The South Atlantic Conference Announces AstroTurf SAC Football Players of the Week, Oct. 19
ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – The South Atlantic Conference announced its AstroTurf SAC Football Players of the Week for games the seventh week of the season. Wingate running back Lawrence Pittman was tabbed the Offensive Player of the Week, while teammate and linebacker Eric Mapoles was named the Defensive Player of the Week. Carson-Newman's Justin Long picked up Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
Pittman, a sophomore from Charlotte, N.C., notched a career-high 205 yards on the ground to go along with one touchdown in the Bulldogs' 24-14 win at then No. 16 Lenoir-Rhyne on Oct. 17. He also turned in a career-best 36 carries to finish with an average of 5.7 yards per carry. Pittman helped Wingate pick up crucial first-downs in the second half to ice the game and snap the Bears' 22-game Conference regular-season winning streak. The award is Pittman's first Offensive Player of the Week selection this season.
Mapoles, a senior from Snellville, Ga., came away with 10 tackles and one tackle for loss in the win over Lenoir-Rhyne. He recorded six solo stops and assisted on four others as Wingate held the LR rushing attack to just 260 yards on the ground, 173 yards below its nation's-best average heading into the game. His efforts also helped the Wingate defense hold the Bears to its second-lowest scoring output this season. The honor marks his first Defensive Player of the Week selection this season.
Long, a junior from Kingsport, Tenn., had a pair of big blocked field goals to help the Eagles pick up a 27-20 home win on Oct. 17. His first block came in the closing seconds of the second quarter as he fought his way through the line and turned back a 37 yard attempt to send the Eagles to the locker room with a 20-14 half time lead. His second block of the contest came in the third quarter on a 25 yard Newberry attempt. The award is his first Special Teams Player of the Week plaudit this season.
2015 Offensive Players of the Week
Sept. 8 - Evin Sims, Lenoir-Rhyne
Sept. 14 - Cary Littlejohn, Catawba
Keshaun Taylor, Mars Hill
Sept. 21 - Evin Sims, Lenoir-Rhyne
Sept. 28 - Damian Baker, Carson-Newman
Oct. 5 - Isaac Robinson, Tusculum
Oct. 12 - Luke Lancaster, Tusculum
Oct. 19 - Lawrence Pittman, Wingate
2015 Defensive Players of the Week
Sept. 8 - Martez Thompkins, Tusculum
Sept. 14 - Taylor McDonnell, Newberry
Sept. 21 - Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne
Sept. 28 - Alstevis Squirewell, Newberry
Oct. 5 - Andre Foulks, Wingate
Oct. 12 - Mark McDaniel, Catawba
Oct. 19 - Eric Mapoles, Wingate
2015 Special Team Players of the Week
Sept. 8 - Carson Wise, Carson-Newman
Sept. 14 - Christopher Birozes, Wingate
Sept. 21 - Jody Fuller, Wingate
Sept. 28 - Kyle Clark, Newberry
Oct. 5 - Kristaan Ivory, Lenoir-Rhyne
Oct. 12 - Dylan Barnas, Mars Hill
Oct. 19 - Justin Long, Carson-Newman