TIFFIN, Ohio—Heidelberg University sophomore second-team All-Ohio Athletic Conference running back Germany Woods (Cleveland/Lakewood St. Edward) and junior linebacker Craig Sykes (Centerburg) were named OAC offensive and defensive player of the week, respectively, for their performances in the Student Princes’ 42-20 win at Marietta College on Saturday, announced today by the league office.
Woods rushed for a game and season-high 226 yards on a career-high 34 carries to lead a Heidelberg ground game that piled on a season-high 456 yards against the Pioneers. Woods, who has rushed for 100 yards in five of seven games this season and in nine of his last 11 contests dating back to 2010, had touchdown runs of one and three yards.
Woods is threatening to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the second consecutive season. He has 913 net rushing yards in 171 attempts with five TDs and is averaging 5.3 yards per rush and 130.4 yards per game in 2011, second in the OAC.
Sykes recorded a game-high-tying two sacks to lead a defensive unit that got to Marietta quarterbacks for a season-high 8.5 sacks, finished the day with six tackles, and notched his OAC-leading fourth interception of the season. Heidelberg held Marietta to just 33 rushing yards. This season, Sykes leads the team and ranks seventh in the OAC with 65 tackles, has seven tackles for loss, including three sacks, two pass break-ups, a quarterback hurry, and has forced and recovered one fumble.
The weekly honors are the fourth and fifth of the season for a Student Prince. Junior kicker Dan Kilger (Novi, Mich./Novi) (twice) and sophomore running back/kick returner Cartel Brooks (Kokomo, Ind./Galion) (once) have been named special teams player of the week previously this season.
The Berg returns to the gridiron Saturday, Oct. 29 when it hosts Wilmington College (0-7, 0-6 OAC) at 1:30 p.m. at Mayer Field in Tiffin.