Presented by
Games of Sept. 18-20, 2014
Offense
QB Bryan Peterson, Sr., Whitworth
Peterson set NCAA Division III records for
completions in a game and most consecutive passes without an
interception in one game. He broke Whitworth single-game
records for completions, attempts and passing yards and tied the
school record for touchdown passes in a game. His final pass was a
14-yard touchdown to Anthony Fullman with 30 seconds left that
lifted Whitworth to a road win.
OL Pat Bolger, John Hosey, Marc
DesLauriers, Eric Knaperek, Danny Pawlus, North
Central
The group paved the way for two first-quarter touchdown drives
which helped North Central build a 21-0 first-quarter lead against
then-No. 7 UW-Platteville. Each of the Cardinals' three offensive
touchdown drives covered at least 67 yards.
RB Josh Vos, Sr., Luther
Vos posted TD runs of 89, 44 and 59 yards, averaging 24.3
yards per carry. Luther tied a school record with 579 rushing yards
and did not attempt a pass in a 49-21 win over Grinnell. The Norse
are off to their first 3-0 start since 1987.
RB Chris Smallwood, Sr., Delaware
Valley
In just his second game as a starter, Smallwood carried the ball
20 times for 213 yards and a school-record six touchdowns in
Delaware Valley's 54-35 win over Wilkes. He had scoring runs 49,
1,5, 42, 34 and 37 yards.
WR Jon Lilly, Sr., La
Verne
Lilly hauled in eight passes for 274 yards and a school-record six
touchdowns in a 50-48 shootout against Whitworth. Lilly opened La
Verne's scoring with a 40-yard reception on the Leopards' first
possession and all of his scores either tied the game or gave the
lead to La Verne. On the first play of the second half, Lilly blew
past the Whitworth secondary for a 77-yard score and added an
80-yard touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter, both of
which flipped the lead back to La Verne.
WR Jake Kumerow, Sr.,
UW-Whitewater
Kumerow tallied nine receptions for 184 yards and
a touchdown, all in the first half, to help UW-Whitewater defeat
TCNJ 48-0. He caught a game-long pass of 39 yards in the second
quarter and totaled three other receptions of more than 25
yards.
TE Michael Long, Sr.,
Muhlenberg
Long broke two school records and reached a career milestone in
Muhlenberg's 59-10 win at McDaniel. He caught eight passes for 172
yards, setting records for receiving yards by a tight end in a game
and receptions by a tight end in a career (87). Long caught two
touchdown passes, covering 28 and a career-best 70 yards, in a span
of 2:35 in the second quarter. Seven of his eight receptions went
for first downs, including three on third down.
Defense
DE Cole Welham, Jr.,
Lycoming
Welham finished with career highs of 10 tackles, six for a loss
and three sacks in a 28-13 win vs. King's. Two sacks and three
tackles for loss helped halt King’s fourth-quarter
drives.
DT Josh Bannick, Jr.,
Wittenberg
Wittenberg forced seven DePauw turnovers in a 34-17 victory, and
Bannick was directly responsible for two of the opposing Tigers'
miscues. His hit at the DePauw 1-yard line in the fourth quarter
led to Wittenberg's final seven points of the game.
DT Elvis Romero, So., Bridgewater
State
Notched eight tackles (seven solo) including four tackles for loss
and a pair of sacks in the Bears' 51-27 MASCAC win on the road over
Worcester State. Also recovered a fumble in the win over the
Lancers.
DE Ryne Lewis, Jr.,
Hardin-Simmons
Lewis tied a school record with four sacks and had a team-best 11
tackles. He also returned a fumble 97 yards for a touchdown as HSU
beat NAIA Wayland Baptist, 37-23.
LB Jack Nelson, Sr.,
Willamette
Nelson led the Bearcats with nine tackles, including six
unassisted. He was credited with three tackles for loss and two
pass breakups in a 42-24 win at Cal Lutheran. After an interception
to the WU 6-yard line in the first quarter, he had a tackle for
loss to force a field goal. He also had a tackle on fourth-and-goal
from the 1 to force a turnover.
LB Caleb Ashby, So.,
Wheaton
Ashby had 12 tackles (11 solo), recovered a fumble and returned an
interception for a touchdown in Wheaton's 17-0 victory over UW-Eau
Claire.
LB Chase Sams, Fr.,
Greensboro
Sams had 14 tackles, nine solo, broke up a pass and forced a
fumble in Greensboro's win vs. LaGrange. He also recorded half a
sack.
CB Ellis Ewing, Sr.,
Adrian
Ewing set a career-high with three interceptions in a 23-6 win at
Benedictine. The Bulldogs caused seven turnovers to tie a school
record. Ewing also recorded five tackles and one pass breakup
improving to 3-0.
S Zach Nellis, Sr.,
UW-Whitewater
Nellis totaled five tackles (three solo), two interceptions and a
forced fumble in UW-Whitewater's 48-0 win at TCNJ. On the Lions'
opening drive, Nellis forced a fumble at the Warhawks' 1-yard line
to end a 74-yard drive and give UW-Whitewater the momentum. He
ended a second TCNJ drive inside the Warhawks' 5-yard line at the
end of the first half with a pick, then intercepted another pass
early in the fourth quarter to help preserve the shutout.
S Bryce Merrill, Jr., Washington and
Jefferson
Merrill made six tackles in W&J's 48-30 win over Carnegie
Mellon, four solo. He also added a sack, a fumble recovery and an
interception, accounting for two turnovers in the 48-30 win for
W&J which gave the program its 700th all-time win.
CB Mike Stearns, So.,
Tufts
Stearns recorded a game-high 18 tackles, including 16 solo stops,
as the Jumbo defense came up with big plays to help earn a 24-17
win over Hamilton. The victory stopped Tufts' 31-game losing
streak. The Tufts defense held the Continentals to 6 of 18 on third
down, 1 for 8 on fourth-down conversions and 2 for 6 in the red
zone.
Special teams
K Karol Kurzydlowski,
Jr., Chicago
Kurzydlowski connected on field goals of 21, 35 and 37 yards as
the Maroons remained perfect with a 29-17 win vs. Elmhurst.
P Ian Gilhousen, So., Brockport
State
Not only did Gilhousen average 38.8 yards per kick but he also
blocked a punt as a member of the punt return special teams
unit.
RET Travis Jones, Fr.,
Averett
Jones returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown and
returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown. Jones became the first
Cougar in the program's 15-year history to return a kickoff and a
punt for a touchdown in the same game.