Wicke, Maiuolo Capture SCIAC Weekly Awards for CMS Football

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Christopher Wicke was named the SCIAC Defensive Player of the Week and Alessandro Maiuolo earned the Specialist of the Week for the third time this season for games through Saturday, Oct. 15, the league office announced today.

Wicke spearheaded a defense that held Cal Lutheran to only three points, tying for team-high honors with six tackles. He also forced a second-quarter fumble with CMS down 3-0 to set up a tying field goal, and had a third-down sack in CMS territory (34 yard line) early in the third with the Kingsmen threatening to cut into a 17-3 lead. His Defensive Player of the week honor is the third for the Stags this season, with Ben Cooney winning twice (including last week), while Joey Asta also earned a spot on the D3football.com National Team of the Week following a win at Redlands. 

Maiuolo helped swing the momentum against Cal Lutheran with that tying field goal, a career-best 54-yard effort in the second quarter, passing his previous best of 52 yards set in 2019. His 54-yarder is also only two yards shorter than the longest in FBS this season, a 56-yarder made by Harrison Mevis of Missouri. He also connected on all four PATs, improving to 20-20 on the year, and improved to 5-5 on field goals since missing his two attempts on opening day (a 42-0 win over Whittier).

The win improved the CMS record to 5-1 on the season and 3-0 in the SCIAC, as the Stags head into their bye week eyeing a possible run at a SCIAC title. CMS and Pomona-Pitzer are the only two teams left undefeated in league play, and they meet in the finale on Nov. 12, but the Stags first have a road game at Whittier on Oct. 29, and a home game against Redlands on Nov. 5, when Wicke and Maiuolo will be among the seniors honored before their final home game.