HELENA, Mont. – The Frontier Conference announces the Erck Hotels / Frontier Conference football weekly awards, featuring winners from Southern Oregon and Montana Tech.
 
 
Special Teams Player of the Week:  Dylan Root, Montana Tech Root, a freshman kicker from Jefferson, Mont., is the Special Teams Player of the Week.

Root was perfect on the day, converting 6-for-6 on kicks in No. 12 ranked Montana Tech's 45-22 road victory at Eastern Oregon.  He collected eight points, making all five PAT extra-point kicks and hitting a 36-yard field goal. 

This is Root's first career Erck Hotels / Frontier Conference Player of the Week award.


Offense Player of the Week:  Gunner Yates, Southern Oregon Yates, a sophomore running back from Coquille, Ore., is the Offensive Player of the Week.

In No. 20 Southern Oregon's 45-27 home non-conference victory over No. 9 College of Idaho, Yates rushed 31 times for 293 yards.  He had the first four touchdowns in the game of 10-, 40-, 59- and 60-yards. 

Yates' rushing yardage total was the highest for any Raider since 2003 and marked the second straight week that he hit triple digits in rushing yards.  He now leads the NAIA in rushing yards per game (160) and ranks second in rushing touchdowns (9).

This is Yates' second career Erck Hotels / Frontier Conference Player of the Week award.

Defense Player of the Week:  Gabe Foster, Southern Oregon Foster, a junior defensive lineman from Gardnerville, Nev., is the Defensive Player of the Week.

Foster recorded 1.5 quarterback sacks, two tackles-for-loss, a forced fumble (that his teammate recovered) and six total tackles in No. 20 Southern Oregon's 45-27 win against No. 9 College of Idaho.  He led a defensive line that put pressure on All-Frontier quarterback Andy Peters, leading to two interceptions and two potential picks that were dropped.

This is Foster's first career Erck Hotels / Frontier Conference Player of the Week award.