By 4th Down staff:
Welcome to 4th Down Magazine’s vote for Player of the Week presented by Crown Trophy of Harrisburg (in Lemoyne).
The nominees for the week are listed below. Vote for the player with the most impressive performance.
The poll will remain open until Tuesday evening at 11 p.m. and voting is allowed once per hour. The winner will be announced Wednesday evening.
Cam Ochs, WR, Camp Hill: Ochs had the easiest time for a Lions offense that struggled with turnovers during a 26-14 loss to Bishop McDevitt (Wyncote) in the PIAA Class 2A quarterfinals. The senior hauled in eight of QB Daniel Shuster’s 17 completions for 162 yards, scoring the game’s first TD 2:38 in on a 46-yard strike.
Alex Sauve, DB, Cumberland Valley: It wasn’t quite a walk-off, but Sauve’s pick-6 in the final minutes of Friday’s win might as well have been. The freshman stepped in front of a Cedar Cliff pass with 4:22 left in the game and took it 30 yards to the house to secure the Eagles’ 24-20 victory. He also finished with a handful of tackles for a defense that forced two INTs.
Micah Brubaker, QB, Mechanicsburg: The Brubaker Bandwagon only runs a few more weeks, so enjoy the ride while you still can. He churned out 123 rushing yards (15 carries) and 227 passing (12-of-19) in the Wildcats’ 40-20 win at CD East, picking up Mechanicsburg’s seventh win. Brubaker threw passes of 13, 39 and 3 yards and ran two in from 64 and 2 yards out.
James Anderson, WR-DB, Mechanicsburg: Anderson was all over the field during Thursday’s 40-20 road win over CD East, recording five catches for 126 yards (both game highs) while picking off two Panthers passes in another big night for a ‘Cats defensive backfield that recorded four picks. Anderson also added a pair of tackles.
Nick Wallaesa, RB-S, Palmyra: Wallaesa contributed in more than a few ways during the Cougars’ 27-24 win over Northern. The senior scored back-to-back touchdowns in the third quarter, beginning with a 20-yard run. He then hit Gage Miller for an 87-yard bomb to make it 27-10. Wallaesa finished with 66 rushing yards, 7 receiving and the lone pass completion. He also had four tackles.
Alex Erby, QB, Steel-High: The freshman continues to impress in new ways. This time, Erby led a pair of scoring drives in the final four minutes to lead a stunning comeback in the PIAA Class 1A quarterfinals, topping Old Forge 39-36. Erby hit Mehki Flowers for a 6-yard TD on an untimed down to win the game, 2:47 after his 40-yard TD pass got the game within a score. Erby finished 17-of-29 for 227 yards and four scores.
Mehki Flowers, WR-S-KR, Steel-High: Someone had to catch the game-winning pass from Erby, so of course it was the electric Flowers. The junior toe-tapped in the back of the end zone for the winning TD with zero ticks left to beat Old Forge 39-36 in the state quarterfinals. It was another big night for Flowers, who scored on an 85-yard kick return and had four catches for 58 stripes.
Nehemiah Howell, RB, State College: The senior scored four times in the Little Lions’ season-ending 45-21 win over Hollidaysburg. Howell caught a 28-yard TD pass to kick off his night, then rushed for scores of 68, 9 and 16 yards. He did it on just six carries for 98 yards and the lone reception.
Bryce Enders, RB-LB, Halifax: The Wildcats lost, but Enders put on a show, carrying the rock 23 times for 250 yards and four scores (3, 41, 4, 32) while catching four passes for 55 stripes in a 49-36 loss to Newport. Enders averaged 10.9 yards per carry and added 14 tackles and a two-point conversion. Second straight week that the high-octane Enders cracked the 250-yard mark and scored four times.
Andrew Bates, QB-LB, Newport: Bates established a single-game mark for Newport quarterbacks by rushing 19 times for 210 yards and touchdowns covering 42, 57 and 15 yards in a 49-36 conquest of Halifax. The 6-3 junior also completed six of his 11 pass attempts for 112 yards and a 23-yard score to Will Davis late in the first half that had the Buffs up 35-20.
Thomas Pyle, RB-LB, Newport: Matching the career-best yardage count he pocketed merely four days earlier, Pyle rushed 23 times for 161 yards and scored three times as the Buffaloes wheeled past Halifax 49-36. Pyle ripped off touchdown runs of 8 and 45 yards as Newport built a quick, first-half lead, then added a 23-yard score in the third quarter.
Garret Laudenslager, RB-LB, Line Mountain: One of two backs to clear 200 rushing yards, Laudenslager racked up 232 lengths on his 16 attempts and scored on three long runs (56, 29 and 80 yards) as the Eagles wheeled past Mifflinburg 42-34 in their season finale. Laudenslager crested the 1,000-yard plateau with his first TD and added two passes for 5 yards and a two-point conversion reception.
Jacob Feese, QB-LB, Line Mountain: Feese nearly matched his classmate Laudenslager in a 42-34 triumph over Mifflinburg, rushing 16 times for 216 yards while scoring on runs of 29 and 78 yards — the latter putting the Eagles ahead for good. Feese also ripped off a 37-yard run that popped him over the 1,000-yard mark for the second straight season. He also completed all three of his passes, one going for a 12-yard score.
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