Monday the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) announced the latest round of their weekly football honorees.
Here are this week’s top performers and their on-field exploits:
From the CIAA:
FOOD LION OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
#52 Savion Hopes, Virginia Union
(Gr, OL – Detroit, MI)
Hopes led a VUU offensive line that paved the way for 532 yards of total offense that included 234 yards rushing in their 44-14 win over Elizabeth City State. The Panthers didn’t give up a sack, averaged seven yards per play, and registered 28 first downs while also scoring 44 points, a season-high in conference play for VUU.
FOOD LION QUARTERBACK OF THE WEEK
#18 Bryce Witt, Chowan
(Sr, QB – Sutherland, VA)
Witt accounted for all five of Chowan’s touchdowns in their 38-30 win over Virginia State, throwing for four and rushing for another score. The senior from Sutherland, VA threw for 197 yards on 14 completions and rushed for 11 yards. Witt has now accounted for 40 total touchdowns (29 passing, 11 rushing) on the season.
FOOD LION RECEIVER OF THE WEEK
#9 Reggie Bryant, Johnson C. Smith
(Sr, WR – Fayetteville, NC)
Bryant helped lead JCSU to their first win of the season with eight catches for 135 yards and three touchdowns, including a 50-yarder on the game’s opening drive. The Fayetteville, NC native is averaging 86.8 receiving yards per game on the season, second-best in the CIAA, while his 95.3 yards per game in conference play leads all pass catchers.
FOOD LION OFFENSIVE BACK OF THE WEEK
#26 Tyrek McNeil, Chowan
(So, RB – Greensboro, NC)
McNeil totaled 75 rushing yards on 18 carries (4.2 yards per carry) while also catching five passes for 77 yards (15.4 yards per catch) and two scores in Chowan’s 38-30 win over Virginia State. The sophomore from Greensboro, NC had touchdown catches of 22 and four yards.
FOOD LION OFFENSIVE BACK OF THE WEEK
#26 Tyrek McNeil, Chowan
(So, RB – Greensboro, NC)
Sherman tied for the team lead with six tackles (five solos), including a tackle for loss, in Shaw’s 38-14 win over Winston-Salem State. The senior defender also intercepted a Cameron Lewis pass, leading to a touchdown on the Bears following offensive possession.
FOOD LION LINEBACKER OF THE WEEK
#22 Joseph Harris, Saint Augustine’s
(Jr, LB – Jacksonville, FL)
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Harris finished with a game-high 13 total tackles (seven solos) that included one and a half tackles for loss in Saint Augustine’s nationally televised matchup against Johnson C. Smith. The junior from Jacksonville, FL ranks among league leaders with 7.3 tackles per game this season (51 total tackles).
FOOD LION DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
#9 Gilberto Ortiz, Chowan
(Sr, DL – East Dunkirk, NY)
Ortiz finished with a game-high 11 tackles, including three and a half tackles for loss, and a sack in Chowan’s 38-30 win over. The Dunkirk, NY native also recovered a fumble inside the red zone that led to a touchdown by the Hawks offense. Ortiz has registered 18.5 tackles for loss on the season, which ranks third among CIAA leaders.
FOOD LION SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
#47 Alen Omerhodzic, Bowie State
(RS Fr, K/P, – Bowie, MD)
Omerhodzic went a perfect 4-for-4 on extra points in Bowie State’s 31-7 win over Lincoln. The freshman kicker also nailed a 28-yard field goal while totaling six kickoffs for 335 yards with one touchback as the nationally ranked Bulldogs clinched their third straight CIAA Northern Division title.
FOOD LION ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
#7 Jada Byers, Virginia Union
(Fr, RB – Hammonton, NJ)
Byers rushed for 99 yards on 20 carries and scored three touchdowns, all in the first half, in Virginia Union’s 44-14 win over Elizabeth City State. The running back from Hammonton, NJ also caught two passes for 29 yards and returned two kickoffs for 31 yards. He leads all CIAA freshmen with 798 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, totals the rank top three or better in the conference this season.
