SAA 2023 Football Report - Week 1

9/5/2023 3:48:41 PM

Atlanta, Ga. – Three Southern Athletic Association football teams picked up victories in the first week of the 2023 season. Birmingham-Southern beat McMurry on Thursday to start the year while Rhodes and Berry both came out with victories on Saturday. The Vikings hung 67 points on USA South Preseason favorite Huntingdon, the third most points scored across all of Division III in the early season. The Lynx pitched a shutout, beating Westminster 47-0 on the road. Fourth-ranked Trinity traveled to Minnesota and battled sixth-ranked Saint John’s to overtime before falling 34-31 in the national game of the week.
 
Around the League:
SAA Football Standings
SAA Football Stats
 
Athletes of the Week:
OFFENSIVE: Josh Rogers | Berry | Junior | Griffin, Ga. – Roger ran through Huntingdon’s defense all day long, racking up 194 yards and two touchdowns on the ground to lead Berry in a big season opening win. The junior’s first drive of the year featured two carries, 65 yards and a touchdown. Rogers ripped off a 61-yard touchdown run that gave Berry a lead it would not relinquish the rest of the day.
 
DEFENSIVE: Thomas Ladner | Birmingham-Southern | Senior | Montgomery, Ala. – A senior defensive back, Ladner totaled 13 tackles to lead BSC in its close win over McMurry. He recorded 11 solo stops, 1.5 tackles for loss, a pass break up, and quarterback hurry.  
 
SPECIAL TEAMS: Hunter Coleman | Berry | Sophomore | Woodstock, Ga. – Coleman blocked three Huntington punts and led Berry to a romp over Huntingdon in the season opener. The tight end was stellar in special teams, blocking a punt through the endzone for a safety, and again blocking a punt to set the Vikings up on the two-yard line. His third block came on the first drive of the second half and led to a scoop and score that gave Berry a 43-20 lead.
 
 
Notable Performances:
  • Tucker Horn (Trinity) - 28-of-33 passing for a career-high 352 yards and two touchdowns. Horn's completion percentage was the third-best in school history, bested only by two of his previous games.
  • Thomas Speed (Birmingham-Southern) – 4 receptions, 115 yards, 83-yard touchdown catch
  • Houston Wilhelm (Rhodes) – 15-of-22 passing, 176 yards, three touchdowns.
  • Christian Gaidson (Hendrix) – 15 receptions, 160 yards, two touchdowns
  • Kolby Bartlett (Southwestern) - 18 rushes for 73 yards and a touchdown, three catches for 77 yards and a touchdown
  • Jacob Munoz (Trinity) – 9 tackles, 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss.
  • Iman Lohrasbi (Rhodes) – 7 tackles, 1 tackle for loss
  • Durrell Bard (Centre) – 7 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 12-yard sack
  • Karson Holder (Sewanee) – 2 interceptions, 1 pass break-up, 4 tackles, 3 solo
  • Jake Whitten (Berry) – 7 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, fumble recovery
  • Jason Lund (Southwestern) – 6 tackles, 1 pass break-up.
  • Cooper Pennington (Rhodes) – 4 punts, 77 yards, long of 32 yards
  • Jack Satterfield (Sewanee) – 10 punts, average 41 yards per punt, long of 74 yards; 6 inside 20-yard line. Averaged 60.5 yards per kickoffs.
  • Tyler Huettel (Trinity) – 4-for-4 on extra points, 1-1 in FG; 26 yards, six touchbacks on six kickoffs.
  • Ethan Klapatch (Millsaps) – Averaged 63.5 yards on two kickoffs. Averaged 47.6 yards on seven punts; long of 60-yards.
 
Looking Forward:
SAA Football Schedule