University of Dayton senior quarterback Steve Valentino and senior defensive end Devon Langhorst were honored by the Pioneer football league for their roles in Dayton’s 31-25 win over Drake Saturday at Welcome Stadium.  Valentino was named PFL Offensive Player of the Week, while Langhorst was co-Defensive Player of the Week. 

Valentino had a hand in all four Flyer touchdowns in the win that kept UD in the chase for its 11th league championship (technically, he had a “hand” in all 31 points since he is also the holder for all Dayton field goals and PAT’s.)  He ran for two scores in the first half, and threw for two more in the second, including the game-winning 37-yard strike to Luke Bellman with one second on the clock.

UD’s final play, which has been featured on ESPN as one of SportsCenter’s Top Plays of the Weekend, summed up Valentino as a football player.  He had the athleticism to escape the rush, the creativity to make something out of nothing, and the chutzpah to deliver the ball to a spot that Bellman could make a great catch against great coverage by the Drake defender.

On the day, Valentino was 14 of 26 passing for 199 yards and the game’s leading rusher, gaining 69 yards on 26 attempts.  He is in the top five in the Pioneer Football League in four statistical categories, including second in total offense, averaging 261.9 yards a game.

The senior from Solon, Ohio’s last-second heroics would not have been possible with the play of Langhorst, who was a part of all six Dayton sacks (three solo and three assisted).  He had 11 total tackles in the game (four solo) and a PFL-record five tackles in the backfield.  He is second in the league and third nationally in FCS football in sacks per game (1.30). 

Langhorst is from Sidney, Ohio.  He shared the league honor with Drake’s Dain Taylor and San Diego’s Al-Rilwan Adeyemi.

Dayton will finish the 2010 season on the road, one win away from at least share of its 11th PFL championship in the 18-year history of the league.  UD travels to Poughkeepsie, N. Y. to take on Marist.  UD is 9-1 overall and tied for first with Jacksonville in the PFL with 7-0 record.  Saturday’s kickoff is 12 noon ET.