Offensive Athlete of the Week
Name: Grady Russo
School: Pomona-Pitzer
Year: Fy.
Position: Quarterback
Hometown / High School: Dover, Mass. / Thayer Acad.
Making his first collegiate start, Russo was highly efficient as a dynamic dual-threat behind center in a 38-24 victory over California Lutheran University. He threw for 114 yards and three touchdowns on 12-of-17 passing and ran for 201 yards with another two touchdowns to set up Pomona-Pitzer Colleges for a must-win rematch against the University of Redlands next weekend with a berth in the inaugural SCIAC Championship game on the line.
Defensive Athlete of the Week
Name: Kyle Sieben
School: Chapman
Year: So.
Position: Linebacker
Hometown / High School: Burlingame, Calif. / Burlingame
Sieben assisted on the game-defining tackle on fourth down at the 1-yard line as Chapman University claimed a second win over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges to move into pole position for a spot in the inaugural SCIAC Championship game in two weeks. He also notched a 12-yard sack to force a punt in the fourth quarter that led to the Panthers’ eventual game-winning drive as part of an eight-tackle day.
Special Teams Athlete of the Week
Name: Vicente Garcia
School: Redlands
Year: Sr.
Position: K/P
Hometown / High School: Fontana, Calif. / Etiwanda
Garcia was crucial in holding the University of La Verne to just 12 points thanks to repeatedly daunting field position in the University of Redlands’ 40-12 victory. He booted six punts for an average of 43.3 yards without a touchback, including a long of 60 with three downed inside the 20-yard line. The Preseason All-America First Team selection also drilled his only field goal attempt of 22 yards to pull the Bulldogs within one point in the second quarter and connected on all five PATs in the second-half rally.
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