Kansas City, Mo. (September 18, 2017) – Fort Hays State’s Monterio Burchfield has been named the MIAA Football Offensive Athlete of the Week. Emporia State’s Logan Thompson earned the honor on defense with Pittsburg State’s Juanté Baldwin earning it on special teams.

MIAA Football Offensive Athlete of the Week
Monterio Burchfield, WR, Fort Hays State

Burchfield had 217 receiving yards on eight catches and the game-winning touchdown with 42 seconds remaining to lift Fort Hays State to a 31-24 win at Central Oklahoma. The game-winner was a 64-yard score as he stiff-armed his defender to the ground, then scampered from midfield to the end zone outrunning the rest of the defense. He also had the key reception on Fort Hays States game-tying drive moments earlier, rising over his defender for a 40-yard reception on 3rd-and-12 to put FHSU in field goal range. FHSU converted a 24-yard field goal to tie the game with 3:44 remaining. Burchfield averaged 27.1 yards per catch and helped push quarterback Jacob Mezera past the 400-yard passing mark for the game. The 6-2 wide receiver is a native of Huntsville, Ala. where he competed at Madison County High School before playing at Garden City Community College.

 

MIAA Football Defensive Athlete of the Week
Logan Thompson, LB, Emporia State

Thompson had a pick-six of 25 yards that proved to be the difference in #14 Emporia State’s 36-29 victory at Missouri Southern. With the nations third-leading tackler Gabe Cleveland missing the game with a hand injury, Thompson led the Hornets with a career-high nine tackles. It was the first interception of the year for the Hornets, and the first INT returned for a touchdown since Kole Schankie returned one 65 yards against Northeastern State last season. The 6-3 sophomore linebacker is a native of Sedgwick, Kan. where he competed at Sedgewick High School and transferred to ESU from Kansas State.

 

MIAA Football Special Teams Athlete of the Week
Juanté Baldwin, CB, Pittsburg State

Juanté Baldwin blocked a pair of first-half punts that led to a pair of touchdowns for Pittsburg State as the Gorillas rolled to a 68-21 road win over Northeastern State Saturday (Sept. 16). Baldwin’s first block came on the RiverHawk’s opening possession of the game, and it gave the Pitt State offense the ball at the NSU 22. The Gorillas scored five plays later to take a 7-0 lead. Baldwin’s second block in the second quarter was scooped up by teammate Paul Davis and returned for a Pitt State touchdown, staking the Gorillas to 31-0 cushion with 6:36 left before the half. Baldwin transferred to Pitt State from Friends University and prepped at North Kansas City High School.