Statewide Stat-Stuffers: Top defensive and special teams players from Week 9

Mars Hill football has been a no-nonsense team this fall, quietly going about the business of winning games (seven out of eight) and battling for a Division II playoff spot.

The Lions’ top defensive players were anything but quiet in the stats department in the most recent win over UVA Wise on Saturday. Landon Honeycutt, a senior linebacker from Mount Pleasant, put in another stat-stuffing performance, totaling 17 tackles, including 11 solo stops — by far the most of any defensive player in North Carolina this week. He also recorded a sack and forced a fumble in the rout.

Honeycutt’s teammate Damipi Lamboni led the state in tackles-for-loss and sacks during week nine. The senior defensive lineman from Charlotte, sacked UVA Wise quarterbacks three times for 19 negative yards and had four total tackles-for-loss. Another Mars Hill linebacker, Dexter Fitzpatrick from LaGrange, Ga., earned eight tackles and returned a fumble for a touchdown. The Lions had seven sacks in all. No wonder Mars Hill finds itself listed in the latest D2 regional rankings this week, a mark of teams being considered for playoff berths.

Nick Iannone is Guilford College’s version of Landon Honeycutt. Iannone picked up 13 tackles for the Quakers on Saturday. Andrew Parker Jr. of Appalachian State also had 13 stops.

A total of 22 defensive players, by our count reviewing box scores, got in on at least 10 tackles this past weekend. Teonne Porter from Elizabeth City State had nine solo stops.

Ouran Blount of Fayetteville State and Ty French from Gardner-Webb each had three tackles-for-loss.

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention NC State linebacker Payton Wilson during our recap of defensive all-stars from week nine. Wilson had eight tackles, 1.5 TFLs and returned an interception 11 yards for a touchdown in the Pack’s triumph over Clemson. Wilson represents the heart-and-soul of Dave Doeren’s defense and is likely on his way to All-ACC first-team honors.

Greensboro College picked up its first win of the season thanks in part to quarterback Alec Williams-Carr, the only signal caller in the state to toss six TD passes this week. But the Pride defense also caught a lot of passes in a win over Southern Virginia. William Paithorpe, Larry Jones, JaJuan Givens, Deaven Hawkins and Jaden James each picked off passes. Hawkins returned his pick 34 yards. Givens earned 32 yards after his interception.

Here is a full list of this week’s stat-stuffers on the defensive side of the ball:

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Top Kickers

We didn’t have any last-second, game-winning field goals this week (those plays were reserved for quarterbacks and receivers – see the Wingate Bulldogs and the Fayetteville State Broncos). But we did have two kickers knocking balls through the uprights from 50 or more yards.

East Carolina’s Andrew Conrad converted a 51-yarder against UTSA. Davidson’s Adam Zouagui earned Pioneer Football League specialist of the week honors after booting a 50-yarder in a win over Presbyterian. Campbell’s Caleb Dowden made a 48-yarder.

Brevard’s Hugo Taylor was our top scoring kicker of the week. Taylor, who was named the USA South Conference specialist of the week, made three field goals and all three of his PAT attempts for 12 of Brevard’s 30 points. His longest field goal covered 33 yards.

Louisburg College’s Noah Abbott made a pair of field goals and all five of his PAT tries for 11 total points. Charlotte’s Kyle Cunanan and Wingate’s Caleb Bonesteel earned 10 points. Bonesteel was the South Atlantic Conference specialist of the week.

It seems like we have kickers go 7-of-7 in PATs every week. This week was no different as Lon Teachey of Mars Hill and Ty Woods of UNC Pembroke accomplished that unique feat. Three players made all six of their extra points — Davidson’s Zouagui, Appalachian State’s Michael Hughes and North Carolina’s Noah Burnette.

North Carolina Central’s Adrian Olivo went 8-for-9 on PATs in the Eagles’ 62-28 triumph over South Carolina State.

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Top Punters

North Carolina only punted three times in its game at Georgia Tech. But Tom Maginness made the most of his opportunities, averaging 50 yards per kick — best in the state this week — and putting two inside Tech’s 20.

Vraj Patel of Catawba punted twice for 99 yards, almost 50 yards per boot.

Wake Forest and NC State kept their punters busy. Both punted nine times. Wake’s Ivan Mora averaged 48.9 yards per kick and hit a 64-yarder. The Pack’s Caden Noonkester had a 41.0 yards-per-punt average and dropped four inside Clemson’s 20.