Missouri Western football players Michael Hill and David Bass receive weekly MIAA honors for their performances in last week’s 31-24 victory over the Southwest Baptist Bearcats. Hill a redshirt junior running back received MIAA Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career while Bass a redshirt junior defensive end received MIAA Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season.
MIAA OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Michael Hill, RB, Missouri Western
Hill had another outstanding game for the Griffons accumulating 297 all-purpose yards, which includes a career best 246 on a career high 41 carries. Hill’s 41 carries breaks the Griffons single-game record which was 40 by three different players. The last to do it was Derrick Pitts vs. Central Missouri in 2003. Hill was just 37 yards shy of tying the career-high for yards in a game, which is 283 by Tony Williams vs. Missouri-Rolla in 1996. The Griffons improved to 5-0 when rushing for over 200 yards in a game finishing with 356 against the Bearcats. Western also finished with over 500 yards of total offense for the second consecutive week. The junior from St. Joseph, Mo., gave the Griffons a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter catching a 13-yard pass from Travis Partridge. He led the Griffons with four catches for 51 yards and a touchdown. Hill is just 23 yards shy of 1,000 yards on the season. He is averaging 5.2 yards per carry.
MIAA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
David Bass, DE, Missouri Western
Bass continues to dominate opposing offensive lines as he tied the single game Missouri Western record for sacks in a game for the second time this season with four against the Bearcats. The junior from St. Louis, Mo., had six tackles with five being for a loss of 19 yards. Bass is just one tackle for a loss for tying the single season record. He has 17.5 with two games to play. Eric McDowell has the record with 18.5 in 2003. He also has 13 sacks on the season which is two behind McDowell’s 15 which he set in 2003 as well. Bass is also three sacks from breaking the career record for sacks. Bass has 27.5 while the leader Kinney Redding has 30.5, which was set from 1974-77. Bass helped the Griffons hold a team under 100 yards rushing for the third time this season, allowing the Bearcats just 44.
The Griffons return to action on Saturday, November 5 when they host 3rd ranked Northwest Missouri State Bearcats. The game will be the MIAA game of the week with kick off set for 2:00 pm. Western will also honor 12 seniors before the game who include: Adam Clausen, Jack Long, Isaac Collins, Greg Zuerlein, Jake Buckwalter, Nic Burrell, Tom Madget, Cody Kremer, Oliver Pryor, Jesse Engelken, Kip Peters and David Fowler.
— MWSU Sports Information —