FREELAND, Mich.-- Trine's Mark Wilson and Paul Baker have been recognized as MIAA Football Players of the Week, the conference announced Monday.
Wilson (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central) has been named the MIAA Offensive Player of the Week, while Baker (Columbus, Ind./Columbus East) garnered MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Both players played key roles as the Thunder overcame a 17-point deficit in the final 6:12 to stun no. 22 Albion by a 55-51 final Saturday afternoon. Each player is being honored as player of the week for the first time in his career.
Wilson set a MIAA record with 327 rushing yards in his first career start, breaking a six-year old record by 21 yards. The effort is the second-highest rushing performance by any player in NCAA Division III this season. Wilson's work on the ground broke a 17-year old school record. He also set a new program-best mark with 46 rushing attempts and tied the team record with five rushing touchdowns.
The last two weeks have been a breakout for the sophomore running back. Wilson began to break out in the fourth quarter of the Oct. 17 game at Lakeland, when he totaled 97 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries. Wilson has totaled 424 yards and eight rushing TDs in Trine's last five quarters of football.
Baker played a key role in field position and produced one of the biggest plays of the game in Saturday's comeback. After a Wilson touchdown brought Trine within 51-48 with 1:09 to play, Baker executed the onside kick to perfection as the Thunder recovered the kick. The recovery set up Trine's game-winning drive.
As the kickoff specialist, Baker's placement in kickoffs helped limit the Britons to just over 22 yards per kick return. Baker also made one tackle.
Trine carries a 4-3 overall record and 2-1 conference mark into Saturday's home contest against Kalamazoo. Kickoff against the Hornets is set for 1 p.m. in Fred Zollner Athletic Stadium.