BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Georgetown freshman quarterback Gavin Beard claimed Patriot League Offensive Player and Rookie of the Week for the second straight week when the League office announced honors on Monday. Richmond’s Blake Houser (Jr., LB) and Lafayette’s Jack Simonetta (Sr., PK) earned defensive player and special teams player of the week honors, respectively.
 
The Patriot League football players of the week are selected in a vote by League media members and each school’s football athletics communications staff, who are not eligible to vote for their student-athletes.
 
Patriot League Football Offensive Player and Rookie of the Week
Gavin Beard, Georgetown, Fr., QB, Aledo, Texas/All Saints Episcopal
*Beard completed 21-of-36 passes for career highs of 265 yards and four touchdown passes to lead Georgetown to a 28-27 victory at William & Mary.
*The freshman quarterback led a 48-yard game-winning drive, throwing the go-ahead touchdown pass to Hassan Mahasin with 38 seconds remaining.
*He threw touchdown passes to four different receivers and has helped the Hoyas go 3-0 since moving into the starting lineup.

Patriot League Football Defensive Player of the Week
Blake Houser, Richmond, Jr., LB, Mechanicsville, Md./DeMatha
*Houser posted 10 tackles, including eight solo stops, a career-high 3.0 sacks, two quarterback hurries and his first interception in a 13-6 win over Colgate.
*The junior linebacker intercepted a pass with less than 90 seconds remaining in the game to seal the Spiders’ fourth League win.
*He helped Richmond limit Colgate to season lows of four rushing yards and six points.

Patriot League Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Jack Simonetta, Lafayette, Sr., PK, Gotha, Fla./West Orange
*Simonetta connected on four PATs and a 26-yard field goal to finish with seven points in Lafayette’s 31-17 win over Fordham.
*The senior placekicker is 19-for-19 on PATs and leads the Patriot League in field-goal percentage (.900) going 9-for-10.
 
Honorable Mentions
Ryan Hussey, Georgetown, Jr., DL, Land O’Lakes, Fla./Carrollwood Day School
*Hussey finished with seven tackles, 1.0 TFL for a loss of 16 yards and his first collegiate interception in Georgetown’s 28-27 win over William & Mary.  

Chisom Onwuzurigbo, Holy Cross, Sr., DB, Missouri City, Texas/Hightower
*Onwuzurigbo returned an interception for a 36-yard touchdown in the first quarter of Holy Cross’ 34-3 win over Bucknell. The senior defensive back helped the Crusaders’ defense limit the Bison to three points.
 
Joseph Williams, Holy Cross, So., RB, Clarksburg, Md./Good Counsel
*Williams rushed for 144 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries to lead Holy Cross to a 34-3 win over Bucknell. The sophomore running back rushed for a 47-yard touchdown in the first quarter on his way to his third straight 100-yard rushing performance. He earned the Turco Award as the Homecoming MVP.
 
Eddie Jordan, Lafayette, Fr., QB, Waldorf, Md./Beachside
*Jordan completed a perfect 13-of-13 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown to lead Lafayette to a 31-17 victory over Fordham. The freshman quarterback set the Leopards’ single-game completion percentage record. He also rushed eight times for 21 yards and another touchdown.
 
Paul Widerman, Lafayette, Jr., LB, Eden, N.C./Reidsville
*Widerman posted a career-high nine tackles and a three-yard TFL in the Leopards’ 31-17 win over Fordham. He also recorded a pass breakup that prevented a Rams’ touchdown.
 
Krystian Williams, Richmond, Jr., DB, Richmond, Va./Collegiate
*Williams forced a fumble on a Colgate punt return late in the first half that was recovered at the Raiders’ 23-yard line. His play set up a 40-yard field goal with five seconds remaining in the first half, giving the Spiders a 13-6 lead, the eventual final score.
 
Ja’briel Mace, Villanova, Jr., RB, Somers Point, N.J./Mainland
*Mace rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries and had one reception for 12 yards to help Villanova to a 24-18 victory over No. 12/11 Lehigh. He rushed for a one-yard touchdown late in the second quarter to give the Wildcats a 21-0 lead.
 
Garrett Rogan, Villanova, Gr., LB, Mercer Island, Wash./Mercer Island
*Rogan posted a career-high 13 tackles, including 11 solo stops, 3.0 TFLs and one sack in Villanova’s 24-18 win over No. 12/11 Lehigh. The graduate student linebacker recorded a sack to seal the Wildcats’ win with Lehigh having a third-and-goal from the two-yard line.
 
Khylil Johnson, William & Mary, Fr., WR, Pittsburgh, Pa./Cornell
*Johnson posted a career-high 190 all-purpose yards, including 109 kickoff return yards for an average of 27.25 yards per return. He also caught three passes for 70 yards, including a 52-yard touchdown reception.

Offensive Player of the Week
8.31 – Danny Shaban, Colgate, Jr., RB
9.7 – Matt Fogler, Colgate, So., WR
9.14 – Luke Yoder, Lehigh, Sr., RB
9.21 – Yohan-Li Louis, Fordham, So., RB
9.28 – David Lynch, Holy Cross, Jr., QB
10.5 – Ashten Snelsire, Richmond, Sr., QB
10.12 – Clay Ash, Georgetown, Jr., RB
10.19 – Gavin Beard, Georgetown, Fr., QB
10.26 - Gavin Beard, Georgetown, Fr., QB
 
Defensive Player of the Week
8.31 – Cade Ellis, William & Mary, Fr., S
9.7 – Omari Bursey, Villanova, So., LB
9.14 – Trooper Price, Colgate, Sr., LB
9.21 – Adam Due, Holy Cross, Sr., LB
9.28 – Trooper Price, Colgate, Sr., LB
10.5 – Tymir Wynn, Colgate, Sr., DB
10.12 – Wedner Cadet, Georgetown, Gr., CB
10.19 – Jalen Edwards, Lafayette, Sr., DB
10.26 – Blake Houser, Richmond, Jr., LB
 
Special Teams Player of the Week
8.31 – Max Lipinski, William & Mary, Jr., PK
9.7 - Max Lipinski, William & Mary, Jr., PK
9.14 – Luke Vogeler, Colgate, Sr., PK
9.21 – Connor Poole, Lehigh, Jr., K/P
9.28 - Connor Poole, Lehigh, Jr., K/P
10.5 – Ned Gray, Richmond, So., P
10.12 – Jack Reuter, William & Mary, Jr., RB
10.19 – Jack Simonetta, Lafayette, Sr., PK
10.26 – Jack Simonetta, Lafayette, Sr., PK

Rookie of the Week
8.31 – Cade Ellis, William & Mary, Fr., S
9.7 – Khylil Johnson, William & Mary, Fr., WR
9.14 – Langston Blair, Bucknell, Fr., CB
9.21 – Kyle Bitsko, Richmond, Fr., PK
9.28 – Caleb Naumann, Colgate, Fy., RB
10.5 – Caleb Geronomi, Richmond, Fr., DB
10.12 – AJ Revella, Fordham, Fr., LB
10.19 – Gavin Beard, Georgetown, Fr., QB
10.26 - Gavin Beard, Georgetown, Fr., QB
 
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth 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 who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.