CLAREMONT, Calif. - Zeke Vallez of the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps football team earned the SCIAC Special Teams Player of the Week Award for games through Saturday, Oct. 10, the conference office announced today. 

In Saturday's win over La Verne, Vallez blocked a key extra point to keep CMS in front in the second quarter 13-12. That blocked PAT remained crucial throughout the game, as La Verne went for two and failed in the third quarter down 20-18, and then the Stags were able to make it a two-possession game with its next touchdown at 27-18, which kept the Leopards at arm's length down the stretch of the contest.

In addition to his big special teams play, Vallez also had five tackles and a sack on defense, with his sack coming on a crucial fourth-down play in the fourth quarter with the Leopards holding the ball on the CMS 25-yard line. The win oved CMS to 3-0 in SCIAC play, and kept the Stags tied for first in the league standings with Chapman. 

Vallez joins kicker Sean Lee as SCIAC Special Teams Athlete of the Week winners for the Stags, after Lee had five field goals in a win over Pomona-Pitzer. Evan Gerber has also been the SCIAC Defensive Player of the Week twice, and Joseph Kessler has earned it once. 

CMS will be back in action on Saturday when it hosts Whittier at 1 p.m.