KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The MIAA announced its weekly Football Athletes of the Week awards Monday. Emporia State’s Jace McDown was named Defensive Player of the Week for the conference. ESU’s Braxton Marstall and Fort Hays State’s Jacob Mezera were Co-Offensive Players of the Week. D’Harius Brown of Lindenwood was named the league’s Special Teams Player of the Week.

Bass tied his career-high with five tackles, four of them unassisted, and had a 74-yard fumble return for a touchdown in Emporia State’s 41-23 victory at Central Missouri. He anchored a defense that held the Mules to their lowest scoring total at home since the opening game of the 2015 season and snapped an 11-game home winning streak.

Marstall had 341 yards of total offense and was responsible for four touchdowns in Emporia State’s 41-23 win at Central Missouri. He threw for 278 yards and two touchdowns then added 63 yards and two more touchdowns on the ground. Marstall moved up to eighth place in career total offense in MIAA history.

Mezera was efficient on his nine pass completions in a 50-21 win against No. 18 Pittsburg State. He threw for 231 yards and three touchdowns. Mezera averaged 25.7 yards per pass with two of his three touchdown passes coming from 59 yards or more. Mezera broke FHSU career records for passing yards and passing touchdowns in the game, now with 7,083 yards and 56 touchdowns in his career.

Brown took the opening kick of the second half back 83 yards for a touchdown. The return gave Lindenwood a 21-0 lead as the Lions defeated Northeastern State 38-14. For the game, Brown had just one kickoff return for 83 yards.

— MIAA Press Release —