Mars Hill’s Zachery, Carson-Newman’s Ballard, Newberry’s Patton Named Football Players Of The Week

ROCK HILL, S.C. -- The South Atlantic Conference has announced its football Players of the Week for the week ending September 22, 2007. This week's recipients are Mars Hill College senior wide receiver Demario Zachery Carson-Newman College junior defensive back Otis Ballard and Newberry College junior cornerback/return specialist Antonio Patton.

Zachery was named Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career. Ballard earned Defensive Player of the Week laurels, joining Zachery as a first-time honoree. Patton was tabbed as the Special Teams Player of the Week award winner for the second time this season.

Demario Zachery (Atlanta, Ga.), caught a 69-yard pass from Mars Hill junior quarterback Ricky Spradling with 9:10 remaining in regulation to lead the Lions to a 28-23 victory over West Liberty State College Saturday afternoon at the Ammons Family Athletic Center and Meares Stadium.

Demario Zachery

Otis Ballard

Antonio Patton

A 5-9, 180-pound wide receiver, Zachery also threw a 71-yard touchdown strike to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Tyrea Allen with 1:23 left in the third stanza on an end-around fake run/pass. On the afternoon, the D.M. Therrell High School product caught three passes for 137 yards and the game-winning score as well as throwing for 71 yards and one touchdown.

Otis Ballard (Miami, Fla.) intercepted two passes Thursday night in Carson-Newman's 35-13 road win at Dixie State (Utah) College. After the Eagle offense went three-and-out on their first offensive series, Otis Ballard gave the visitors a boost. On third and 10, Ballard intercepted a Skyler Ence pass and returned it 52 yards for the first C-N touchdown of the night. Later in the third quarter, Dixie State drove to the Carson-Newman 27-yard line, but Ballard snuffed any hope of a comeback with his second interception of the night. He returned the second pick 21 yards. A 5-10, 175-pound defensive back from Miami High School, Ballard also had two solo tackles on the night with two pass break-ups.

Cornerback/return specialist Antonio Patton (Woodruff, S.C.) returned a kickoff for a touchdown as the number 11 Indians defeated West Georgia 64-9 on Saturday. He has two returns for scores on the season. On defense, Patton also recorded two tackles and a pass breakup against West Georgia.

A sophomore transfer from Murray State (Ky.) University, Patton has had two punt returns for touchdowns called back on infractions in the last two games. Newberry will travel to Carson-Newman for a key South Atlantic Conference game Saturday.

The SAC Football Players of the Week are selected by a vote of the league's sports information directors.