ASC Football Players Of The Week

ASC Football Players of the Week Go To Hemphill, Jones & Lopez
Jaquan Hemphill of Hardin-Simmons, Tevin Jones of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Eli Lopez of Sul Ross State to earn the ASC Football Players of the Week for week five.

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Games: September 30, 2017

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Jaquan Hemphill, RB, Jr., Hardin-Simmons
Hardin-Simmons University junior running back Jaquan Hemphill (Coleman, Texas / Coleman HS) broke or tied 11 Cowboy, ASC or NCAA records with 293 yards rushing and eight total touchdowns in their 80-42 win over East Texas Baptist. Seven touchdowns came on the ground, and he caught a 64-yard pass for a score. This effort is Hemphill’s second Player of the Week award in his career.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Tevin Jones, LB, Jr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor junior linebacker Tevin Jones (Belton, Texas / Belton HS) returned a fumble 93-yards in what proved to be the game-winning touchdown in the Cru’s 44-10 win at Southwestern. Jones also tallied seven tackles and a half a tackle for a loss as they held the Pirates to 290 yards.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Eli Lopez, K, So., Sul Ross State
Sul Ross State University sophomore kicker Eli Lopez (Austin, Texas / Austin) converted a 27-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Lobos to a 34-31 victory at Louisiana College. He also nailed a 29-yard field goal for the first points of the game in the second quarter and went 4-for-4 for extra points.

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES
Offensive
Texas Lutheran University junior quarterback Kyle Grona (Fredericksburg, Texas / Fredericksburg HS) rushed for a career-high 139 yards on 21 carries and was 16-of-31 passing for 196 yards and an 11-yard touchdown in the Bulldogs’ 31-21 win at McMurry.

Mary Hardin-Baylor sophomore quarterback Kyle Jones (Giddings, Texas / Giddings HS) set a new Cru single-game record with 397 passing yards with four touchdowns in his first collegiate start. Jones was 23-of-40 on pass attempts in the 44-10 victory at Southwestern.

Belhaven University junior wide receiver Kyky Austin (Olive Branch, Miss. / Northwest Mississippi CC) had three receptions for 98 yards and two touchdowns in the Blazers’ 45-37 loss to Howard Payne.

Louisiana College senior wide receiver Shedrick Davis (Baton Rouge, La. / Central HS) caught nine passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns, including a 76-yard score, in the Wildcat’s 34-31 loss to Sul Ross State.

East Texas Baptist University senior quarterback Dru Smith (Sherman, Texas / Sherman HS) was 29-of-46 passing for 475 yards and four touchdowns in the Tigers’ loss to #6 Hardin-Simmons. Smith also added a rushing touchdown.

Howard Payne University freshman running back Brett Martinez (Royse City, Texas / Royse City HS) had 115 yards rushing on 25 attempts and two touchdowns in the Yellow Jackets’ 45-37 victory at Belhaven.

Sul Ross State freshman running back Markese Martin (Nash, Texas / Nash HS) recorded two carries for 64 yards, including a 62-yard touchdown in the Lobos’ 34-31 win at Louisiana College.

McMurry University freshman quarterback Vincent James (San Antonio, Texas / Warren HS) was 31-for-46 passing for 370 yards and two touchdowns’ in the War Hawks’ 31-21 loss to Texas Lutheran.

Defensive
Texas Lutheran sophomore defensive end Manny Longoria (Geronimo, Texas / Navarro) registered a pair of sacks and had three total tackles for a loss of 14 yards in the Bulldogs’ 31-21 win at McMurry. He had four tackles and held the War Hawks to seven net yards of rushing.

Belhaven junior defensive end Parker Robinson (Madison, Miss. / Southwest Mississippi CC) made eight tackles – four solo – in the Blazers’ 45-37 loss to Howard Payne.

Louisiana College senior cornerback Willie Smith (New Orleans, La. / Teurlings Catholic HS) tallied two tackles, broke up five passes and picked off a pass in the Wildcat’s 34-31 loss to Sul Ross State.

Hardin-Simmons junior linebacker Chris Miller (San Marcos, Texas / San Marcos HS) led the Cowboys with 12 tackles in their 80-42 win over East Texas Baptist.

East Texas Baptist senior linebacker Ty Parsons (Rowlett, Texas / Dallas Christian) recorded 14 tackles – seven solo – and had a tackle for a loss in the Tigers’ loss to #6 Hardin-Simmons.

Howard Payne senior defensive lineman Abner Reyes (Irving, Texas / MacArthur) anchored a Yellow Jacket defense that held Belhaven to just 89 yards rushing in their 45-37 road win. He recorded four tackles and two solo sacks for a loss of nine yards.

Sul Ross State senior linebacker Mike Quinonez (El Paso, Texas / El Dorado HS) recorded a team-high 14 tackles, including a tackle for a loss of four yards, in the Lobos’ 34-31 victory at Louisiana College.

Special Teams
Texas Lutheran sophomore kick returner CJ Romero (Odem, Texas / Odem) returned a kickoff 74 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter of the Bulldogs’ 31-21 victory at McMurry. His score tied the game at 7-7 in the first quarter.

Howard Payne senior punter Caisson Monteith (Comanche, Texas / Comanche HS) recorded four punts for 159 yards and a 39.8 average in the Yellow Jackets’ 45-37 win at Belhaven. He also came up with two tackles, recovered a fumble and blocked an extra point in the game.