Sherman, Shafnisky repeat as Patriot League award winners

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/

FROM KEITH GROLLER

Lehigh's 31-14 win over Colgate has led to two members of the Mountain Hawks offense repeat as Patriot League weekly award winners.

Senior running back Keith Sherman has repeated as the offensive player of the week and freshman quarterback Nick Shafnisky from Whitehall, has repeated has repeated as the rookie of the week.

Here are the details from the Patriot League release:

KEITH SHERMAN, LEHIGH Sr., RB, 6-0, 205; Bucksport, S.C./Lawrence (N.J.)

 Sherman earns the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week nod for the second straight time after once again putting up a career-best effort in a must-win for the Mountain Hawks. He carried 27 times for a career-high 184 yards and a touchdown and also caught two passes for 40 yards to notch a career-high 224 all-purpose yards in a 31-14 win at Colgate. The victory prevented the Raiders from claiming the Patriot League title and set up a matchup for the outright crown and FCS playoff berth when the Mountain Hawks host Lafayette on Saturday. Sherman had his fourth 100-yard rushing game this season, with 114 yards coming in the first half as Lehigh took a 17-7 lead. He lost yardage just once on the 27 attempts.

NICK SHAFNISKY, LEHIGH Fr., QB, 6-1, 200; Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall

Shafnisky led Lehigh to a second straight critical win by completing 11-of-21 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 26 yards in the Mountain Hawks’ 31-14 victory at Colgate on Saturday. He threw both of his touchdown passes to Lee Kurfis, putting Lehigh up 14-7 in the second quarter and 24-7 in the third as the Mountain Hawks rallied from an early deficit. Shafnisky was 5-of-7 for 105 yards and a touchdown in the second half as Lehigh preserved the lead. He became the first freshman to start at quarterback for Lehigh since Phil Stambaugh in 1996, and earns a second straight Rookie of the Week award.

Honorable choices also included:

ROSS SCHEUERMAN, LAFAYETTE Jr., RB, 6-1, 202; Creamridge, N.J./Allentown

 Scheuerman carried 23 times for 169 yards and two touchdowns in Lafayette’s 27-14 upset of No. 5 Fordham Saturday.

 DeOLIVER DAVIS, LAFAYETTE Sr., DB, 6-2, 189; Flourtown, Pa./Hun School

 Davis had five tackles and two of Lafayette’s four interceptions in Saturday’s upset of Fordham.

 TIM NEWTON, LEHIGH Jr., DL, 6-5, 245; Longwood, Fla./Lake Brantley

 Newton recovered a fumble for a touchdown to tie Lehigh at 7-7 with Colgate in a 31-14 win for the Mountain Hawks on Saturday, and also finished with seven tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.