Two Bluffton University football players were recently named Heartland Conference Players of the Week for their work on the gridiron Saturday.
Senior linebacker Joe Maldonado (Dade City, Fla./Zephyrhills) and kicker Austin Sweeney (Adrian, Mich./Whitmer) were recognized by the conference following Bluffton's season-opening 20-0 shutout of Kenyon College.
Senior linebacker Joe Maldonado paced the Bluffton defense with six tackles, including three solos and two TFL's as Bluffton posted its first shutout since routing rival Defiance College 30-0 in 2004. He spearheaded a defense that limited the Lords to just 145 yards of total offense, including a paltry 20 through the air.
Junior kicker Austin Sweeney converted both of his field goal attempts and two extra points for eight total points. His FG's were 25 and 27 yards. Sweeney, a two-time Special Teams Player of the Week a year ago, is on the 2012 Fred Mitchell Watch List after scoring 52 points on 9-of-13 field goals in 2011.
The Beavers will be back in action on Saturday, Sept. 8 (3 p.m.) at Baldwin-Wallace. The next home game for Bluffton is slated for Saturday, Sept. 22, against Mount St. Joseph. Game time at Salzman Stadium will be 1:30 p.m.
