For Immediate Release
Monday, October 7, 2019
NSIC Media Relations
Media Packet

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NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
#84 Shane Zylstra (WR, 6-5, 215, Sr., Spicer, Minn. / New London-Spicer HS) - Minnesota State
- Posted a career-high 220 yards in a 52-7 win over No. 12 Minnesota Duluth
- Marks the second time in his career that he has tallied more than 200 receiving yards in a game
- Matched his career-high with three touchdown catches
- Caught eight passes and averaged 27.5 yards per catch
- Caught his first two touchdown passes on MSU’s first two drives of the game putting MSU up 14-0 less than eight minutes into the game

NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
#43 Nicholas Joynt (LB, 6-1, 200, So., Garner, Iowa / Garner-Hayfield-Ventura HS) - Wayne State
- Credited with 14 tackles (10 solo) in 30-7 win over Minnesota Crookston
- Had one sack for five yards, two tackles for loss for 17 yards and one fumble recovery
- Had safety after tackling UMC punter in end zone for 12 yard loss and safety...anchored WSC defense that had six sacks.

NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week
#4 Isaiah Hall (KR/DB, 5-10, 170, Jr., Minneapolis, Minn. / Apple Valley HS) - Winona State
- Returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a TD at MSU Moorhead
- Added a 29-yard punt return in the 4th quarter to set up the game-winning field goal
- Totaled 174 return yards in the 28-26 win

Other Top Performances
Offense
#81 Dhel Duncan-Busby (BSU) finished with a game-best four receptions for 95 yards and one touchdown in BSU’s comeback, 21-20 Homecoming victory over Augustana; Set career-highs in receptions and receiving yards; Totaled the most individual receiving yards for BSU this season.

#15 Matthew Plasterer (MSUM) threw for a career-high 349 yards in second career start; rushed for 36 yards and a score; also rushed for 2-point conversion.

#1 Nate Johnson (USF) had eight receptions for a career-high 186 yards and three TDs.  Johnson tied his career-high in TD receptions with three;  Registered the most receiving yards by a USF player at the NCAA DII level; Total yardage ranks sixth all-time at USF.

#20 Max Simmons (SMSU) rushed for a season-high 142 yards on just 20 carries to help SMSU earn its second straight victory on Saturday. He had a season-long 58-yard run during the game. He now ranks seventh in team history with 2,168 career rushing yards.

#1 Isaiah Cherrier (NSU) rushed for 127 yards with two touchdowns; Averaged 5.8 yards per carry; Recorded a 35-yard long - Added six yards receiving

#87 Anthony Carver (SCSU) led the team in reception yards with 54 on four receptions. - Caught a 31-yard reception that set the team up to kick a field goal. - Carver caught a three-yard touchdown reception in overtime against Concordia-St. Paul. - Carver was responsible for the only touchdown of the game and scored on third and goal.

Defense
#3 Zach Robertson (MSU) led the Maverick defense with seven tackles. - Notched one sack and one tackle for a loss.

#8 Deiondre Taylor (MSUM) had five tackles, including four solo, to go with an interception and two pass breakups in loss to Winona State; leads team with five pass breakups.

#24 Preston Droessler (NSU) led the Northern State defense with eight tackles versus Upper Iowa; Forced one fumble; Recorded one of three interceptions by the Wolves; Added a five yard return on the interception.

#22 Ryan Nieman (USF) registered 37-yard interception return and had two tackles to help USF record its first shutout in 23 games.

#34 Onte Burns (SMSU) registered eight tackles, including five solo stops and also recovered a fumble to set up a Mustang touchdown in SMSU’s 21-17 victory at Minot State. His recovery set up the SMSU offense at the MISU 20-yard line. The SMSU defense held MISU to just 251 yards of offense, including just one first down and 37 yards of offense in the first half.

#1 Payton Conrad (SCSU) tallied four total tackles, had one tackle for loss, one pass break up, and one interception in the end-zone to keep Concordia-St. Paul from scoring; Has collected his third straight interception in three weeks.

#59 Joe Perhats (WSU) recorded his first two career INTs at MSU Moorhead; second INT came in the fourth quarter to halt a Moorhead drive in the red zone with WSU already trailing by three.

Special Teams
#23 Luis Guarita (AUGIE) connected on a career-long 40-yard field goal at Bemidji State; Went 2-of-2 for field goals; Tallied two touchbacks on kickoffs.

#90 Mason Hoffer (BSU) went 2-for-2 on field goal attempts and 1-for-1 on extra point attempts to finish with seven of BSU’s 21 points in a comeback, Homecoming win over Augustana; Made field goals from 22 and 34 yards; Averaged 49.7 yards with one touchback on six kickoffs.

#89 Danny Laudet (CSP) was the first NSIC kicker with 5 FGM since 2010 (37, 19, 44, 35, 35); only NSIC kicker to go 5-of-5 since stat data is available (1998-pres); made game tying FG with 13:03/4th and go-ahead FGs with 9:09 and again in OT; NSIC season-high 15 kicker points in a game; Averaged 38.2 on 4 punts with a long of 53 and a net avg 38.5; Added 2 kickoff touchbacks on 5 kickoffs; Leads NSIC in FGM (10), FG pct (90.9), 2nd in punt avg (43.0) & 3rd in total points (41).

NSIC Football Players of the Week
9/9/19
O: #23 Nate Gunn - Minnesota State
D: #32 Dalton Smerchek - Concordia-St. Paul
SP: #13 Cory Carignan - Minot State

9/16/19
O: #9 John Larson - Minnesota Duluth
D: #45 Jake Portz - Concordia-St. Paul
SP: #89 Daniel Esparza - Sioux Falls

9/23/19
O: #3 Grady Bresnahan - MSU Moorhead
D:#43 T.J. Liggett - Augustana
SP: #4 JoseLuis Moreno  - Minot State

9/30/19
O: #3 Maxon Hutton - Concordia-St. Paul
D: #59 Logan Swanson  - Augustana
SP: #89 Danny Laudet - Concordia-St. Paul

10/7/19
O: #84 Shane Zylstra - Minnesota State
D: #43 Nicholas Joynt - Wayne State
SP: #4 Isaiah Hall - Winona State