Southland Conference Announces Football Players of the Week
Southland Conference
FRISCO, Texas – Nicholls senior running back Tobias Lofton, Sam Houston State senior cornerback Mikell Everette and Nicholls senior placekicker Francisco Condado earned Southland Conference Football Player of the Week honors presented by UniversalCoin.com, the league office announced Monday. Lofton took offensive honors while Everette was named defensive player of the week and Condado was tabbed the top special teams player.
Offensive Player of the Week: Tobias Lofton, Nicholls
Lofton rushed for 147 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries in Nicholls’ 27-24 win over Southeastern Louisiana in the River Bell Classic. The senior from Forest, Miss. (Forest H.S.), sparked the Nicholls’ offense in the second half with a 62-yard touchdown run to start the third quarter. Lofton, who averaged 8.6 yards per game for the Colonels, also picked up a crucial first down on his only carry of the Colonels’ game-winning drive. Lofton finished the season breaking the 100-yard mark in two of the final three games.
Honorable Mention: Jared Johnson, Sam Houston State; Stephen Rivers, Northwestern State; Derrick Milton, McNeese State.
Defensive Player of the Week: Mikell Everette, Sam Houston State
Everette picked off two passes, returning one for 58 yards, in Sam Houston State’s 42-13 win over Central Arkansas to help secure a postseason bid for the Bearkats. The senior from Covington, Wash. (Covington H.S.), recorded six total tackles, three solo, for the Bearkats. Everette and the Bearkats held UCA to just a pair of field goals through the first 43 minutes of the game and surrendered only one touchdown to the Bears in the win.
Honorable Mention: Bo Brown, McNeese State; Leroy Armstrong, Northwestern State; Padyn Giebler, UIW.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Francisco Condado, Nicholls
Condado, a senior from Whittier, Calif. (California H.S.), sent a 40-yard field goal through the uprights as time expired to give Nicholls a 27-24 win over Southeastern Louisiana in the River Bell Classic for the first time since 2010. After hitting the upright on a 50-yard attempt in the first quarter, Condado was perfect the rest of the night, connecting on distances of 45 and 40 yards. Condado also went a perfect 3-for-3 on PATs in the victory.
Honorable Mention: Chris Moore, Northwestern State; Jawun Jiles, UIW; Lachlan Edwards, Sam Houston State.
Each school’s sports information director nominates and votes for the players of the week, though is not permitted to vote for his own player. To receive honorable mention, a player must receive votes from 25 percent of the Southland sports information directors.