Monday, October 13, 2003

Valpo's David Macchi, Rob Giancola and Michael Mroz were selected Pioneer Football League Players of the Week following the Crusaders' 33-28 upset of then-#1-ranked Dayton on Saturday.

Macchi, Valpo's quarterback, shared the Offensive Player of the Week honor with Giancola, a wide receiver. Mroz, a cornerback, was tabbed as the league's Defensive Player of the Week.

A senior from San Jose, Calif./Willow Glen, Macchi passed for 404 yards and four touchdowns. He completed 22 of 33 passes and rushed for 40 yards on eight carries, finishing with 444 total yards. Macchi's touchdown passes were of 78, 36, 18 and 16 yards. He also made a significant play as a defender, knocking a Dayton defender out of bounds at Valpo's 15-yard line after he was returning a two-point conversion interception downfield in the game's later stages.

Giancola, a junior from Whiting, Ind./HS, broke his own single-game school record with 275 receiving yards - the highest receiving total in Division I-A and I-AA this season. He surpassed the school record of 233 he set Sept. 27 at Jacksonville. The 6'1", 215-pounder caught seven passes against Dayton, including touchdown receptions of 78 and 36 yards. The 78-yard catch and run proved to be the game-winning score. Giancola, who has tied the single-season school record with 11 touchdown receptions, also caught passes of 56, 44 and 40 yards on Saturday. He is averaging a Division I-AA best 124.9 yards per game and 32.3 yards per reception.

Mroz, a sophomore from Westfield, N.J./HS, made two of Valpo's three interceptions against Dayton. His first came at the Crusader 4-yard line, stopping a Flyer drive. Mroz's second pick occurred at the Dayton 29-yard line and set up a touchdown that extended Valpo's lead to 24-7 at halftime. He also finished the game with seven tackles and three pass breakups.