MEDIA CONTACT: STEPHANIE SCARPATO
www.easterncollegiatefootball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 17th, 2016
MARSHFIELD, Mass. – The Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) weekly awards were announced for games through Sunday, October 16th. John Smith (Fayetteville, Ga.) of Husson University was named Offensive Player of the Week. Maritime’s Brian Price (New York, N.Y.) and Matthew Murphy (Seaford, N.Y.) earned Defensive Player of the Week and Special Teams Player of the Week honors, respectively. Gallaudet University’s Timel Benton (Columbia, S.C.) and Norwich University’s Patrick Brown earned Rookie of the Week honors for their performances over the weekend.
Offensive Player of the Week
John Smith – Husson University
(Junior, RB – Fayetteville, Ga.)
Smith continued his stellar season, racking up 198 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the third-straight season, while catching two passes out of backfield for four yards. The Fayetteville, Ga. native became the first tailback in program history to record 4,000 career rushing yards and the first player to achieve 4,000 career yards of total offense in Husson’s 43-21 victory at Castleton last Saturday. It was his 21st career 100-yard performance and the fifth time this season with 150 or more yards on the ground. Smith broke loose for an opening drive 47-yard scoring run giving the Eagles their 14th game in a row of scoring the first points of the game.
Defensive Player of the Week
Brian Price - Maritime (N.Y.)
(Senior, DB - New York, N.Y.)
Price put together another impressive effort for the Maritime defensive unit as the Privateers defeated Becker by the score of 40-13 on Saturday. Price got the game started by blocking Becker's punt on the opening drive and returning it for the first touchdown of the game to set the early tempo. In addition to his blocked punt for a touchdown, Price was credited with 1.5 sacks for a loss of 11 yards, with one of his sacks on 3rd down to force a punt. Late in the third quarter, Price also had an interception to short-circuit a Becker drive in Privateer territory. On the game, he picked up five total tackles and added a pass break up.
Rookies of the Week
Timel Benton – Gallaudet University
(Freshman, QB - Columbia, S.C.)
Benton threw for over 100 yards for the second time in his career as he completed 12 of 22 passes for 111 yards and one touchdown. Benton's 35-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Dylan Mento with 23 seconds gave the Bison a chance to tie or win the game on the point after attempt. The Bison came up short and lost 13-12 to Mount Ida. Benton led the Bison offense on the ground as he ran the ball 14 times for 40 yards and one touchdown. He scored from seven yards out in the third quarter as GU cut the Mustang lead to 10-6.
Patrick Brown – Norwich University
(Freshman, RB - Pooler, Ga.)
Brown had an efficient day for Norwich, helping his team defeat the AMCATS of Anna Maria College by a 28-7 score. On only eight carries, Brown rushed an impressive 98 yards and scored a career-high 61-yard touchdown run against the AMCATS.
Special Teams Player of the Week
Matthew Murphy – Maritime (N.Y.)
(Junior, K – Seaford, N.Y.)
Murphy set a trio of Privateer records in Saturday's 40-13 win over Becker. Murphy attempted five field goals, converted on four of those five, and had the most points scored by kicking in a game with his 16 points. Murphy converted on two 45 yard field goals, which included his second in the closing seconds of the first half. He also drilled field goals from 33 and 27 yards out, before narrowly missing a 54-yard attempt late in the game. Murphy was also a perfect 4-for-4 on his extra point attempts to tally his 16 points, which now gives him the ECFC lead in scoring with 49 on the season. In addition to his field goal and extra point duties, Murphy tallied 535 yards on his nine kickoffs for a 59.0 yard average; he had three touchbacks with all but one of his kickoffs originating from inside the 10-yard line.
