Senior gets Ivy, national weekly awards

As the members of the Penn football team went back to class Monday, accolades for their weekend performance came rolling in.

The stalwart defense that finished 2009 at the top of the Football Championship Series rankings retained its spot after Saturday’s opening win against Lafayette.

The Quakers allowed just 19 rushing yards — 0.7 per carry — and a total of 168 yards. The night was highlighted by a three-interception performance from senior Jon Saelinger.

Entering his final year with just one pick in his previous 20 games, Saelinger caught his first interception of the night in the end zone to prevent a Lafayette score. His third and final pick led to a 75-yard, 7:27 drive and touchdown, which gave Penn the decisive 19-14 lead.

Saelinger’s efforts didn’t go unnoticed — he was awarded Ivy Defensive Player of the Week honors and FCS co-Defensive Player of the Week honors, splitting the national recognition with Torez Jones of Western Carolina.

Jones nabbed four interceptions and recorded 12 solo tackles in the Catamount’s match against Gardner-Webb. Saelinger was one interception short of a 70-year-old Penn record.

The Big Green shift into reverse.

It looks like Dartmouth is finally ready to take its show on the road — and running back Nick Schwieger is sitting firmly in the driver’s seat.

At Bucknell on Saturday, the Big Green entered halftime down 20-9, giving the impression that Dartmouth would add another tally to an away losing streak that stretches back to October 2006.

And then Schwieger stepped in. With Dartmouth on its own 7-yard line, Schwieger bolted through the Bucknell defenders, gaining 30 yards in the process. It was that play that sparked the Big Green into action, culminating in an 88-yard drive and a touchdown.

But it was the junior’s 56-yard run through the middle in a later drive that gave Dartmouth the lead for the remainder of the game. When all was said and done, Schwieger totaled 216 rushing yards and two touchdowns for the Big Green, who scored 34 unanswered points in the second half to earn a 43-20 victory over Bucknell.

For his efforts, the Dartmouth junior received Ivy co-Offensive Player of the Week honors.

With their 17-game road skid ended, the Big Green will look to continue its newfound away-game confidence on Oct. 2 against Penn.

Witt wins it in the air.

While Schwieger led the Ivy League on the ground, Yale quarterback Patrick Witt aired it out.

The junior threw for 407 yards to earn the other share of Ivy Offensive Player of the Week.

Though Witt’s arm was a major force for Yale in their 40-35 win over Georgetown, it was his legs that pushed his squad over the edge.

Witt capped his day with a 67-yard drive — and a final one -yard quarterback sneak into the end zone to win the game as time expired.

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