CSFL Release

ITHACA, N.Y. -- John Rodriguez nailed field goals of 48 and 25 yards on Friday night to help the Big Red to a 22-15 victory over visiting Princeton. For his efforts in that contest, Rodriguez was named the Collegiate Sprint Football League's Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday morning.

Rodriguez, a junior from North Olmsted, Ohio, also hit a 49-yarder and a 29-yarder against Franklin Pierce the week before. But against Princeton, his 48-yard strike in the first quarter put Cornell on the board. The kick just had the distance, inching over the crossbar to make it a 3-0 game for Cornell.

Rodriguez put three more points on the board late in the second quarter from 25 yards out to increase the home team's lead to 20-0 at halftime. He also hit two of two extra points on the evening.

Rodriguez is the third Big Red sprint footballer in three years to earn the CSFL's Special Teams Player of the Week honor. Last season after week three, punter Chase Funderburk took home the award for four punts of 152 total yards. In that game, Funderburk pinned Princeton inside its 20 three times. Also winning the Special Teams Player of the Week award in 2010 was Alex Perilstein, who claimed the honor five times in eight weeks.

Cornell's 2012 team is back in action on Friday night when it travels to Army for a battle against the defending league champions.