LANCASTER, Pa. - The Atlantic East Conference announced the Women’s Flag Football weekly award winners on Monday, as Neumann’s Gia Santorello and Kayla Maisch won Player and Defensive Player of the Week honors respectively.
Player of the Week:
Name: Gia Santorello
School: Neumann University
Class: Junior
Position: Quarterback
Hometown: Massapequa Park, N.Y.
High School: Portledge
Brief Outlook of Week: Gia Santorello, in a 3-1 week for the Knights, completed 32 passes on 69 attempts for 491 passing yards, and eight touchdown passes. In 34 rushing attempts, she accrued 80 rushing yards. She also added 63 receiving yards, and a touchdown. In an 18-12 win against Centenary, she was 7 for 15 with 171 yards and three touchdowns. In the 21-6 win at Holy Family, she was 8 for 17 for 121 yards. On Saturday against Penn State Schuylkill, she was 8 for 16 for 126 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Knights to a 19-14 win. In the 14-12 loss against Eastern, she was 9 for 21 with 73 yards and two touchdowns. She also ran for 44 yards on seven rushes.
Defensive Player of the Week:
Name: Kayla Maisch
School: Neumann University
Class: First-Year
Position: Defensive Back
Hometown: Parkesburg, Pa.
High School: Coatesville
Brief Outlook of Week: Kayla Maisch, in a 3-1 week, had 19 tackles and three interceptions, all for touchdowns. She also broke up two passes. In special teams, she had five punt returns, for 79 yards. She also contributed offensively with 18 receptions for 191 yards and two touchdowns. In Monday’s 18-12 win over Centenary, had one interception which was returned for a “Pick-6”, to go with eight tackles. In a 21-6 at Holy Family, she returned both of her interceptions for touchdowns while making four tackles and breaking up two passes. She also broke up two passes on Saturday against Penn State Schuylkill while making five tackles. In a loss against Eastern, also made two tackles.
Weekly Honor Roll:
Abigail Lentowski (Immaculata): Abigail Lentowski had a combined six tackles and two pass break ups in Immaculata's Tri-Match with Centenary and Marymount. Lentowski had five tackles and two pass breakups against Centenary, and had a tackle against Marymount.
Kyla Massenburg (Fy., Eastern): Kyla Massenburg led a strong defensive effort in a pair of wins for Eastern Women's Flag Football on Saturday at Neumann - the first two in program history. In Eastern's 34-0 victory over Penn State Schuylkill, the first-year from Flemington, N.J. recorded five tackles to co-lead the Eastern defense. In the Eagles' 14-12 triumph over Neumann, Massenburg led the Eagles with six tackles while also recording a pair of sacks.
Stephanie White (Jr., Eastern): Stephanie White led the Eastern rushing attack in a pair of wins at Neumann on Saturday. It was first two wins for Eastern Women's Flag Football in program history. Across both games, White carried the ball nine times for 60 yards, good for a 6.6 yards per carry average. The junior scored a pair of touchdowns on five carries in Eastern's 34-0 win over Penn State Schuylkill, before adding four carries for 29 yards in the Eagles' 14-12 triumph over Neumann.
Sydney Butcher (Fr., Immaculata): Sydney Butcher was a combined 12-21 passing for 161 yards with a touchdown and an interception in Immaculata's tri-match with Marymount and Centenary. She also had 10 rushes for 45 yards.
Carly Rivera (Fy., Marymount): Carly Rivera had four receiving touchdowns for the Saints last week in Marymount's tri-game sweep over Centenary and Immaculata.
Previous Weekly Award Winners:
(3/10) - Player of the Week: Nadia King, PSU-Schuylkill;
Defensive Player of the Week: Cam Fulcher, Centenary University
(3/17) - Player of the Week: Cara Vollmer, Marymount University;
Defensive Player of the Week: Eliana Szatkowski, Immaculata University