CIAA Football Players and Coach of the Week for the week ending Oct. 26

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN
Jeremy Gatson – Shaw
Position: OL
Height: 6-4 Weight: 303 Class: Sr. Hometown: Rochester, N.Y.

Gatson was the mainstay of a Shaw offensive line that opened the holes allowing the Bears to gain 419 yards overall, 214 of that on the ground. They also did not allow a sack during the 39-33 win over Johnson C. Smith.

RECEIVER
Jaivon Smallwood – Virginia State
Position: WR
Height: 6-1 Weight: 175 Class: So. Hometown: Virginia Beach, Va.

Smallwood caught only two passes, but both resulted in touchdowns in Virginia State’s 34-14 victory at Lincoln (Pa.) for Homecoming. The two touchdowns, both in the third quarter, allowed the Trojans to pull away to a 27-6 advantage. Smallwood hauled in a 59-yard pass from freshman Tarian Ayres on a 3-and-12. On the next play, Jordan Anderson scored from 13-yards out. He also caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from Ayres.

QUARTERBACK
Tyrell Houghton – Elizabeth City State
Position: QB
Height: 5-11 Weight: 193 Class: Jr. Hometown: Reidsville, N.C.

Houghton posted career highs with 380 yards on 31-40 passing and a career best of four touchdowns with no interceptions in the Vikings’ 37-31 overtime win to spoil Chowan’s Homecoming. He orchestrated a game tying drive with 1:55 remaining and threw a touchdown on the game’s first drive in overtime.

OFFENSIVE BACK
Marquise Grizzle – Shaw Position: RB
Height: 5-7 Weight: 170 Class: So. Hometown: Camden, N.C.

Grizzle crossed the 1,000-yard mark on the season with his season-high 167-yard performance in Shaw’s win over Johnson C. Smith Saturday. He also scored two touchdowns. He averaged an impressive 5.6 yards over his 30 carries.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN
Ronald Lewis – Virginia State Position: DT
Height: 6-2 Weight: 270 Class: Jr. Hometown: Virginia Beach, Va.

Lewis tied for the team-lead in tackles with seven (six solo, one assist) but the alert defensive tackle, picked up a Lincoln (Pa.) fumble and rambled 71 yards for a touchdown, giving the Trojans a 14-6 halftime lead. It is the sixth defensive score by the Trojans this season. He also had a three-yard sack, three tackles-for-loss totaling seven yards and three quarterback hurries.

LINEBACKER
Darius Moffett – Shaw Position: LB
Height: 6-4 Weight: 235 Class: Sr. Hometown: Chicago, Ill.

Moffett had a career game in Shaw’s 39-33 win over Johnson C. Smith Saturday. He had 14 tackles, 12 of them solo hits, two and a half tackles for a loss, one and a half sacks and he recovered two fumbles.

DEFENSIVE BACK
Delante White – Bowie State Position: DB
Height: 6-0 Weight: 192 Class: Sr. Hometown: Temple Hills, Md.

White recorded a personal season-best 13 tackles to lead the Bulldogs defense in Saturday’s 34-7 victory over Virginia Union.

ROOKIE
Tarian Ayres – Virginia State Position: QB
Height: 6-1 Weight: 190 Class: Fr. Hometown: Dillwyn, Va.

Ayres came off the bench and delivered a solid performance in Virginia State’s 34-14 win at Lincoln (Pa.) for Homecoming. He completed 8 of 15 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns in the victory. In the second half, he was 4 for 4 for 94 yards and a touchdown on a 59-yard pass to Jaivon Smallwood in the third quarter as the Trojans pulled away.

SPECIALTY
Kyle Jaski – Lincoln Position: K/P
Height: 5-11 Weight: 210 Class: Jr. Hometown: Escondido, Calif.

Jaski averaged 44.5 yards per punt against the Trojans with two punts over 50 yards. Jaski booted four punts for 178 total yards and had a long of 63 yards.

COACH
Latrell Scott – Virginia State
With a 34-14 victory over Lincoln (Pa.), the Trojans improved to 7-1 on the season. With a 5-0 record in CIAA play, Virginia State will, at least, share the Northern Division title. A win in either of the two final games of the regular season will propel the Trojans to the league’s championship game. Virginia State was picked the league’s 10th best team in the preseason poll and predicted to place fifth in the Northern Division.