Players from Butler, Highland and Hutchinson earned Jayhawk Conference Football Players of the Week honors for Week 5 of the 2023 season.
Butler running back Jaisean McMillian was named the league's Offensive Player of the Week after a strong outing against NEO on Saturday. Highland safety had two huge interceptions in the Scotties' 3-0 win at Garden City and was named Defensive Player of the Week. Richardson took two punts back for touchdowns in Hutchinson's 37-7 win over Coffeyville to be named teh KJCCC Special Teams Player of the Week.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Jaisean McMillian, Butler
McMillian carried the ball a career-high 15 times for a career-high 154 yards and two touchdowns as No. 11 Butler defeated NEO A&M 32-7 on the road in Miami, Oklahoma. McMillian was part of a Grizzly rushing attack that went for a season-high 252 yards, only the second time this season they eclipsed 100 rushing yards in a game. McMillian had a 57-yard rushing touchdown that put Butler ahead 22-7 in the third quarter.
OTHERS NOMINATED - Zeriah Beason, Hutchinson.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Malik Franklin, Highland
Franklin had 2 out of the 4 interceptions against Garden City last Saturday, the second one came with less than a minute to play in the 4th quarter. Highland's defense shut down Garden City on offense and Malik was a huge factor in the shutout 3-0 win for the Scottie's. The win also broke a 9-game losing streak to Garden City going back to 2014.
OTHERS NOMINATED - Dwight Nunoo, Dodge City; Daniel Brown, Hutchinson
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Tre Richardson, Hutchinson
The Blue Dragon freshman return specialist became the first Hutchinson player to return two punts for touchdowns in the same game since 2016 in the No. 1 Blue Dragons' 37-7 victory over Coffeyville. Richardson returned a first-quarter punt 63 yards for a touchdown to give the Blue Dragons' a 17-0 lead. He helped close out the Dragon scoring with a 70-yard zig-zag down the right sideline for a 37-7 lead with 7:28 to play in the fourth quarter. Richardson is the first Blue Dragon to have two punt-return touchdowns in a game since Adrian Cross on October 3, 2016 against the Kansas Wesleyan Junior Varsity. Richardson accounted for 133 yards on two punt returns and had two kickoff returns for 54 yards and had 196 all-purpose yards against the Red Ravens, his second game this season of 190 or more all-purpose yards.
OTHERS NOMINATED - Aidan Battle, Butler