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November 19th, 2008, 12:53 PM
BIG SKY ANNOUNCES FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OGDEN, Utah (Nov. 17, 2008) -The Big Sky Conference has selected its Players of the Week for games played on Saturday, Nov. 15. Montana State running back Demetrius Crawford is the Offensive Player of the Week. Eastern Washington defensive tackle Lance Witherspoon is the Defensive Player of the Week. Montana punt returner Marc Mariani is the Special Teams Player of the Week.
Crawford, a 5-foot-9, 185-pound senior from Fairfield, Calif., rushed for 187 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Bobcats to a 49-32 home win over Portland State. Crawford scored on a 17-yard run in the first quarter, and a 44-yard run in the third quarter. Crawford, who rushed for 114 yards and a touchdown on 17-first-half carries, finished with 242 all-purpose yards. He caught one pass for nine yards and had a 46-yard kickoff return. Crawford surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the season, becoming the first Bobcat since Ryan Johnson in 2001 to accomplish the feat. Crawford has rushed for at least 100 yards in four straight games.
Witherspoon, a 6-2, 275-pound senior from Federal Way, Wash., had six tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in Eastern Washington’s 28-13 victory over Northern Arizona. Witherspoon’s forced fumble and fumble recovery in the third quarter led to the score that gave EWU the lead for good. Witherspoon forced the fumble at the NAU 10-yard line, and recovered at the 5-yard line. Two plays later, EWU scored to take a 14-13 lead. Three of Witherspoon’s six tackles were for a loss. Witherspoon led a defense that held Northern Arizona to minus-2 rushing yards.
Mariani, a 6-foot, 185-pound junior from Havre, Mont., tied a Big Sky record with a 94-yard punt return for a touchdown in Montana’s 29-10 win over Idaho State. With the Grizzlies trailing 7-2 in the second quarter, Mariani fielded a punt at his own 6-yard line and returned it for the score, putting his team up 9-7. The return tied for the longest punt return in league history. Montana’s Tuff Harris returned one 94 yards for a score in 2006, and Weber State’s Randle Anderson also returned one 94 yards in 1971. Mariani finished with 127 yards on four punt returns.
OTHERS NOMINATED FOR WEEKLY AWARD
OFFENSE
Matt Nichols, QB, Eastern Washington
Chase Reynolds, RB, Montana
Alex Thompson, WR, No. Colorado
Bryan Hilliard, RB, Sacramento State
Aaron Woods, WR, Portland State
DEFENSE
Craig Mettler, DT, Montana
Kevin Retoriano, S, Montana State
Cristian Sarmento, LB, No. Colorado
Andy Schantz, LB, Portland State
Deionte Gordon, CB, Sacramento State
SPECIAL TEAMS
Fritz Brayton, P, Eastern Washington
Aaron Woods, Ret., Portland State
Kyle Hill, Ret., Sacramento State
OGDEN, Utah (Nov. 17, 2008) -The Big Sky Conference has selected its Players of the Week for games played on Saturday, Nov. 15. Montana State running back Demetrius Crawford is the Offensive Player of the Week. Eastern Washington defensive tackle Lance Witherspoon is the Defensive Player of the Week. Montana punt returner Marc Mariani is the Special Teams Player of the Week.
Crawford, a 5-foot-9, 185-pound senior from Fairfield, Calif., rushed for 187 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Bobcats to a 49-32 home win over Portland State. Crawford scored on a 17-yard run in the first quarter, and a 44-yard run in the third quarter. Crawford, who rushed for 114 yards and a touchdown on 17-first-half carries, finished with 242 all-purpose yards. He caught one pass for nine yards and had a 46-yard kickoff return. Crawford surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the season, becoming the first Bobcat since Ryan Johnson in 2001 to accomplish the feat. Crawford has rushed for at least 100 yards in four straight games.
Witherspoon, a 6-2, 275-pound senior from Federal Way, Wash., had six tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in Eastern Washington’s 28-13 victory over Northern Arizona. Witherspoon’s forced fumble and fumble recovery in the third quarter led to the score that gave EWU the lead for good. Witherspoon forced the fumble at the NAU 10-yard line, and recovered at the 5-yard line. Two plays later, EWU scored to take a 14-13 lead. Three of Witherspoon’s six tackles were for a loss. Witherspoon led a defense that held Northern Arizona to minus-2 rushing yards.
Mariani, a 6-foot, 185-pound junior from Havre, Mont., tied a Big Sky record with a 94-yard punt return for a touchdown in Montana’s 29-10 win over Idaho State. With the Grizzlies trailing 7-2 in the second quarter, Mariani fielded a punt at his own 6-yard line and returned it for the score, putting his team up 9-7. The return tied for the longest punt return in league history. Montana’s Tuff Harris returned one 94 yards for a score in 2006, and Weber State’s Randle Anderson also returned one 94 yards in 1971. Mariani finished with 127 yards on four punt returns.
OTHERS NOMINATED FOR WEEKLY AWARD
OFFENSE
Matt Nichols, QB, Eastern Washington
Chase Reynolds, RB, Montana
Alex Thompson, WR, No. Colorado
Bryan Hilliard, RB, Sacramento State
Aaron Woods, WR, Portland State
DEFENSE
Craig Mettler, DT, Montana
Kevin Retoriano, S, Montana State
Cristian Sarmento, LB, No. Colorado
Andy Schantz, LB, Portland State
Deionte Gordon, CB, Sacramento State
SPECIAL TEAMS
Fritz Brayton, P, Eastern Washington
Aaron Woods, Ret., Portland State
Kyle Hill, Ret., Sacramento State