Sims and Hawkins Take Home OAC Weekly Honors

The Heidelberg College football team took home two Ohio Athletic Conference Player of the Week honors for the week of Oct. 22, 2007. Junior running back Kenny Sims (Garfield Heights, Ohio / Garfield Heights) was named the OAC Offensive Player of the Week, while freshman place kicker Jesse Hawkins (Georgetown, Ohio / Scott County) earned OAC Special Teams Player of the Week accolades. Sims and Hawkins are the second and third OAC Award winners on the year for the Berg. The duo joins sophomore defensive end Matt Grieves (Huron, Ohio / Huron), who was honored as the Defensive Player of the Week following the 2007 season opener versus Oberlin.

In Heidelberg’s 37-33 victory at Wilmington, Sims racked up a career-high 172 yards on the ground in 20 carries, which included a two-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. For the game, Sims was not dropped in the backfield for a loss. Sims also hauled in two catches for eights yards on the day.

For the year, which includes Sims first year at running back, he leads the Heidelberg running game with 481 yards in 99 attempts. He has picked up three rushing touchdowns, while scoring two receiving TDs. Sims has 17 catches on the year for 177 yards. Aside from his offensive versatility, Sims also utilizes his quickness on special teams, returning 17 kicks for a team-high 306 yards.

Hawkins put Heidelberg on the scoreboard in the opening quarter in Wilmington with a 20-yard field goal, but was not done. He went on to finish 3-for-3 in field goals on the day, including a career-high 38-yarder in the final quarter, which pulled Heidelberg to within three points following a Quaker touchdown. Also in the win, Hawkins went 4-for-4 in point after attempts.

In just his first season at Heidelberg, Hawkins opened his collegiate career sending a 28-yarder through the uprights and was 4-for-5 in PATs in his first game and has remained on target throughout the year. He has connected on 9-of-11 field goals, including his last five-consecutive, and is 17-of-19 in PATs.

Heidelberg, under the tutelage of first-year head coach Mike Hallett, currently stands at 3-4 overall and 2-4 in the OAC. The three victories are the most since tallying four in 1999, while two league victories has not happened since 2002. The Berg returns to the confines of Frost-Kalnow Stadium on Saturday against visiting Marietta College. Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m.