On Monday Lake Forest College football players Joey Valdivia and Alex Pasiewicz repeated as the Midwest Conference Offensive and Special Teams Performers of the Week, respectively, after combining for nearly 500 all-purpose yards in the Foresters' 55-17 victory over visiting Knox College on Saturday.
Valdivia, a senior tailback, carried the ball just 14 times but rushed for 203 yards and six touchdowns on the day. He also caught two passes for 21 yards. Valdivia scored on runs of 45, 33, and 21 yards in the first quarter and from one and 14 yards out in the second. He added an 8-yarder in the third before sitting out the game's final 20 minutes.
Valdivia's touchdown total on the day matched the team record and he became the program's career leader in rushing touchdowns with 36. His 14.5 yards per carry on the day is also a school record and he is now averaging 7.3 yards per attempt this season and 7.0 in his career. Valdivia leads the nation with 28 total touchdowns and 1,422 rushing yards this year.
Pasiewicz, a senior wide receiver and returner, reached the end zone on a 54-yard punt return in the third quarter. It was his first career score on a punt return and he now has 18 total touchdowns in his career, including at least one rushing, receiving, returning kickoffs, and on punt returns. On Saturday Pasiewicz also brought back three kickoffs for a total of 79 yards and led all players in the contest with eight catches, 144 receiving yards, and 271 all-purpose yards.
Pasiewicz leads the nation with three kickoff return touchdowns and is one of just five players in the country to score on both a punt and kickoff return this season. He ranks sixth among NCAA Division III players with 31.3 yards per kickoff return and 39th with 10.0 yards per return on punts.
Valdivia and Pasiewicz rank first and second in the MWC and ninth and 10th in the nation, respectively, in all-purpose yards per game in 2016.
MWC Performers of the Week are selected by the league's director of media and information. Valdivia and Pasiewicz also earned the awards last week and a combined seven times this season.
