Honors roll in for OSU players

Two Oregon State football players earned Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Week honors this year, and it happened in the final week of the regular season.

Running back Matt Sieverson was named the offensive player of the week Monday and linebacker Derrick Doggett the defensive player of the week. Arizona State place-kicker Thomas Webber took the special teams award.

Sieverson and Doggett were vital in the Beavers’ 38-31 double overtime win at Oregon on Saturday.

“I can’t describe what this means to me,” Sieverson said after the Civil War. “They just gave me the ball and I just went in and hoped I didn’t trip. You dream about this growing up in Oregon.”

Sieverson, a Bend native, filled in for injured starter Yvenson Bernard. Doggett was the leader on defense, and an impact player.

Sieverson rushed 27 times for a career-high 142 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown run. He added four catches for 16 yards

Doggett had a career-high 18 tackles, 11 of which were solo. He intercepted a pass and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown.

All-conference

Ten Beavers were named to the Pac-10 all-conference team and six more were honorable mention. The team was voted on by the coaches.

Offensive lineman Roy Schuening and defensive end Dorian Smith are first-team selections.

The second-team offensive players are offensive lineman Andy Levitre, place-kicker Alexis Serna and Yvenson Bernard.

Second-team defensive players are linebackers Alan Darlin, Joey LaRocque and Doggett, cornerback Brandon Hughes and defensive end Jeff Van Orsow.

Safety Al Afalava, defensive tackle Curtis Coker, center Kyle DeVan, safety Daniel Drayton, special teams player Gerard Lawson and defensive tackle Gerard Lee earned honorable mention.

Injury update

Yvenson Bernard said he wasn’t ready to play in the Civil War after knee surgery the week before, but plans to be back for the Dec. 28 Emerald Bowl. The team will take the week off and return to practice Monday.

“I was pretty close, but with the situation and the guys (Sieverson and Clinton Polk) were practicing hard, they could do their job,” Yvenson Bernard said. “It’s just time now, let it heal and take this week off to heal my knee. Then I’ll get some practices.”

Yvenson Bernard is not disappointed with the team going to the Emerald Bowl, and said he won’t entertain the idea of skipping the game to heal more and train for the NFL.

“There’s no way I’d do that,” Yvenson Bernard said.

Outside linebacker LaRocque was the only OSU player hurt in the Civil War. He pulled a left hamstring in overtime.

The time off this week should allow him to return at full speed Monday.

“I think it’s good for those guys,” coach Mike Riley said of those with nagging injuries. “We’ll have a chance to see Yvenson Bernard play for the Beavers again. As it turned out, it was a wise decision not to play him. It will be a good time for him to recover.”

Bowl tickets

Tickets for the Emerald Bowl went on sale Monday. They can be purchased by calling 1-800-Go-Beavers or at the Gill Coliseum ticket office. Prices are $40, $50 and $75.

OSU was allotted 11,500 tickets. It must sell at least half and the Pacific-10 Conference will pick up half if needed.

“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem,” athletic director Bob De Carolis said. “The game works well for us, for our fans. You can get there by multiple modes of transportation. And it’s far enough off of Christmas. When you win your last game or couple games, it spikes the bowl tickets because fans are excited.”

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