After a dominating defensive performance against St. John Fisher on Saturday, Mason Miranowicz (Pine Bush, NY/Pine Bush) has been named the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week, marking the Pioneers' third-straight game in which a defensive player has captured the honor.

Miranowicz had a monstrous outing this past Saturday, leading a Pioneer defense that held a surging St. John Fisher squad to just seven points. The junior edge rusher did it all during the 31-7 win, logging various defensive statistics, including four solo tackles, two tackles for loss, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble. The Pine Bush native altered the Cardinals' offensive schemes all day long, wrecking their rushing attack while also being a disruptor in the passing game. Miranowicz's play was the primary factor in the strong defensive showing for the orange and blue, with the edge rusher being at the scene of numerous massive stops that resulted in the Cardinals going 1-9 on third down, 1-4 on fourth down, and 1-3 in the redzone. 

Coincidentally, Miranowicz is the third Mason on the Pioneer defense to earn an Empire 8 Player of the Week nod after Mason Payton (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay) and Mason Nolan (Hilton, NY/Hilton Central) were each honored earlier this season. 

Miranowicz and the Pioneers will be back at Gaetano Stadium this Saturday to greet Hartwick in the final regular-season home game. That Saturday matchup will be Senior Day, along with also being the annual Veterans Day Game sponsored by GPO Federal Credit Union. Kickoff is scheduled for a 1:00 PM start time.

Below is a list of each accolade the Pioneers have achieved through seven weeks this season.
 
Week One at W&J
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - D3football.com Team of the Week
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - D3football.com Week One Game Ball
Isaiah Thomas (Kingston, NY/Kingston) - D3football.com Team of the Week
 
Week Two vs RPI
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (2)
 
Week Three at Hobart
Mason Nolan (Hilton, NY/Hilton Central) - Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week
 
Week Four vs Alfred State
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week (3)
 
Week Five at SUNY Cortland
Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) - D3football.com Team of the Week
 
Week Six vs Morrisville
Isaiah Thomas (Kingston, NY/Kingston) - Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week
Devin Taylor (New Port Richey, FL/Wendell Krinn Technical) - Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week
Jordyn Davis (Hempstead, NY/Uniondale) - D3football.com Team of the Week

Week Seven at Alfred University
Mason Payton (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay) - Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week
Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) - D3football.com Team of the Week

Week Eight vs St. John Fisher 
Mason Miranowicz (Pine Bush, NY/Pine Bush) - Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week
 
Total Awards Count
 
Team:
Empire 8 Players of the Week: 8
D3football.com Team of the Week: 5
 
Individual:
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 3
Isaiah Thomas (Kingston, NY/Kingston) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 1
Mason Nolan (Hilton, NY/Hilton Central) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 1
Devin Taylor (New Port Richey, FL/Wendell Krinn Technical) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 1
Mason Payton (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 1
Mason Miranowicz (Pine Bush, NY/Pine Bush) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 1
 
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 1
Isaiah Thomas (Kingston, NY/Kingston) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 1
Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) - D3football.com Team of the Week
Jordyn Davis (Hempstead, NY/Uniondale) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 1
 
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - D3football.com Week One Game Ball