The South Atlantic Conference Announces WePlayed Sports Football Players of the Week

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – The South Atlantic Conference announced its WePlayed Sports Football Players of the Week for games played during week nine of the 2023 season.  Wingate quarterback Brooks Bentley was tabbed as the Offensive Player of the Week, while Catawba safety Deno Wardlow was named the Defensive Player of the Week, and Wingate kicker Caleb Bonesteel picked up Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

Bentley, a freshman from Venice, Fla., led the Bulldogs to a 34-30 win over nationally ranked No. 7 Lenoir-Rhyne. He threw for 335 yards, going 24-for-37 (64.9 percent) with three touchdowns and he rushed for 37 yards and a touchdown. Bentley finished the game accounting for 372 yards of offense and four touchdowns for Wingate. 

Wardlow, a sophomore from Winston-Salem, N.C., sealed the deal for the Catawba Indians in their 32-27 win over Barton. He intercepted a Bulldog pass with under two minutes to play deep in Catawba territory and returned it 50 yards to clinch the win. In addition to his interception, Wardlow had four tackles, including three solo tackles.

Bonesteel, a sophomore from Dawsonville, Ga., went four-for-four on extra points and connected on a 39-yard field goal and a 21-yard field goal to account for 10 of Wingate's 34 points in the Bulldogs' win over Lenoir-Rhyne.

2023 SAC Football Players of the Week

Offensive Player of the Week
Sept. 4 – Charles Mutter III, Emory & Henry
Sept. 11 – Preston Brown, Catawba
Sept. 18 – Jordan Terrell, Barton
Sept. 25 – Matthew Palazzo, Tusculum
Oct. 2 – Dwayne McGee, Lenoir-Rhyne
Oct. 9 – Jaquan Lynch, Barton
Oct. 16 – Matthew Palazzo, Tusculum
Oct. 23 – JR Martin, Mars Hill
Oct. 30 – Brooks Bentley, Wingate

Defensive Player of the Week
Sept. 4 – Deno Wardlow, Catawba
Sept. 11 – Tristan Rankin, Mars Hill
Sept. 18 – Dajavon White, Tusculum
Sept. 25 – Wesley Scott, Tusculum
Oct. 2 – Mekhi Brown, Carson-Newman
Oct. 9 – Mekhi Brown, Carson-Newman
Oct. 16 – Chandler Matthews, Limestone
Oct. 23 – Chendrick Cann, Tusculum
Oct. 30 – Deno Wardlow, Catawba

Special Teams Player of the Week
Sept. 4 – Kellan Dalton, UVA Wise
Sept. 11 – Trace Butcher, Emory & Henry
Sept. 18 – DeAree Rogers, Lenoir-Rhyne
Sept. 25 – Lon Teachey, Mars Hill
Oct. 2 – Bryson Sims, Catawba
Oct. 9 – T.J. Blanding, Lenoir-Rhyne
Oct. 16 – Nicholas Pope, Tusculum
Oct. 23 – Caleb Bonesteeel, Wingate
Oct. 30 – Caleb Bonesteel, Wingate

WePlayed Sports is an official corporate partner of the South Atlantic Conference and title sponsor of the Conference's Player of the Week awards program.

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