PITMAN --- The New Jersey Athletic Conference announced its football weekly honors for the week ending Nov. 8.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
MICHAEL ZARFATI • Rowan University
Junior • Wide Receiver • Middle Township, NJ/Middle Township
Zarfati earns NJAC Offensive Player of the Week honors for the third time this season after leading Rowan to a 51-6 win at William Paterson. The junior wide receiver led the game with seven catches, 120 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Zarfati scored twice in a span of 1:42 in the first quarter, on receptions of 41 and 11 yards. He added a 17-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. It was his fourth game this season with multiple touchdown catches and his fifth with at least 100 receiving yards.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
CONNOR ESTRELLA • Christopher Newport University
Senior • Defensive End • Chesapeake, VA/Great Bridge
Estrella has been named NJAC Defensive Player of the Week after anchoring Christopher Newport’s 42-0 shutout of TCNJ. It was the Captains’ second shutout of the season. The senior defensive end made four tackles, and three of them went for a loss totaling 17 yards. Two of those were sacks for 15 yards. Estrella also forced two fumbles and had a quarterback hurry as the Captains improved to 9-0 and clinched the NJAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
LAVELL WINSTON • Christopher Newport University
Sophomore • Kick Returner • Richmond, VA/Henrico
Winston claims NJAC Special Teams Player of the Week after opening the second half against TCNJ with an 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The sophomore’s return was his first career touchdown. It pushed Christopher Newport’s lead to 28-0 on the way to a 42-0 win that wrapped up the conference’s automatic NCAA bid.
OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
RYAN DOUGHERTY • Montclair State University
Freshman • Quarterback • Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan
Dougherty has been named NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Week after an efficient second half at quarterback in Montclair State’s 75-0 win over Vermont State-Castleton. The freshman completed 11 of 13 passes (84.6 percent) for 162 yards and a touchdown. He did not throw an interception or take a sack, and his longest completion went for 31 yards.
DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
COLE FERRARA • Salisbury University
Freshman • Defensive Line • Forest Hill, MD/Calvert Hall
Ferrara garners NJAC Defensive Rookie of the Week honors after a disruptive performance in Salisbury’s 21-12 conference road win at Kean. The freshman defensive lineman made nine tackles, three of them solo, and had 2.5 tackles for loss. He also had two sacks and broke up a pass.