FOOTBALL: Tusculum’s Pratt, Middle Tennessee’s Blankenship earn TSWA weekly awards
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tusculum College’s Lor’renzo Pratt and Middle Tennessee’s Reed Blankenship were named the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sportswriters Association for their efforts in contests from October 22-28.
Pratt rushed for a career-high 151 yards and scored four touchdowns in Tusculum’s 41-28 victory over Carson-Newman. The Cocoa, Fla., native scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns and also returned a kickoff 91 yards for a score in the win.
The senior tied the score at 14 in the second quarter with his kickoff return for a TD and a one-yard plunge with 11:10 remaining in the contest put the Pioneers ahead, 27-21. He added a 47-yard TD run just over two minutes later and another one-yard touchdown all but sealed the win for Tusculum with 3:45 in the state’s second oldest college football rivalry.
Pratt has rushed for 341 yards and five touchdowns this season for the Pioneers.
Blankenship registered a career-best 17 tackles, nine solo, adding a sack and three tackles for loss, while returning an interception 100 yards for a touchdown in Middle Tennessee’s victory at Old Dominion. The Athens, Ala., native posted 13 stops in the second half alone, including five consecutive plays in the fourth quarter.
His biggest contribution came on the interception, which turned the tide of the game. ODU trailed 24-10 in the final minute of the first half and was driving inside the Blue Raiders’ five-yard line, but the sophomore’s INT in the end zone and return for a TD staked Middle Tennessee to a 31-10 halftime advantage.
Blankenship leads the club with 63 tackles and has five tackles for loss with two pass break-ups in seven games this season.
2018 TSWA FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
September 5 – Brady White, Memphis (Offense); Aaron White, Cumberland University (Defense)
September 11 – Dresser Winn, UT Martin (Offense); Temoris Coats, Carson-Newman (Defense)
September 19 – Jordan Shippy, Tusculum University (Offense); Alonzo Houston, Carson-Newman (Defense)
September 25 – Darrell Henderson, Memphis (Offense); Temoris Coats, Carson-Newman (Defense)
October 2 – Bailey Fisher, Tennessee Tech (Offense); Temoris Coats, Carson-Newman (Defense)
October 10 – Brent Stockstill, Middle Tennessee (Offense); Jovante Moffatt, Middle Tennessee (Defense)
October 16 – Jarrett Guarantano, Tennessee (Offense); Jordan Griffin, Vanderbilt (Defense)
October 24 – Dezmon Huntley, Cumberland University (Offense); Desmond Fairell, Carson-Newman (Defense)
MEN’S SOCCER: King’s Saavedra named TSWA award winner
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – King University’s Carlos Saavedra earned Tennessee Sports Writers Association Men’s Soccer Player of the Week accolades, scoring a pair of game-winning goals while handing out one assist in two wins for the Tornado.
The Chicureo, Chile, native assisted on a Ben Delisle goal in the 33rd minute that tied the match against Lees-McRae. The senior then netted the game-winner in the 107th minute on an assist from Jairo Ruiz Caram.
Three days later Saavedra found the back of the net in the 52nd minute for the game-winner in a 2-1 victory over Barton College, giving the Tornado a home match in the Conference Carolinas Championships this week.
Saavedra has seven goals and four assists this year for King.
2018 MEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
September 5 – Harry Baggaley, Tennessee Wesleyan
September 11 – Ashley Keylnack, Carson-Newman
September 19 – Austin Vinyard, Maryville College
September 25 – Tobias Karlsen, Carson-Newman
October 2 – Harry Baggaley, Tennessee Wesleyan
October 10 – Ben Delisle, King University
October 16 – Daniel Williams, Cumberland University
October 24 – Logan Paynter, Lipscomb
WOMEN’S SOCCER: Trevecca’s Schlosser garners TSWA weekly honor
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Trevecca University’s Makena Schlosser posted Tennessee Sports Writers Association Women’s Soccer Player of the Week honors, recording two game-winning goals along with one assist in two wins for the Trojans.
The Indianapolis, Ind., native netted the game-winner in the 68th minute in TNU’s 3-1 victory over Kentucky Wesleyan, securing the team’s No. 2 seed in this week’s Great Midwest Conference Championships. The freshman added an assist to Madison Carby on the final goal of the match for the Trojans.
Schlosser found the back of the net in the 26th minute for the first goal in a 2-0 win against Davis & Elkins College, her eighth goal of the year for the Trojans.
2018 WOMEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
September 5 – Miya Lennon, Middle Tennessee
September 11 – Hannah Tillett, Middle Tennessee
September 19 – Rebecca Holloway, Cumberland University
September 25 – Magda Mosengo, Carson-Newman
October 2 – Bailey Sipos, Maryville College
October 10 – Shannon Reagan, Maryville College
October 16 – Amy McGivern, UT Martin
October 24 – Rebecca Holloway, Cumberland University
VOLLEYBALL: Maryville’s Bonee named TSWA Player of the Week
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Maryville College’s Meredith Bonee was named the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Volleyball Player of the Week, recording a pair of triple-doubles and one double-double in three matches for the Scots.
The Knoxville, Tenn., native started the week with 15 kills, 15 assists and 12 digs in a 3-1 win against Oglethorpe University. The freshman tallied a season-high 19 kills to go with 21 assists and 10 digs in a comeback win over the No. 1 team in the conference, Huntingdon College.
Bonee finished the week with six kills, 21 assists and 15 digs in a five-set loss to Piedmont College. She has 171 kills (1.92 per set), 415 assists (4.66 per set) and 214 digs (2.40 per set) this season for Maryville.
2018 TSWA WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
September 5 – Hannah Flowers, Memphis
September 11 – Meredith Boone, Maryville College
September 25 – Brianne Sidner, Maryville College
October 2 – Carlyle Nusbaum, Lipscomb
October 10 – Brianne Sidner, Maryville College
October 16 – Hannah Flowers, Memphis
October 24 – Tristyn Lozano, King University