THE SPORTS NETWORK RELEASE
LORETTO, Pa. (Sept. 10, 2012) – The accolades continued to roll in Monday for the Saint Francis University football team as sophomore linebacker
Bishop Neal (Clairton, Pa./Clairton) earned National Defensive Player of the Week honors from the Sports Network.
“Bishop came to Saint Francis from an excellent program in Clairton and he has done a great job growing in the last year and a half,” head football coach
Chris Villarrial said. “I'm proud of the way our team battled but it is still early we need to keep growing and keep progressing.”
Neal, a native of Clairton, Pa., led the Red Flash to their first win of the season Saturday with 13 tackles as SFU knocked off Northeast Conference rival Bryant 39-28. The second year linebacker, in addition to his 13 stops, picked up an interception, a tackle for loss, a pass deflection and a safety. Neal helped SFU surrender just seven second-half points to Bryant while helping the SFU defense post seven second-half points.
After SFU scored its second touchdown of the game in the second quarter, Bryant looked like it might have turned the tide of momentum by blocking the extra point and keeping a one point lead. On the ensuing possession for Bryant,
Asalemo Fruean (Waipahu, Hawaii/Waipahu) posted back-to-back tackles for loss including a sack of Bryant quarterback Mike Westerhaus to place the Bulldog inside their own five. On third-and-22 Westerhaus found running back Jordan Brown on a screen pass but Neal caught the running back in the end zone for a safety, giving SFU a 15-14 lead.
Late in the game and down by 11, Bryant was into Saint Francis territory looking to cut into the Red Flash lead but Neal sealed the win with an interception. Westerhaus tried to work the far sideline but Neal read his eyes and stepped in front of the pass and dashed the Bulldogs hopes of a comeback and gave SFU its first ever win against Bryant.
The Red Flash return to action this week as they travel to Morehead, Ky. for a non-conference showdown with the Eagles of Morehead State.
