Rochester, Mn-
While this past Saturday was the third week of football in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference, it represented the first week of Divisional play- where post-season opportunities are earned by MCAC squads - and the race for playoff slots is heating up. MCAC fans witnessed several offensive outbursts around the league, with seven of the twelve MCAC teams putting up 35 points or more on the scoreboard on Saturday. A handful of elite performances merited additional accolades for outstanding individual play, and with it, Player-of-the-Week honors.
MCAC Western Division Offensive Player-of-the-Week
Minnesota West receiver Reginald Colson III caught almost everything thrown his way in a 38-35 shootout loss by the Bluejays at M State Fergus Falls in Week 3. Colson III had five catches for a total of 285 yards in the game and scored three touchdowns. He broke one catch for 80 yards against the Spartan secondary. Currently, Colson III is leading the nation in three receiving categories: total receiving yards (499), touchdowns (7) and yards-per-game (166.3). He is also fourth in yards-per-catch (23.8). Minnesota West is 1-2 overall on the season and 0-1 in Western Division action. In week 4, the Bluejays will host North Dakota State College of Science in Worthington at 3pm.
MCAC Western Division Special Teams Player-of-the-Week
North Dakota State College of Science specialist Gregory Slade Jr contributed to his team's 43-21 win in almost all the ways a kicker can do so. Slade was 3-of-4 in field goal attempts - including 42 yard effort - and nailed 4 of his 5 PAT's on the day. He also punted twice for an average of 40.5 yards and long of 50. The high scoring Wildcat offense allowed Slade to kickoff a total of 9 times, earning an average of 45 yards per kick. Slade leads the MCAC in six of the eight placekicking statistical categories. NDSCS is 2-1 overall on the season and 1-0 in Western Division action. In Week 4, North Dakota State College of Science will travel to Minnesota West in Worthington for a 2pm contest.
MCAC Western Division Defensive Player-of-the-Week
One might be tempted to say that M State Fergus Falls student-athlete Andrew Costello likes to work alone after his Week 3 defensive performance. The linebacker/defensive end from Irondale High School had 10 tackles - all solo stops- to lead M State on Saturday in that category and in leading the Spartans to their first win of 2017. Costello's performance helped head coach Korey Fry earn his first win as the head coach at M State, and chances are Costello had his hand on the game ball to give to Fry in the lockerroom after picking up two sacks of MnWest quarterbacks. Costello, from New Brighton, Minnesota, is a sophomore for the Spartans. M State will look to get to the .500 mark in Week 4, when they travel to Northland Community & Technical College for a 1:30 pm kickoff in Thief River Falls.
Other Notable Week 3 Performances in the Western Division:
Dakota College-Bottineau quarterback Jackson Argoe led his team to victory over Northland CTC on Saturday with 343 yards and three touchdowns. His Pioneer counterpart, Shannon Patrick, threw for an amazing 551 yards in the loss, raising his season total to 1081 yards so far in 2017, which leads the NJCAA. Combined, the two quarterbacks had 894 yards in the air in the Divisional showdown.
North Dakota Science standout Kordell Russell, a sophomore from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, had 8 tackles and a 69 yard interception return. His teammate, quarterback Malik Galliard, was 10-of-26 in passing on the day, for 266 yards and touchdown.
Ridgewater receiver Mashawn Gordon had 4 catches for 99 yards for the Warriors, while fellow Ridgewater standout Donat Clennon tallied 7 tackles and 2 sacks against NDSCS.
Running back Elijah Todd of Dakota College-Bottineau put together his second consecutive 100+ yard rushing performance of the season, rumbling over NCTC for 114 yards and two touchdowns this past Saturday in Thief River Falls.
M State head coach Korey Fry earned his first win as a head coach in the 38-35 Spartan victory over Minnesota West CTC.
For more information on the 2017 Minnesota College Athletic Conference football season, be sure to bookmark these links:
MCAC Football Schedule/Results
The Minnesota College Athletic Conference website main page is: http://www.mcacsports.org/landing/index
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This release sponsored in part by Gopher Sport.
Gopher Sport, based in Owatonna, is an industry leader in Physical Education, sports and fitness equipment. Gopher Sport is dedicated to providing programs and departments with the products to improve fitness, develop skills, create fun and reach a high standard of learning and living. Gopher Sport has diligently served teachers, coaches and athletic directors around the world for over 65 years.
About the Minnesota College Athletic Conference
The Minnesota College Athletic Conference is the organizational body for NJCAA-affiliated two-year technical and community college athletic programs in the Minnesota State system. The mission of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference is to advance intercollegiate athletics by providing an engaging and supportive environment for success of our student athletes and competition among member institutions. The MCAC is committed to the guiding principles of encouraging the development and success of student athletes, promoting the integrity, honesty and loyalty to member schools as well as upholding the sustainability of conference athletic programs.