CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Bucknell, Fordham, Georgetown and Holy Cross each received one of the four Patriot League Football weekly awards when the League office announced accolades on Monday.
Bucknell junior linebacker Gerrit Van Itallie claimed his first Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week honor with a career-high 11 tackles, plus two fumble recoveries and two pass breakups in a 20-17 comeback victory against Georgetown.
Fordham freshman wide receiver Dequece Carter received the Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors for the first time following his seven-catch, 120-yard, two-touchdown performance against Holy Cross.
Georgetown senior placekicker/punter Brad Hurst captured the Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Week for the first time this season after averaging 40.1 yards per punt, connecting on a 23-yard field goal and making both of his extra-point attempts against Bucknell.
Holy Cross senior running back Domenic Cozier picked up his second Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week award after rushing for 156 yards and two touchdowns in the Crusaders’ 49-27 victory at Fordham to claim at least a share of the Patriot League title.
Bucknell fifth-year punter Alex Pechin and freshman defensive back Gavin Pringle, Fordham sophomore quarterback Tim DeMorat, Georgetown freshman running back Joshua Stakely, Holy Cross sophomore defensive back John Smith and Lafayette freshman linebacker Marco Olivas each received honorable mentions for their performances.
The Patriot League football players of the week are selected in a vote by League media members and each school’s sports information director, who are not eligible to vote for their student-athletes.
2019 Patriot League Football Standings (as of 11.18.19)
School League Overall
| Holy Cross |
4-1 |
6-5 |
| Lafayette |
3-2 |
3-8 |
| Lehigh |
3-2 |
4-6 |
| Bucknell |
3-2 |
3-7 |
| Colgate |
3-3 |
4-8 |
| Fordham |
1-4 |
3-8 |
| Georgetown |
1-4 |
5-5 |
Week 13 Games
Saturday, Nov. 23 Time (all times ET)
Georgetown at Holy Cross (Stadium/PLN) Noon
Lafayette at Lehigh (PLN/LSN/SE2) 12:30 p.m.
Bucknell at Fordham (PLN) 1 p.m.
PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Domenic Cozier, Holy Cross, Sr., RB, Milford, Mass./Milton Academy
*Cozier rushed for 156 yards on 19 carries with two touchdown runs in the Crusaders’ 49-27 victory over Fordham.
*The senior running back had touchdown rushes of 57 yards and 12 yards. His fourth-quarter 12-yard rush gave Holy Cross the lead in the comeback win.
*Cozier is averaging 130.0 rushing yards per game and 7.4 yards per carry in five League games this season.
PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Gerrit Van Itallie, Bucknell, Jr., LB, Mahwah, N.J./St. Joseph Regional
*Van Itallie compiled a career-high 11 tackles, recovered two fumbles and broke up two passes in Bucknell’s 20-17 comeback victory over Georgetown.
*The junior linebacker halted Georgetown’s final drive of the game by recovering a fumble. It was the second straight week he recovered a fumble on the opponents’ final possession.
*Van Itallie is among the Patriot League leaders in tackles per game (6.7) and tackles for loss (0.85) while recovering a League-leading three fumbles.
PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Brad Hurst, Georgetown, Sr., K/P, Helen, Ga./White County
*Hurst punted seven times for an average of 40.1 yards per punt while connecting on a 23-yard field goal and both extra-point attempts.
*The Helen, Ga. native placed two punts inside the Bucknell 20-yard line and another that traveled for 50 yards.
*Hurst is among the FCS active leaders in punt average (41.4).
PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Dequece Carter, Fordham, Fr., WR, Louisa, Va./Woodberry Forest School
*Carter caught seven passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns in the Rams’ game against Holy Cross on Saturday.
*The freshman wide receiver recorded his second 100-yard game of the year. Carter is second among Patriot League receivers averaging 78.0 yards per game in League play.
*His one-handed catch against the Crusaders made ESPN’s Saturday’s Best.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Alex Pechin, Bucknell, 5th, P, Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville
*Pechin averaged 43.8 yards per punt with a long of 59 and four placed inside Georgetown’s 20-yard line in Saturday’s 20-17 comeback victory.
Gavin Pringle, Bucknell, Fr., DB, Baltimore, Md./Mount Saint Joseph
*Pringle finished with eight tackles, 1.0 TFL, with a 55-yard fumble return for a touchdown, a forced fumble on Georgetown’s final drive and a tipped pass that led to a Bucknell interception.
Tim DeMorat, Fordham, So., QB, Merritt Island, Fla./Viera
*DeMorat completed 23-of-41 passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns against Holy Cross on Saturday.
Joshua Stakely, Georgetown, Fr., RB, Madisonville, Tenn./Sequoyah
*Stakely posted his first collegiate 100-yard game, carrying 28 times for 139 yards and a touchdown against Bucknell on Saturday.
John Smith, Holy Cross, So., DB, Lake Worth, Fla./Park Vista Community
*Smith made nine tackles and returned an interception 42 yards for a touchdown in the Crusaders’ 49-27 comeback victory against Fordham on Saturday.
Marco Olivas, Lafayette, Fr., LB, Fort Worth, Texas/Fossil Ridge
*Olivas made 10 tackles, 2.5 TFLs and 1.0 sack against Colgate. He made a stop in the backfield on a Raiders’ fourth-and-goal play to prevent a touchdown.
Offensive Player of the Week
9.2 – Tim DeMorat, Fordham, So., QB
9.9 – Gunther Johnson, Georgetown, Sr., QB
9.16 – Keegan Shoemaker, Lafayette, Fr., QB
9.23 – Joe Gillette, Lafayette, Fr., WR
9.30 – Zach Davis, Fordham, Jr., RB
10.7 – Connor Degenhardt, Holy Cross, Jr., QB
10.14 - Connor Degenhardt, Holy Cross, Jr., QB
10.21 – Devon Bibbens, Lehigh, Sr., WR
10.28 – Keegan Shoemaker, Lafayette, Fr., QB
11.4 – Domenic Cozier, Holy Cross, Sr., RB
11.11 – Keegan Shoemaker, Lafayette, Fr., QB
11.18 – Domenic Cozier, Holy Cross, Sr., RB
Defensive Player of the Week
9.2 – Owen Kessler, Georgetown, Jr., LB
9.9 – Liam Doran, Holy Cross, So., LB
9.16 – Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham, So., LB
9.23 – Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham, So., LB
9.30 – Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham, So., LB
10.7 – Keith Woetzel, Lehigh, Sr., LB
10.14 – Simeon Page, Bucknell, Jr., LB
10.21 – Keith Woetzel, Lehigh, Sr., LB
10.28 – Rick Mottram, Bucknell, Jr., LB
11.4 – Pete Haffner, Lehigh, Jr., LB
11.11 – Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham, So., LB
11.18 – Gerrit Van Itallie, Bucknell, Jr., LB
Special Teams Player of the Week
9.2 – Sam McCloskey, Lehigh, Gr., DB
9.9 – Derek Ng, Holy Cross, So., K/P
9.16 – Andrew Mevis, Fordham, Jr., K/P
9.23 – Cody Wilkinson, Holy Cross, Sr., K/P
9.30 – TyGee Leach, Lehigh, Fr., DB
10.7 – Kevin Bucceroni, Holy Cross, Sr., DL
10.14 – Alex Pechin, Bucknell, 5th, K/P
10.21 – Alex Pechin, Bucknell, 5th, K/P
10.28 – Austin Henning, Lehigh, Sr. K/P
11.4 – Andrew Mevis, Fordham, K/P
11.11 – Jeffrey Kordenbrock, Lafayette, Jr., K/P
11.18 – Brad Hurst, Georgetown, Sr., K/P
Rookie of the Week
9.2 – Jacob Dobbs, Holy Cross, Fr., LB
9.9 – Keegan Shoemaker, Lafayette, Fr., QB
9.16 – Keegan Shoemaker, Lafayette, Fr., QB
9.23 – Damon Washington, Lafayette, Fr., DL
9.30 – Marco Olivas, Lafayette, Fr., LB
10.7 – Nate Hope, Lehigh, Fr., RB
10.14 – Ayir Asante, Holy Cross, Fr., WR
10.21 – Zaythan Hill, Lehigh, Fr., RB
10.28 – Ayir Asante, Holy Cross, WR
11.4 - Keegan Shoemaker, Lafayette, Fr., QB
11.11 – Keegan Shoemaker, Lafayette, Fr., QB
11.18 – Dequece Carter, Fordham, Fr., WR
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its third decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.