MEDIA CONTACT: STEPHANIE SCARPATO
www.easterncollegiatefootball.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 2ND, 2017
MARSHFIELD, Mass. – The Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) weekly awards were announced for games through Sunday, October 1st. Dean College teammates Justice Taylor (Cromwell, Conn.) and Matt Bethel (Miami, Fla.) earned Defensive Player and Rookie of the Week honors, respectively. Husson University’s John Smith (Fayetteville, Ga.) earned Offensive Player of the Week, while Maritime’s Matthew Murphy was named Special Teams Player of the Week.
Offensive Player of the Week
John Smith - Husson University
(Senior, RB – Fayetteville, Ga.)
Smith rushed for a career-high and single-game school record 301 yards and two touchdowns on 39 carries (7.7 ypc) as Husson ran past Endicott, 28-7. He became the first Husson player in program history and the first DIII player in 2017 to eclipse the 300-yard mark in a game. Smith broke loose for scoring runs of 75, and 11 yards and also had a 10-yard reception giving him a single-game school record 311 all-purpose yards. The Fayetteville native has now rushed for 100 yards or more in 29 career games for the Eagles and eight of those games for 200 or more.
Defensive Player of the Week
Justice Taylor – Dean College
(Sophomore, DL – Cromwell, Conn.)
In a 2-0 stretch of games for Taylor he was a dominant defensive force for the Bulldogs, racking up 15 tackles, two sacks and six and half tackles for loss. In Dean's 25-10 win over Becker two weeks ago, Taylor finished with five stops, a sack and three tackles for loss. Then in the Bulldogs impressive defensive victory over Nichols on Saturday, Taylor amassed ten tackles, another sack and three and half more tackles for loss.
Rookie of the Week
Matt Bethel – Dean College
(Freshman, QB – Miami, Fla.)
During a 2-0 stretch for the Bulldogs with Bethel at QB, the Dean ground game has taken off. In the 25-10 win over Becker two weeks ago, Bethel ran for 119 yards and a touchdown, including 64-yard scoring run. He was just as explosive this past week as he ran for 108 yards on just 11 carries as the Bulldogs took down Nichols, 10-3. In his last two games Bethel has run for 227 yards on just 28 carries (8.0 ypc).
Special Teams Player of the Week
Matthew Murphy – Maritime (N.Y.)
(Senior, K – Seaford, N.Y.)
Murphy had six points in Saturday's win as he converted on six extra points. He also recorded two punts on the game, both of which were kept inside the Alfred State 20-yard line. Murphy also accumulated 444 yards on his seven kickoffs for an average of just over 63 yards per kickoff, including two touchbacks. He added one tackle on a kickoff.
