LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced this week’s football athletes of the week from the Eastern and Western divisions. In the East, Shepherd University’s Ronnie Brown, Bloomsburg University’s William Martin III, and Millersville University’s Zach Banta were selected. In the West, Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Duane Brown, Edinboro’s JR Tellington, and California (Pa.)’s Josh Miller were picked.
East Offensive Athlete of the Week
Shepherd
Ronnie Brown
Running Back
Junior
Baltimore Md. / Dundalk
Brown had 22 carries for 171 yards and two touchdowns in Shepherd's win at Shippensburg. He added four receptions for 25 yards.
East Defensive Athlete of the Week
Bloomsburg
William Martin III
Defensive Line
Redshirt-Junior
Darby Township, Pa. / Academy Park
Martin was a crucial part in the Huskies 21-16 upset of West Chester Saturday night. The 6-2, 275 defensive lineman not only helped control the line of scrimmage for the defensive unit, he also finished the day with seven tackles, including four solo stops and one TFL of 1 yard. His most impressive play came as the clock was winding down in the second quarter. After the WCU quarterback fumbled the snap, Martin got to the ball first and scooped it up for an 80+ yard touchdown and the 21-3 lead for the Huskies. The touchdown proved to be the difference maker as the Golden Rams scored 13 points in the second half and BU won by 5.
East Special Teams Athlete of the Week
Millersville
Zach Banta
Punter
Junior
Millersville, Pa. / Penn Manor
Zach Banta helped Millersville to its first win of the season by averaging 48 yards per punt on four punts. He booted a long of 58 and landed two inside the 20, including one that was downed on the Lock Haven 1-yard-line and led to a Millersville interception two plays later.
West Offensive Athlete of the Week
Indiana (Pa.)
Duane Brown
Wide Receiver
Redshirt-Senior
Spring Church, Pa. / Apollo-Ridge
Brown had a huge game recording 10 receptions for 140 yards and two touchdowns. It marked Brown's third game with 100 or more receiving yards. He had touchdown receptions of nine and 12 yards and hauled in a reception of 26 yards for the Crimson Hawks in a 20-12 Homecoming win against No. 8/12 Slippery Rock.
West Defensive Athlete of the Week
Edinboro
JR Tellington
Defensive Lineman
Freshman
Youngstown, Ohio / Chaney
Tellington reached double figure tackles with 11. He scored the Scots only touchdown of the day when he tipped a pass to himself and returned it 17 yards for the score and the pick-six.
West Special Teams Athlete of the Week
California (Pa.)
Josh Miller
Linebacker
Sophomore
Cranberry Township, Pa. / Seneca Valley
Miller returned a blocked punt 25 yards for a touchdown and registered 1.0 sack on Saturday, as the Vulcans earned a 59-14 win at Clarion in PSAC West play. He posted the program’s first touchdown on a blocked punt return since the 2015 season. On the opening play of the fourth quarter, Gabe Miller – his older brother – blocked the punt by the Golden Eagles which Josh Miller recovered and returned for the score. Cal blocked multiple kicks in a game for the first time since accomplishing the feat in back-to-back weeks in the 2018 campaign.
ABOUT THE PSAC
Headquartered in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference is an NCAA Division II Conference comprised of 18 institutions in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The member institutions are Bloomsburg, California (Pa.), Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Gannon, Indiana (Pa.), Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Mercyhurst, Millersville, Pitt-Johnstown, Seton Hill, Shepherd, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester.