From Carnegie Mellon University Athletics
Carnegie Mellon University senior offensive guard Nathan
Cheek (Lancaster, Ohio) and senior wide receiver Tim
Kikta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) will be playing in two
separate all-star games this weekend. Cheek will play in the fifth
annual D-III Senior Classic Football All-Star game in Salem, Va. on
Friday, December 13 while Kikta will take the field on Saturday,
December 14 in the American (Aztec) Bowl All-Star Game played in
Mexico City.
A four-time All-University Athletic Association (UAA) selection
including three first-team appearances, Cheek started in every game
of his career his first three seasons until a preseason injury in
2013 sidelined the 6-0, 250-pound offensive lineman the first two
contests this season. Cheek is a two-time D3football.com
All-South Region honoree and has helped the Tartans put together a
balanced attack over the last few seasons.
On three occasions in 2013, the Tartans compiled 400 yards or more
of total offense while accomplishing the feat 12 times in the past
four years. During the 2010 season, Cheek played a huge factor in
the Tartans rushing attack that set a school record with 585 yards
rushing and 679 yards of total offense against Hiram.
The D-III Senior Classic serves as the premier scouting opportunity
for all of D-III football. The D-III Senior Classic is
traditionally on the second or third Friday of December, always the
week before the D-III National Championship (Alonzo Stagg
Bowl).
Kikta, a four-year starter and two-time All-UAA first-team
selection, played in all 41 games in his career at Carnegie
Mellon. This past season, he was sixth in the association
with 385 yards and recorded a season-best 102 yards receiving at
Westminster. A year ago, Kikta caught 44 passes on his way to
setting a Tartan single-season record with 954 yards
receiving. He also set the school's single-game record with
158 yards receiving against Allegheny that same season.
Kikta becomes the fourth player in school history to be selected to
the Aztec squad. Following the 2000 season Nick Zitelli earned MVP
honors in a 27-26 United States victory over Mexico. The
inside linebacker recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown and
nabbed an interception. In 2006, defensive back Arron Lewis took
the field for the Eagles as a starter and recorded five tackles.
Last season, offensive tackle Patrick Robinson took part in the
game.
This game will be a special one for Kikta, as he will be joined on
the field by his brother Matthew, who was a four-year starter for
Duquesne University's offensive line from 2006-09.
The American (Aztec) Bowl is a small college post-season bowl game
that has been played intermittently since 1950. With but one
exception, all of the games have been played at locations in
Mexico; the exception was the 1957 game played in San Antonio,
Texas. In 2012, the All-American Eagles defeated the Mexican
College All-Stars, 49-21.