NEC RELEASE
Photos: Dave Saffran
Somerset, NJ – Redshirt-junior running back
Denzel Knight (Rochester, NY / Salisbury School) was named the Northeast Conference (NEC) Offensive Player of the Week, while sophomore strong safety
David Thomas (Buffalo, NY / South Park) was tabbed the conference Co-Defensive Player of the Week, for their efforts in Saturday's 37-20 victory over Lehigh, the league office announced today.
Knight, who needed just 17 touches to gain 199 yards from scrimmage, rushed for a career-high 152 yards on 14 carries, highlighted by touchdown runs of 60 and 24 yards, in the win. In the opening half vs. Lehigh in what was the first-ever meeting between the schools separated by just 87 miles, Knight had just 20 yards on four carries as running mate
Ryan Fulse (Fort Meade, FL / Fort Meade) ran for 102 first-half yards on 15 carries and two TDs, one of which was a 50-yard score.
In half number two, Knight's number was called early and often and the 6-2, 220-pound tailback took advantage. He got things going by catching a 39-yard screen pass out to trigger a quick-strike third-quarter drive that gave Wagner a 24-14 lead. Knight then opened Wagner's next drive with a 16-yard burst that and finished it off with a 24-yard TD scamper that opened a 31-14 Wagner lead. In the fourth quarter, Knight put on the exclamation point, racing 60 yards to pay dirt, sealing the 37-20 win. For the game, Knight averaged 10.9 yards per carry on his 14 carries, carrying 10 times for 132 yards in the second half alone.
On the other side of the ball, Thomas tied the Wagner school record with three interceptions, first accomplished by Tony Smith vs. Iona on October 16, 2004, in helping the Seahawks match the school record with five interceptions vs. the Mountain Hawks. Going up against the second-ranked passing offense in the FCS, Thomas helped Wagner limit opposing signal caller Brad Mayes to his lowest completion percentage (40.0) of the season. In addition to the record-tying three picks, the Seahawks' sophomore strong safety made four tackles, including three of the solo variety.
Now one of five players in the FCS to record three interceptions in a game this season, Thomas also tied the NEC single-game record that was originally set by Central Connecticut's Chris Blackshear in 2002. Thomas' first pick came late in the first quarter when he made a diving grab on a 2nd-and-15 throw from Mountain Hawk QB Brad Mayes at midfield. His second INT came late in the first half when he snared a 4th-and-8 pass, stepping in front of Lehigh WR Gatlin Casey at the Seahawk two-yard line before returning it up the right sideline some 47 yards out near midfield.
Thomas' third pilfer came early in the fourth quarter on a 3rd-and-10 play.
In addition to earning player of the week honors, Knight and Thomas were named #NECPrimePerformers, as was junior inside linebacker
Quintin Hampton (Moultrie, GA / Colquitt County / UCF), who recorded a game-high 11 tackles to go along with two sacks.
The 2-3 Seahawks are next in action on Saturday, October 8 when Wagner travels to Pittsburgh to meet the Duquesne University Dukes in a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.
NOTES: With Knight and Fulse both eclipsing the 100-yard rushing plateau, this marks the first time that Wagner has had two backs go for 100 or more on the ground since September 18, 2010 when Torian Phillips and Jeremy Martinez ran for 133 and 117 yards, respectively, in a 41-7 win over Cornell.
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