Big South Announces Football Players of the Week - March 8
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – Gardner-Webb running back Narii Gaither (Rock Hill, S.C.) has been named the Big South Football Offensive Player of the Week, while teammate linebacker Honus Wagner (Cumming, Ga.) is the Defensive Player of the Week for games played during the league’s second week of the spring season. GWU punter Jack Pawloski (Florence, S.C.) is the Special Teams Player of the Week, and Runnin’ Bulldogs’ defensive end Ty French (Moultrie, Ga.) is the Freshman of the Week.
Gaither posted his second consecutive 100-yard rushing game with a career-high 151 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown, and caught four passes for 27 yards -- including the game-winning 6-yard TD grab in Gardner-Webb’s 31-24 double-overtime win over Presbyterian. Gaither’s day featured a Big South-record 96-yard touchdown run that gave GWU a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, part of his 222 total all-purpose yards.
Wagner finished with 10 total tackles (four solo), 3.0 tackles-for-loss, and 1.5 sacks against the Blue Hose. He helped limit PC to 31 rushing yards on the day, and totaled minus-18 yards on his three stops behind the line of scrimmage.
Pawloski punted three times for 111 yards (37.0 average) with two landing inside the 20-yard line, a long of 45, and none returned. He had one punt downed at the five, while his 45-yarder was downed at the four yard-line.
French had nine tackles (three solo), 2.0 tackles-for-loss (minus-16 yards) and 1.5 sacks (minus-15 yards), in addition to a forced fumble and five quarterback pressures/hurries. In the first overtime, French ran down a bootleg on first down for an 11-yard sack, and his pressure on 4th-and-13 forced an interception to end PC’s chance at taking the lead.