Watch Maley's Game-Winning Kick, Post-Game Interview

#NECFB Week 6 Recap

Somerset, NJ – Kicker Bryan Maley (Eagle River, Alaska/Chugiak) and defensive lineman Fidel Okoye (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) were named the Northeast Conference (NEC) Special Teams and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, for their efforts in the Seahawks' thrilling 23-20 win over previously unbeaten Sacred Heart on Saturday, the league office announced today.

This marks the second time this season the Green & White have had an NEC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week in the same week. On September 2, fifth-year senior running back  Dominique Williams (Bridgeton, NJ/Bridgeton/Milford Academy) and redshirt sophomore cornerback Deangelo James earned All-NEC Offensive and Defensive Weekly honors in leading the Seahawks to a 28-21 come-from-behind win over Georgetown in the August 31 season opener.
 
In addition, Maley was named the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) National Placekicker of the Week. The CFPA also recognized Seahawk sophomore defensive lineman Mike Mentor (North Bergen, NJ/ North Bergen) as its National Defensive Player of the Week for scooping up a third-quarter fumble and returning it 23 yards for a touchdown that put Wagner in front by a 17-3 margin.
 
As for Maley, he connected on his first three field goal attempts of the season, including two 45-yarders, to lift Wagner to the road win over previously-unbeaten Sacred Heart.  The junior's 45-yard conversion with 00:04 remaining broke a 20-20 tie and gave the defending NEC champs their first conference win of the season. Filling injured fifth-year senior kicker David Lopez (Plantation, FL/ American Heritage), a 2013 Preseason All-NEC selection, whose 37 made field goals are the second-most field  in league history.
 
Undaunted by the pressure, Maley flouirished, totaling 11 points in the dramatic road win that snapped the Seahawks' four-game slide. He also turned in a tremendous effort on kickoff duties with three of his six boots resulting in touchbacks.  All three of Maley's field goal attempts came in the final minute of three different quarters.  He extended Wagner's lead to 10-3 by nailing a 32-yarder with 00:36 left in the first half. The 5-10, 175-pounder's first 45-yard make came with 00:44 left in the third quarter and bumped the lead to 20-3, in addition to his pressure-packed 45-yard game-winner with four ticks left on the fourth-quarter clock.
 
Okoye spearheaded the Seahawks' defensive effort in the road win over NEC rival Sacred Heart. Helping Wagner snap a four-game losing streak and knock Sacred Heart from the ranks of the unbeaten, Okoye recorded seven tackles, including 1.5 TFL, and made a key fumble recovery in the 23-20 last-minute victory.  With the host Pioneers looking to cut into a 17-3 Wagner lead and in a 2nd-and-8 situation from the Seahawks' 16-yard line, the 6-2, 285-pound Okoye pounced on Greg Moore's fumble to squelch the SHU threat.
 
The sophomore lineman made six of his seven stops on run plays, limiting the ball-carrier to a one-yard gain or less on five occasions.  Sacred Heart came into the game with the nation's eighth-ranked rushing offense, averaging 276.0 yards per game but Okoye and the Seahawks limited the Pioneers to 113 yards on the ground as only four of Sacred Heart's 14 first downs came on rushes.
 
The Seahawks look to improve to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in the NEC when they travel to Duquesne as the Dukes celebrate their Homecoming on Saturday, October 12 at 1:00 pm.