Crusco, Wiley, Spirt Named Players of the Week

Posted: Oct 17, 2016

Football Players of the Week
October 16, 2016

	OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK Nick Crusco, Susquehanna Junior, Quarterback, 6-0, 170 Oak Ridge, NJ / Don Bosco Prep / @DBP_Football Crusco engineered a second-half comeback from a 20-point deficit as Susquehanna won at Moravian, 35-34. The River Hawks trailed 27-7 at intermission. Crusco completed 18-of-26 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 48 yards and four scores. His 1-yard run with 0:49 left pulled Susquehanna to within one point and his 2-point conversion pass to Lucas Garner proved to be the game-winning points.
	DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK Luke Wiley, Muhlenberg Sophomore, Free Safety, 6-0, 181 Warrington, PA / Central Bucks South HS / @cbsouthfootball Wiley led a Muhlenberg defense that forced five turnovers and held Gettysburg to 234 total yards of offense - just more than half its average coming into the game - in a 43-7 victory. He picked off two passes, setting up a touchdown and a field goal, recorded five tackles and broke up another pass.
	SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK Todd Spirt, Muhlenberg Freshman, Place-Kicker, 5-7, 164 Dresher, PA / Upper Dublin HS / @UpperDublinFB Spirt kicked three field goals and was perfect on four PATs in the Mules' 43-7 victory against Gettysburg. His three-pointers covered 37, 18 and 26 yards.

	Dickinson / @WearinTheRedFB / The Devils are 0-6 for the first time since 1981 after a 45-10 loss to nationally-ranked Johns Hopkins. PK Stephen Walker (Darien, CT / Darien) booted a 45-yard field goal – his second career 40+ yarder – in the second quarter and QB Billy Burger (Carlisle, PA / Carlisle) scored on a 7-yard run for the Dickinson points. LB Tyler Heisey (Mechanicsburg, PA / Cumberland Valley) had a team-high nine tackles to lead the defense.
	Franklin & Marshall / @FandMFootball / The Diplomats improved to 5-1 for the first time since 2012 with a 25-7 victory against McDaniel on Homecoming. RB Taalib Gerald (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ / Holy Spirit) totaled 182 all-purpose yards with two scores, including 119 on the ground. QB Zach Bradley (Catasauqua, PA / Catasauqua) threw for 128 yards and three TDs. The F&M defense limited the Green Terror to just 177 total yards.
	Gettysburg / @gburgbullets / The Bullets were held to a season-low in rushing yards and points in a 43-7 loss at Muhlenberg. Gettysburg mustered just 86 rushing and 234 total yards and had under 20 minutes time of possession. A blocked punt set up the Bullets' lone score. QB Danny Thompson (Oakland, NJ / Indian Hills) tossed a 36-yard TD pass to Ty Abdul-Kraim (Washington, DC / Woodberry Forest, VA) for the lone points. DB Kamau Bridges (Ellicott City, MD / Mount St. Joseph) and Glenn Benson (N. Plainfield, NJ / North Plainfield) each had 10 tackles. Gettysburg's lone win over a ranked team since 1999 was a 20-17 home triumph vs. #19 McDaniel in 2005.
	Johns Hopkins / @JHU_Football / The Blue Jays tied a Conference record for consecutive Centennial victories with a 45-10 win at Dickinson. Hopkins has won 33 straight CC contests, equaling the mark set by McDaniel (1997-2001). JHU has also won 37 straight regular-season, 21 straight October and 17 regular-season road games. Backup QB Zack Baker (Alamo, CA / San Ramon Valley) has completed 27 consecutive passes dating to last season. He and QB Jon Germano (Hawthorne, NJ / Bergen Catholic) combined for 282 yards and three TDs on the night. RB Ryan Cary (Marlboro, NY / Marlboro) rushed 15 times for 128 yards and two scores. He is the 26th player in program history to top 1,000 career yards (1,011). DL Keonte Henson (Annapolis, MD / Broadneck) had a team-high eight tackles, including one sack. DB Jack Toner (Western Springs, IL / Benet Academy) had a pair of interceptions to lift his career total to 16.
	Juniata / @JuniataFootball / The Eagles rebounded from a 24-7 second-quarter deficit to upend Ursinus, 38-27. RB Matt Lehr (Dover, PA / York Catholic) rushed for 177 yards and two TDs for his second straight 100-yard effort. QB Hank Coyne (Royersford, PA / Spring-Ford) threw for 348 yards and three scores, while WR Kirby Breault (Elizabethtown, PA / Elizabethtown) had a huge day with 13 receptions for 213 yards and two TDs. The defense held the Bears to 44 yards rushing. DB Mitchell Shober (Stevens, PA / Cocalico) had five tackles and an interception.
	McDaniel / @McDanielFBall / The Green Terror dropped their 13th straight decision to Franklin & Marshall, falling in Lancaster by a 25-7 count. RB John Chamberin (Williamstown, NJ / Williamstown) scored the lone points on a 6-yard run to cap a 15-play, 81-yard drive that consumed 7:17. LB Drew Scott (Brick, NJ / Brick) led the defense with eight tackles. It was the Green Terror's second of three consecutive Homecoming dates – at Gettysburg and F&M before returning home this weekend against Dickinson.
	Moravian / @MoravianFB / The Greyhounds fell to 4-2 after a 35-34 Homecoming Day loss to Susquehanna. The one-point loss is the first for the 'Hounds since 2007. QB Mike Hayes (Philadelphia, PA/Chestnut Hill Academy) threw for a career-high 384 yards and two TDs in a losing cause. He has 5,712 career passing yards and needs 288 to become the 11th Centennial passer to reach 6,000 yards. RB Chris Negron (Allentown, PA/Freedom) ran for 107 yards for his 19th career century performance. He is 21 carries shy of 800 rushes, and 289 yards away from becoming the eighth back to 5,000 all-purpose yards. WR Aaron Hudson (Bear, DE / Caravel Academy) caught a career-high 10 passes for 137 yards and a TD. WR Justice Anderson (Allentown, PA / William Allen) added nine catches for a career-high 172 yards and a score. LB Ed Delia (Lebanon, NJ / North Hunterdon) had 16 tackles.
	Muhlenberg / @DigInMules / The Mules improved to 5-1 with a 43-7 win against Gettysburg. RB Nick Savant (Hellertown, PA / Saucon Valley) scored three TDs and became the first player in program history to gain 100 yards rushing (114) and receiving (145) in the same game. He rushed for 114 yards for his fifth straight 100-yard effort. QB Nick Palladino (Millstone Twp., NJ/Allentown) threw for 258 yards and three scores and caught his first career TD pass from WR Sean Robbins (Kinnelon, NJ / Kinnelon). It was the first time a non-QB threw a TD pass for the Mules since 2007. The defense held the high-flying Bullet offense to just 234 total yards. DB Luke Wiley (Warrington, PA / Central Bucks South) had a pair of interceptions.
	Susquehanna / @SURiverHawksFB / The River Hawks battled back from a 27-7 halftime deficit to defeat Moravian, 35-34. QB Nick Crusco (Oak Ridge, NJ / Don Bosco Prep) ran for four second-half touchdowns and tossed the game-winning two-point conversion pass to FB Lucas Garner (Mohnton, PA / Gov. Mifflin) with 0:49 left. Crusco threw for 207 yards and rushed for another 48. RB Cameron Ott (Montoursville, PA / Montoursville) ran for 100 yards for the third straight game, picking up 174 on 24 carries. LB Marc LeDrappier (Warren Hills, NJ / Watchung Hills) led the defense with 14 tackles. DB Ryan Ganard (Galloway, NJ / Absegami) sealed the win with an interception on the 'Hounds final drive.
	Ursinus / @UrsinusFootball / The Bears were unable to hold onto a 10-point halftime lead and fell at Juniata, 38-27. QB Tom Garlick (Quakertown, PA / Quakertown) completed 25-of-44 passes for a career-high 348 yards and two scores. WR Carmen Fortino (King of Prussia, PA / Upper Merion) was on the receiving end of seven balls for 136 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown. It was Fortino's second straight 100-yard effort. RB Stacey Gardner (North Hills, PA / Upper Dublin) had a rushing and receiving score. PK Nick Ford (Edgewater Park, NJ / Burlington City) booted a pair of field goals, including a 42-yarder. It is his fourth straight game with a pair of three-pointers.