
15. Caneweb (2002 club site), seasons/1998/Games/140299GB.htm
16. Caneweb (2002 club site), seasons/1998/Games/70399RC.htm
17. Caneweb (2002 club site), seasons/1998/Games/210399RC.htm
18. Hurricanes club website (Wayback Machine): 1998–99 season
19. Caneweb (2002 club site), seasons/1999/games/cobras@herts.htm
20. Caneweb (2002 club site), seasons/1999/games/oxford@herts.htm
21. Hurricanes club website (Wayback Machine): "Rookies and Legends" alumni event (2002)
22. Caneweb (2002 club site), team/AllTimeTeam.htm
23. Hurricanes club website (Wayback Machine): All Time Team (2002)
24. Caneweb (2002 club site), seasons/news/news.htm