Valenzuela and Bigelow Selected as Lone Star Conference North Division Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week

RICHARDSON, TEXAS—  Seniors Tony Valenzuela (FB, Seagraves, Texas/Seagraves HS) and Tavius Bigelow (CB, Burlington, N.C./Williams HS/Louisburg JC) from the Eastern New Mexico University football team have been selected as the Lone Star Conference North Division Players of the Week for their outstanding play in the Greyhounds victory over Tarleton State.

The duo joins Wesley Wood (So., QB, Muleshoe, Texas/Muleshoe HS), Matt Kalisch (Sr., DE, Harker Heights, Texas/Harker Heights HS/NMMI), Jessie Poku (Sr., WR, Murphy, Texas/Richardson HS), Tillman Stevens (Sr., DB, Baytown, Texas/Sterling HS) and Perron Sellers (Jr., LB, La Marque, Texas/La Marque HS/Fullerton JC) as LSC Weekly honorees during the season. The seven selections are the most for Eastern since at least the 2003 season.

Valenzuela and Bigelow helped the Greyhounds snap a six-game skid in their series against Tarleton State and post their first road victory since early last season. The victory also marked the first time that Eastern had won a contest played in Texas since early in the 2005 season.

Valenzuela rushed for 92 yards in the Greyhounds win at Tarleton State. He scored a career-high three touchdowns in the game and caught two passes for nine yards. All three of Valenzuela’s touchdowns came in the opening half and were key to the Greyhounds opening up a 28-3 lead.

Bigelow returned two interceptions for 29 yards and took a lateralled interception 20 yards for a touchdown in Eastern’s first win over Tarleton State since 2000. The score pushed the Hounds’ lead to 21-3 in the second quarter. He also made seven tackles in the game.