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Gahafer, Ward Earn Pioneer Football League Player of the Week Honors

Morehead State Athletics

Following record-setting days at Butler Saturday, two Morehead State football athletes have been named Pioneer Football League Players of the Week. Senior quarterback Austin Gahafer is the Offensive Player of the Week, while senior kicker Matt Ward earned the Special Teams Player of the Week accolade.

Gahafer established the PFL career passing yardage mark with his MSU single-game record 465-yard effort (highest total for a PFL QB this year) against the Bulldogs. He was 34-of-43 and also tossed a career-best five touchdowns to four different receivers. Gahafer now has 11,259 career passing yards, and he also set the PFL career mark for total offense now with 11,572.

Gahafer directed scoring drives of 70 and 80 yards in the second quarter of the 54-28 win by accounting for every yard through the air on both of those drives.

Ward, who only had two career made field goals entering the day, was successful on all four of his tries on Saturday, booting it through the uprights from 24, 23, 26 and 38 yards. That tied the MSU single-game mark originally set in 2002 by Joey Herbst.

He also connected on all six of his point-after-touchdown kicks. In addition, Ward made a potential touchdown saving tackle on a kickoff in the second quarter after the Eagles had just gone ahead 10-0. Ward scored 18 points, which was the second-most by an FCS kicker this season.

Gahafer and Ward, along with 18 other members of the program, will be honored prior to Saturday's home finale versus PFL foe Campbell. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET.