TAMPA, Fla. – USL League One today announced the Team of the Week for Week 17 of the 2024 regular season with One Knoxville SC forward Kempes Tekiela named Player of the Week presented by Konami eFootball with two goals and one assist in a one-sided Smoky Mountain Smackdown victory against Chattanooga Red Wolves SC.

The 26-year-old German goalscorer provided a trio of goal contributions to power Knoxville to the largest win of its two-year professional era, which also came in its first match under interim head coach Ilija Ilić. Tekiela's three-goal-contribution match was the first since his two-goal, one-assist performance for FC Progrès Niederkorn against FK Zeta in 2020-21 UEFA Europa League qualifiers.

Tekiela joined Knoxville over the offseason after spending time in Luxembourg with top-flight National Division side Union Titus Pétange, recording 22 goals in 39 matches during his time in Pétange. Before his time in Luxembourg, Tekiela played for lower-division German clubs FC Kray, SV Westfalia Rhynern and Borussia Dortmund II. Tekiela also spent time in Luxembourg with the aforementioned Progrès on loan from Borussia Dortmund II before joining Esbjerg fB, then of the second-tier Danish 1st Division.

With his ninth and 10th goal of the season across all competitions, Tekiela has equaled former USL League Two standout and current Sporting Kansas City goalscorer Stephen Afrifa as Knoxville's all-time leading scorer. Additionally, Knoxville's seven-match unbeaten run across all competitions is the longest in club history since it reeled off 12 consecutive unbeaten matches in its 2022 inaugural season in League Two.

Across the entire Team of the Week, Knoxville led all teams - and matched a club record - with four starters named to the list. Lexington, Charlotte, Greenville and South Georgia also placed multiple players across the Team of the Week or Team of the Week bench.

COACH - Darren Powell, Lexington SC: In Lexington's first match since announcing it would be joining the USL Championship next season, Powell's side registered the largest road victory in club history with a 3-1 win against Central Valley. LSC led all teams in Week 17 with its 1.62 points won above expected and goal differential above expected goal differential value of 2.02, per American Soccer Analysis.

GK - Austin Pack, Charlotte Independence: The reigning USL League One Goalkeeper of the Year led all 'keepers with 0.72 goals conceded below expected, according to American Soccer Analysis. Pack - now second in league play with both 56 saves and four clean sheets - added five saves and one clean sheet to his tally in a scoreless draw at Madison.

D - Dani Fernández, One Knoxville SC: Fernández notched his first goal of the season in the 89th minute of Knoxville blowout victory against rival Chattanooga. With the club since its inception in USL League Two in 2022, the second-year professional also tallied a 90% passing accuracy rate, seven recoveries, five duels won and four completed long passes.

D - Preston Kilwien, South Georgia Tormenta FC: Kilwien provided the assist on Pedro Fonseca's last-second equalizer to salvage a draw against Northern Colorado on Saturday. The 27-year-old defender completed 87% of his passes, recorded six clearances, registered four recoveries, completed three long passes and won three duels.

D - Stuart Ritchie, One Knoxville SC: Ritchie led all players with six chances created in Week 17, helping Knoxville to a big Smoky Mountain Smackdown victory against Chattanooga. The former United States youth international contributed an additional three completed crosses, two recoveries and two duels won, while completing 86% of his passes.

D - Anton Sorenson, Charlotte Independence: The former Philadelphia Union Homegrown defender led all players with 11 duels won on the week. In Charlotte's scoreless draw with Madison, Sorenson added four tackles won, three accurate long balls, two recoveries and two fouls won.

M - José Carrera-García, Central Valley Fuego FC: The 2022 USL League One All-League First Team midfielder has constructed his most productive season since that special 2022 campaign with Chattanooga, adding a goal to his tally in a Week 17 loss against Lexington. Carrera-García completed 89% of his passes, won eight duels, completed six long passes, registered four recoveries, and led all players with six tackles won. Per American Soccer Analysis, the Mexican led all midfielders with a 4.90 passing score.

M - Alexis Cerritos, Lexington SC: Returning to Fresno for the first time since departing Fuego FC over the offseason, Cerritos - Central Valley's all-time leading goal contributor - scored the final goal of Lexington's 3-1 outburst against the hosts. The 23-year-old attacker contributed with an additional 90% passing accuracy rate, nine duels won, five fouls earned and two completed dribbles.

M - Ates Diouf, Lexington SC: Lexington's all-time leading scorer tallied the 10th multi-goal-contribution match of his LSC career on Friday, providing a goal and an assist in his side's big road win in Fresno. The 2023 USL League One All-League First Team honoree has scored a goal in each of his last four league matches and totaled a 95% passing accuracy rate, six duels won, four completed long passes, three recoveries and three fouls won on Friday.

M - Sebastián Velásquez, Greenville Triumph SC: Returning to his hometown over the offseason, the former MLS, USL Championship and NASL veteran bagged his first goal for Greenville to secure a draw against Richmond. Velásquez completed 90% of his passes, won five duels, completed three dribbles and created a trio of chances.

F - Kempes Tekiela, One Knoxville SC: Despite joining the club over the offseason, the German has already positioned himself as the club's joint-all-time leading scorer, securing his ninth and 10th goals of the season across all competitions in Knoxville's lopsided victory against rival Chattanooga. In addition to a pair of goals, Tekiela added one assist, created five total chances, won five duels, completed three crosses, completed 84% of his passes and led all players with six shots on target. Tekiela was tied for the league lead in goals added at 0.53, per American Soccer Analysis.

F - Stávros Zarokóstas, One Knoxville SC: In his first start and third appearance for Knoxville since joining the club last month, Zarokóstas provided one goal and one assist in Knoxville's victory against Chattanooga. The Greek forward also contributed with eight duels won, four total chances created, four recoveries, three dribbles completed and three fouls won. With a 96% passing accuracy rate, Zarokóstas led all forwards in Week 17 with a 3.60 passing score, according to American Soccer Analysis.

BENCH: Bernd Schipmann (MAD), Simon Fitch (RIC), Jordan Skelton (KNX), Jamie Smith (GVL), Pedro Fonseca (TRM), Yannick Yankam (LEX), Cameron Lancaster (LEX)