Corbett is the Skyhawks first ever NEC Offensive Player of the Week after powering the offense in Saturday's win over Duquesne (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard) |
Corbett, Carraha and Cmielewski collect weekly honors from NEC
Skyhawks named FedEx Ground FCS Team of the Week, collect vote in AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25
FedEx Ground FCS Weekly National Awards
EASTON, Mass. (October 3, 2022) – After posting a 24-20 triumph over Duquesne University in its Northeast Conference debut at W.B. Mason Stadium on Saturday, in a game broadcast live on ESPN3, the Stonehill College football program has reaped the rewards with some Conference and national recognition today.
Stonehill has been tabbed the FedEx Ground Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) National Team of the Week for the first time by StatsPerform, while also picking up a vote to appear among teams receiving votes in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS Coaches' Top 25 for the first time. Head coach Eli Gardner (Seventh Year) has the Skyhawks off to a 3-0 start for the first time since opening 4-0 in 2015, having won their last six games dating back to 2021 – the fifth-longest active win streak in NCAA FCS.
Stonehill held Duquesne, which received three first place votes in the NEC preseason coaches poll, to just three points after halftime on 88 total yards in the second half, including 17 yards on 12 plays in the fourth quarter, getting key interceptions from fifth-year corner Kevin Porch and junior linebacker Anthony LaMonica down the stretch to seal the win.
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Junior running back Jermaine Corbett earned NEC Offensive Player of the Week honors, while sophomore quarterback Ashur Carraha was named the NEC Rookie of the Week for their work leading the Stonehill offense in Saturday's win. Corbett, the first NEC Offensive Player of the Week in Stonehill history, was also tabbed one of the NEC's Prime Performers, along with senior linebacker Steve Cmielewski.
Corbett, who collected Northeast-10 Conference Offensive Player of the Week accolades once in 2021, powered the Stonehill offense on Saturday with 193 all-purpose yards in earning his first weekly award from the NEC. He rushed the ball 26 times for a season-high 130 yards on the ground to go with three receptions for another 63 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown catch and run on the second play of the fourth quarter that put the Skyhawks in front for good.
Corbett leads the NEC in rushing with 115.7 yards per game, while his 347 rushing yards are good for third in the Conference, ranking fifth in yards per carry (5.9) and second in rushing touchdowns with four. He also leads the NEC in scoring with 10.0 points per game, ranking fifth with 30 points scored and second in total touchdowns with five. Corbett leads a Stonehill offense that leads the NEC in rushing yards per game (232.7), total offense (429.0 yds/gm) and scoring (44.3 ppg).
Corbett has appeared in ten games over his first two seasons at Stonehill and totaled 740 yards on 133 carries with six touchdowns. He has also chipped in another 154 yards on 12 receptions, including his first career touchdown reception in the fourth quarter on Saturday, giving him 894 career all-purpose yards.
Carraha Earns NEC Rookie of the Week honors for the first time (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard) |
Carraha, who joins classmate Jarel Washington in earning NEC Rookie of the Week honors this season, completed 12-of-18 passes (66.7-percent) for 149 yards and two touchdowns, while adding another 34 yards on four carries and a score to finish the day with 183 total yards. He scored on a 30-yard scamper just over five minutes into the second quarter to knot the score at 10-10, before adding an eight-yard touchdown pass to junior Will Diamantis in the third quarter and then connecting with Corbett for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth.
Carraha has started all three games behind center for Stonehill this fall, completing 59.2-percent (42-for-71) of his passes for 589 yards and an NEC leading seven touchdowns, with two interceptions, adding another score on the ground. He leads the NEC with his 155.7 pass efficiency rating, ranking third for completion percentage and second in yards per game (196.3).
Cmielewski spearheaded the Stonehill defensive effort on Saturday with a career-high 11 tackles (three solo), including 1.5 tackles for a loss of three yards and a forced fumble and was named an NEC Prime Performer for the first time. He now ranks third on the team with 19 tackles (four solo) after three games.
Stonehill (3-0, 1-0 NEC), No. 6 in last week's New England Football Journal Division I Top 16, has another bye week this week, before it visits preseason Conference favorites Sacred Heart University on Saturday, October 15, in its first NEC road game in Fairfield, Connecticut, at 1 p.m. The Skyhawks return to W.B. Mason Stadium on Saturday, October 29, to host Merrimack College at 1 p.m.
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