|
| Jared Elwin had two key interceptions, including a pick-six, as Pacific Lutheran defeated George Fox by one. Pacific Lutheran athletics file photo |
Presented by 
Games of Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 2022
The Team of the Week, presented by Scoutware, is D3football.com's weekly honor roll, in its 24th season of recognizing the top performance at each position from the previous week. Players are nominated by schools.
Offense
QB Kaleb Blaha, So., UW-River Falls
Blaha totaled five touchdowns during a 56-3 win over UW-Stevens Point, three through the air and two on the ground, including a career-long 44-yard touchdown run for the game-winning score. He totaled 322 yards of total offense, completing 18 of 23 passes for 221 yards while rushing for 101 yards.
OL Michael Hood, Cameron Taylor, David Bettencourt, Jacob Berault, Randy Ruple, Merchant Marine
The USMMA offensive line paved the way for the Mariners to rush for 361 yards in their 41-14 road victory at WPI on Saturday in the NEWMAC-opener. They played a huge role in Merchant Marine going 9-for-10 in fourth down conversions, helping the offense stay on the field for over 37 minutes and setting the stage for 11 ball carriers.
RB Jaxon Case, So., Carroll
Case was Carroll's first 200-plus yard rusher since 2015 as the Pioneers defeated Augustana 44-41 in double overtime. He ran for 124 yards in the fourth quarter, including an 80-yard touchdown with 3:35 left in the game to help Carroll force overtime. Case also caught a pass in overtime to keep the first Carroll drive alive. Case picked up 238 yards on 23 carries in the win.
RB Michael McGhee, Sr., Sewanee
McGhee ran for a career-best 241 yards, including two rushes of over 70 yards or more. Both his those carries led to Sewanee touchdowns in a game which Millsaps won 30-27. The 241 yards is the eighth-best effort in the history of the SAA. McGhee carried the ball 21 times, with one being a 47-yard score that made it a 10-point game with 7:14 to go.
WR Micah Niewald, So., Bethel
Niewald tied a Bethel single-game record 15 catches doing so on 20 targets in a 30-27 win at Gustavus Adolphus. He collected a career-high 192 yards including a 16-yard touchdown reception from Jaran Roste in the first quarter. In the first half, he had 10 catches for 121 yards.
WR Trevor Chase, Sr., Norwich
Chase became the career leader in touchdown receptions in Norwich history on the Cadets' first play from scrimmage against Coast Guard when Mitchell Theal found him for a 71-yard catch and run. That would set the tone for the day Chase would have as he would finish the day with 12 receptions for 185 yards (a career-high) and three touchdowns, with one more score being a 40-plus yard catch and run.
TE Kevin Graham, Jr., Illinois Wesleyan
Graham came up huge for the Titans in a 38-24 win against Millikin. Graham hauled in three catches for a career-best 97 yards, averaging 32.3 yards per grab. He snagged two touchdown passes, including a 47-yard TD strike.
Defense
DE Luke Schuermann, Jr., Johns Hopkins
Schuermann set a Johns Hopkins record and tied the Centennial Conference record with six sacks in a 43-26 win at F&M. Schuermann's six sacks resulted in 36 yards in losses. He finished the game with a career-high 13 tackles, the six sacks and one forced fumble.
DT Dawson Dietz, So., Washington & Jefferson
Dietz recorded four tackles for loss in W&J's 66-14 victory over visiting Allegheny. Dietz added a sack and totaled five tackles in the win. W&J limited Allegheny to 68 rushing yards on 38 attempts (1.8 per rush).
DT Joe McNamara, Jr., Western New England
McNamara forced two fumbles and had two and a half tackles for loss, both of them sacks, in a 47-14 win against Nichols. One of McNamara's forced fumbles was picked up by Ippokratis Georgiadis and returned for a touchdown, giving the Golden Bears a 33-14 lead.
DE Mitchell Stokey, So., Carnegie Mellon
Stokey helped the Tartans to a 10-0 Presidents' Athletic Conference win over Westminster (Pa.). Stokey tabbed six tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss, forced and recovered a fumble and added a pass breakup in the win. Stokey's sack came on a fourth-and-3 from the Tartans' 10-yard line that went for a 10-yard loss and turned the ball over to the Tartans in the closing seconds of the first half.
LB Marcellus Romious, Sr., Aurora
Romious led Aurora in a 62-17 win against Wisconsin Lutheran with 17 tackles, four of which were for a loss and added two pass breakips.
LB Jackson Deaver, Jr., Randolph-Macon
Deaver tied for team lead with eight tackles, five solo, in 48-19 win over Guilford. He had five and a half tackles for loss (of minus-27 yards) and a pair of sacks for a loss of 13 yards. GC had 6 possessions in second half and lost yardage on five of them.
LB Brevon Gude, Jr., DePauw
Gude racked up four tackles for loss, all of them sacks, as part of a six-tackle performance in a 17-13 win against Denison. The Tigers held the Big Red 38 points below its season average entering the game.
CB Mark Thrower, Jr., St. Olaf
Thrower had a season-high seven tackles (all solo), one sack, two pass breakups, and blocked an extra point in St. Olaf's 41-36 win over Augsburg. With the Oles up by five, Thrower had one of his two pass breakups at the 1-yard line with 1:17 remaining to help preserve the lead. Early in the second quarter, he blocked an extra point, which contributed to the Auggies needing a touchdown instead of a field goal on the final possession.
S Caleb Brubaker, So., Salisbury
Brubaker led the Salisbury defense with a pair of interceptions, including a 79-yard pick-six in the third quarter, to help the Sea Gulls take down Montclair State, 30-7. Brubaker added six tackles to limit the Red Hawks to 194 yards of total offense.
S Rylie Van Fleet, Sr., Alfred State
Van Fleet collected eight tackles (six solo), picked off two passes, and broke up another in the Pioneers' 30-25 victory against Anna Maria. His first interception led to a field goal, while his second stalled a potential go-ahead scoring drive at Alfred State's own 24-yard-line with 1:50 remaining in the contest. His breakup was on the AMCATS' final passing attempt of the game to lock up the win.
CB Jared Elwin, Sr., Pacific Lutheran
Elwin had two interceptions, including a pick-six as the Lutes knocked off previously unbeaten George Fox 13-12. Elwin picked off a pass and ran 39 yards for a score in the third and finished the game with four tackles, two interceptions, and two pass breakups.
Special teams
K Hugo Cifuentes, So., Bethel
Cifuentes ended up being the difference maker for Bethel going a perfect 3-for-3 in field goals and adding three extra points in the No. 12 Royals' 30-27 victory at Gustavus Adolphus. He put Bethel on the board splitting the uprights with a 32-yard field goal on the opening drive. With all three extra-point makes coming in the first half he extended his PAT streak to 52 straight. Cifuentes accounted for all six of the Royals' second-half points. With 9:15 to go in the third, he made a 28-yard attempt before converting a 27-yard field goal with 41 seconds left in the third.
RET Maclain Stoneking, So., Linfield
Stoneking returned six Puget Sound punts for 179 yards and two touchdowns in Linfield's 72-2 win over the Loggers. His first touchdown was an 82-yard return to the house with 13:15 left in the second quarter. He struck again with 2:48 remaining before halftime, this time with a 59-yarder.
P Carter Unger, Sr., UW-Stevens Point
Unger averaged 44.8 yards per punt on 11 punts, including three of 50-plus yards and three punts inside the 20 in the Pointers' 56-3 loss to UW-River Falls.
ST Victor Garza, Jr., Tufts
Garza picked up a blocked field goal attempt by Williams and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown as the first half expired to make the game 14-14 at the half. Williams was trying to extend its lead to 17-7 at the break, but Dom Decrescenzo blocked the attempt and Garza scooped and score for the huge momentum changer. Tufts went on to win, 35-28.
ST Jeremy Locklear, Sr., Bluffton
Locklear turned a field goal snap that missed its mark into a 19-yard touchdown pass, bringing Bluffton within six points, 27-21, against Franklin. Locklear later caught a touchdown pass from his wide receiver position.