CLAREMONT, Calif. - George Kruger of the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps football team earned the SCIAC Defensive Player of the Week Award for games through Saturday Sept. 20, the SCIAC announced this afternoon. 

Kruger helped CMS to a dramatic 28-21 win over George Fox, when it seemed like the Stags were going to end up on the wrong end of a heartbreaker. After CMS turned it over on downs at their own 13-yard line with 1:20 left, George Fox had a chance to run out almost the entire clock, but Kruger forced a pivotal fumble that the Stags recovered at their own four-yard line. Two plays later, a 96-yard touchdown pass from Roberts Litscher to Jaden Rattay gave CMS the dramatic win. 

Kruger finished the game with nine tackles and a sack, with his sack coming on third down at the CMS 32-yard line in the third quarter to force George Fox out of field goal range and into a punting situation. He also had a third-down tackle for no gain to kill a drive in the first quarter. 

It marks the second time the Stags have won the Defensive Player of the Week honor after their first two games, after Michael Houk earned it following an opening-day 14-7 win over Lake Forest. It was Kruger's first honor in football, but he has been named the SCIAC Field Athlete of the Week twice in track and field season as a javelin thrower. 

CMS will be back in action on Saturday when it opens SCIAC play across the street at Pomona-Pitzer in a battle for the Sixth Street Trophy at 7 p.m.