Amherst's Bunker Wins Golden Helmet from Gridiron Club

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Amherst running back Eric Bunker has earned the weekly Golden Helmet award from the New England Football Writers’ Gridiron Club of Greater Boston. The honor was announced on Wednesday at the weekly luncheon at Harvard's Dillon Field House.

Bunker is the second NESCAC player to receive the honor this season, joining Middlebury quarterback McCallum Foote after he won the Golden Helmet just two weeks ago.

The senior from Topsfield, Mass. led the charge against a Trinity defense that had not allowed over 100 net rushing yards in its last 16 games, as he racked up 111 yards over 16 carries (6.9 yards per carry) and two touchdowns while also catching a game-high six passes for 47 yards in a 35-28 decision that moved Amherst to 7-0 in a battle of unbeaten teams.

The Lord Jeffs finished the game with 146 rushing yards. Bunker’s nine-yard touchdown run gave Amherst a 21-0 lead heading into the half, while his second-half 75-yard scamper proved to be the difference in the game. He tied the single-season program record for TDs with the run (11).

Bunker was also named the NESCAC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season (Oct. 9) this past Sunday.

Also honored at the weekly luncheon from Division I was Dartmouth senior tailback Nick Schwieger (Norton, Mass.). The Ivy League Co-Offensive Player of the Week reclaimed the school's single-game rushing record by posting 257 yards on 26 carries with a touchdown in a 33-24 victory over Cornell, with 190 of his yards coming in the final 16:25 of the game. He also went over 1,000 rushing yards on the year for the second time in his career.