Joey Asta Named to D3football.com National Team of Week for the Second Time

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Junior Joey Asta of the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps football team earned a spot on the D3football.com National Team of the Week for the second time this season, the website announced today.

Asta had three sacks and recovered a fumble as CMS shut out Redlands 42-0 to improve to 7-1 on the season and 5-0 in SCIAC, clinching at least a share of the league title. The Stags allowed less than 100 yards of total offense as a team, and shut out their second straight opponent, while not allowing a touchdown for the fourth game in a row. CMS also did not allow a home touchdown all season, allowing only three field goals in four games at Zinda Field. 

The first time Asta won the award also came against Redlands, in a 25-21 comeback win in a non-conference game back on Sept. 24. He had four tackles for losses in that contest, including two sacks, which came on back-to-back plays (third and fourth down) to kill a Redlands drive with two minutes left in regulation after CMS had just taken the lead. 

Asta now has 9.5 sacks this season, totaling 65 yards of losses, and is tied for second on the team with 39 tackles. The Stags are allowing less than 200 yards (197.1) and less than seven points (6.9) per game. 

CMS will finish off the regular season with a battle for the SCIAC's NCAA bid at Pomona-Pitzer on Saturday at 1 p.m. A win would give the Stags the SCIAC title outright, and their first undefeated and untied season in conference play in program history. A loss would leave CMS and Pomona-Pitzer as co-champions, but Pomona-Pitzer would have the tiebreaker due to the head-to-head win and would move on to the NCAA Tournament.