LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced its Football Athletes of the Week for Week 5 of the 2023 season. From the West, Slippery Rock's Khalid Dorsey (Offensive Athlete of the Week), Edinboro's Toby Cline (Defensive Athlete of the Week), and Gannon's Eric Scarpino (Special Teams) were selected. In the East, Kutztown's Judd Novak (Offensive) and Tyler Whary (Defensive) join Shippensburg's Jaxson Montross (Special Teams) as weekly honorees.
Western Division Offensive Athlete of the Week
Khalid Dorsey
Slippery Rock
Running Back
Senior
York, Pa. / York
Dorsey ran for 123 yards and three touchdowns on just 15 carries while leading The Rock offense to a 42-21 win over IUP. He averaged 8.2 yards per carry against an IUP defense that entered the game ranked No. 1 in the PSAC in total defense. Dorsey became the first SRU running back to run for three TDs in a single-game since Wes Hills against New Haven in the NCAA Playoffs in 2018. The Rock offense put up 485 yards against an IUP defense that was allowing just 249.0 yards per game. SRU also scored the most points of all 16 PSAC teams in week five and did it against an IUP defense that ranked No. 1 in the league in scoring defense and was allowing just 14.2 points per game.
Western Division Defensive Athlete of the Week
Toby Cline
Edinboro
Safety
Junior
Jeannette, Pa. / Jeannette
Cline had a pair of interceptions each that turned momentum for the Fighting Scots while also tallying five tackles and breaking up a pass in the end zone as Edinboro defeated Mercyhurst 40-24 Saturday. With the Scots trailing 7-0 and going three-and-out, Cline made a reaching one-handed interception at the Edinboro 45 and returned it 18 yards to the Mercyhurst 37 setting up a two-play touchdown drive to tie the game. His second interception came with the score tied at 24 and halted a Mercyhurst drive and flipped field position setting up the Scots 16-0 fourth quarter and the win.
Western Division Special Teams Athlete of the Week
Eric Scarpino
Gannon
Kicker
Redshirt Senior
Waterford, Pa. / Fort LeBoeuf
Matched his career high with three field goals made in three attempts as Gannon won at Seton Hill 23-6. Gave the Golden Knights a 10-0 lead with a 37-yard field goal early in the second quarter, then made a 41-yarder (his longest FG of the season) late in the half for a 13-0 lead. He made it 16-0 with a 30-yard kick late in the third quarter. He also made both of his PAT attempts and has yet to miss a kick this year, going 8-for-8 on field goals and 13-of-13 on PATs. His eight field goals made this season are tied for eighth in a season and the three made in the game are one shy of Gannon's school record.
Eastern Division Offensive Athlete of the Week
Judd Novak
Kutztown
Quarterback
Redshirt Freshman
Manheim, Pa. / Manheim Central
Kutztown quarterback Judd Novak threw for 285 yards and four touchdowns as the Golden Bears staged a fourth quarter rally to beat East Stroudsburg, 34-27, in a critical PSAC East showdown Saturday afternoon at Andre Reed Stadium. Novak completed 18-of-29 passes, including TD tosses to Kurtis Ravenel Jr. (23 yards) and Jordan Davis (2 yards) in the final nine minutes. Kutztown built a 20-7 lead by the 12:28 mark of the third quarter. Novak, a redshirt freshman, found Kaden Hastie for a 55-yard score late in the second and hooked up with Mekhi Gibson for a 68-yard TD early in the third. The Bears scored 20 straight points, only to see the Warriors respond with 20 in a row to go back in front on the opening play of the fourth quarter. Since being inserted as the starter back in week two at California (Pa.), Novak is 62-of-103 for 940 yards and nine TDs. He ranks fourth in the PSAC in QB efficiency (157.9), fifth in passing yards per game (235.0), tied for sixth in TD passes and seventh in completion percentage (60.2%).
Eastern Division Defensive Athlete of the Week
Tyler Whary
Kutztown
Linebacker
Graduate Student
Hereford, Pa. / Upper Perkiomen
Tyler Whary registered a game-high nine tackles, a sack and a quarterback hurry as Kutztown rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat East Stroudsburg, 34-27, Saturday at Andre Reed Stadium. Whary made an impact all afternoon, picking up four solo tackles and assisting on five others. His biggest stop of the afternoon came when it was needed most. On 3rd and 7 from the ESU 28 with the game tied at 27, Whary got into the backfield and sacked Warrior quarterback Sean McTaggart for a 4-yard loss. It was the graduate student's 10th career sack. The Golden Bears snuffed out a fake punt by ESU on fourth down and scored the eventual game-winning touchdown three plays later.
Eastern Division Special Teams Athlete of the Week
Jaxson Montross
Shippensburg
Kicker/Punter
Junior
Tunkhannock, Pa. / Tunkhannock Area
Montross converted three field goals of 40-or-more yards to keep the Raiders within striking distance during a close contest Saturday at Shepherd. He drilled a season-best 45-yard try on the Raiders' opening drive of the contest for a 3-0 lead, converted a 43-yard attempt at the stroke of halftime, and added a 40-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter that made it one possession game. He finished the game a perfect 3-for-3 in field goal tries and 2-for-2 in point after attempts. Also averaged 55.7 yards in six kickoff attempts, including one touchback, in addition to punting duties with three punts totaling 98 yards, including one that pinned the Rams inside the 20-yard line. His 45-yarder Saturday is tied for the second longest field goal of his career and he now has eight field goals of 40-or-more yards in his career.