Cleveland Blue Raiders quarterback Austin Herink drops back to pass during the football jamboree at Finley Stadium on in this file photo.Cleveland quarterback Austin Herink will be awarded the Tennessee Teachers Education Association’s player of the week award today for the combination of his strong academics as well as last week’s on-field performance.
The senior, who has a 3.8 grade point average, completed 18 of 25 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s 26-21 upset win over District 5-AAA foe Ooltewah.
“It’s definitely an honor to be given an award that recognizes what you do as a student-athlete,” said Herink, who leads the area with 2,611 passing yards and 28 touchdowns and has scholarship offers from Eastern Kentucky, UT-Martin, VMI and Youngstown State. “I stopped playing all but one sport so I could concentrate on taking more honors courses, and I know academics will carry me a lot further than my football career.
“But I’ve been playing this whole year with a chip on my shoulder because I believe I can play the game at a high level.”
Ooltewah will be without leading rusher Desmond Pittman for tonight’s District 5-AAA game at McMinn County. Pittman’s future beyond this week is also in question after what Owls coach Mac Bryan called “a school-related issue.”