Nansemond-Suffolk Academy’s Shaun Faulk was voted Duke Automotive-Suffolk News-Herald player of the week after rushing for 341 yards and five touchdowns in a 54-0 homecoming win for the Saints.

Shaun Faulk is a senior running back for the NSA football team. In his first year of playing high school football, he has found himself having games where he rushes for 341 yards and five touchdowns. Faulk does it all for the Saints out of the back field. He runs and catches, adding a powerful dynamic to their offense.

Faulk had previously come from a school with no football team. He had a love for the game because he played when he was younger, so he decided to go out and play for the Saints.

So far that has seemed to work out well. With the coaching of his head coach, Mike Biehl, Faulk has turned himself into a productive player for the Saints.

“It feels good to see my hard work paying off,” Faulk said. “I salute Coach Biehl for preparing me and putting me in a position to succeed.”

“It’s been a real pleasure to see him take to the coaching we have been giving him,” Biehl said. “Once he understood how everything was supposed to work as far as designing schemes for him to hit the holes and play aggressive, he’s taken off. He’s everything you want to see in a high school running back. He’s violent, explosive, quick and has enough long speed to go the distance.”

As an athlete, Faulk likes to describe himself as someone with a “killer instinct.” His confidence keeps him striving, as he tells himself during every game that no one can stop him. The blend of his shiftiness and speed make it hard for opponents to contain him. Faulk is also motivated by just simply having the opportunity the play the game of football.

“God blessed me with an opportunity to play football,” Faulk said. “Just having an opportunity to play the game itself is motivating.”

All of his family has participated in sports, and they are a big reason why he is inspired to be the best he can be. His mother ran track as his father played basketball. Having support from his family and friends pushes him to succeed.

Running for 300-plus yards to go along with five touchdowns is not an easy task. As his teammates watched his performance, it motivated them to push even harder during the game.

“Shaun had a huge game,” quarterback Robby Tew said. “That was big for us to get that big of a performance out of one of our star players. It really pumped everyone up.”

Though it is Faulk’s senior year, he has not decided where he’d like to attend college. He does know that there is a possibility that he will play at the next level. His major of choice is chemistry, and he hopes to become a pharmacist.

Faulk and the Saints will be in action for their last game of the season at 7 p.m. Nov. 4 at Hampton Roads Academy.