MIAA Names Football Players of the Week

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Eric Czerniewski (Central Missouri), Drew Newhart (Missouri Western), Jeremy Weston (Missouri Western) and C.J. Lovett (Fort Hays State) have been named MIAA Football Players of the Week for the week of Aug. 27-29 as selected by a conference SID panel.
 
MIAA OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Eric Czerniewski, QB, Central Missouri
Czerniewski accounted for five of the Mules six touchdowns (4 passing, 1 rushing) and led the team back to a win from a 28-20 deficit in the third quarter. He hit tight end DeMarco Cosby for the go-ahead score in the 4th quarter with 14:54 left. Czerniewski's 29 completions was good for second-best in Central Missouri history (also a career-high), while his 354 yards passing was his personal third-best effort ever. It was also his sixth career game of 300 yards of offense, breaking the school record held by Paul Kaiser and Dennis Gile.
 
Drew Newhart, QB, Missouri Western
Newhart guided the Griffons to their sixth season opening victory as he threw for five touchdowns. He went 10-14 for 134 yards with his long being a 30-yard strike to Adam Clausen. Newhart's five touchdown passes ties a school record, which was set by Kyle Westerberg in 2003 against Missouri-Rolla. Newhart guided the Griffons to six touchdowns on their first seven possessions. The five touchdown passes was also a career high for Newhart.


MIAA DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Jeremy Weston, CB, Missouri Western
In his first game as a Griffon, redshirt freshman cornerback Jeremy Weston had two interceptions to go along with three tackles and one pass break-up. Weston helped the Griffon defense allow only 222 yards of total offense.

 
MIAA SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
C.J. Lovett, KR/PR, Fort Hays State
Lovett amassed 253 yards on five returns (3 punt returns and 2 kickoff returns), averaging 50.6 yards per return overall in the game. With FHSU leading 24-10, Lovett took the opening kick of the second half 95 yards for a touchdown, which was the sixth-longest return in Fort Hays State history. On Western State's first possession of the second half, Lovett denied the Mountaineers three points when he blocked a 37-yard field goal attempt. On Western State's first punt of the second half, Lovett returned the ball 78 yards for another touchdown. It was the second-longest punt return in Fort Hays State history.