INDIANAPOLIS – Five games were wrapped up in Week 3 as the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Football Players of the Week were announced on Monday morning by the league office.
Tiffin remains the lone unbeaten in the Great Midwest as the Dragons (3-0, 1-0 G-MAC) conquered Alderson Broaddus on the road in a 29-24 road. The Battlers (0-3, 0-1 G-MAC) moved the ball well, but had a few untimely turnovers down the stretch that hurt a comeback attempt.
Credit Tiffin running back Kyle Brunson, who was the fourth quarter workhorse in the ground game. The numbers might not be flashy, but the sophomore gained some key first downs, chewed up clock and ultimately scored the game-winning touchdown on a 4-yard plunge.
Wide receiver Charles Holland was at it again in the receiving game with 115 yards and another touchdown, his third in as many games. Holland ignited a 23-point second quarter for the Dragons offense with a 39-yard TD from Nick Watson.
That marks three straight wins for the Dragons to begin their era in a new conference with prior wins against the likes of Northwood and Mercyhurst this year.
In Week 3, turnovers were unkind to signal callers across the league. Four different starting QB’s tossed three interceptions apiece as defenses were successful in different coverage schemes.
Thursday started the week early around the league as Lake Erie (0-3, 0-1 G-MAC) just short in in its bid for the first win of the season at Urbana despite three passing touchdowns from Javarian Smith. LEC’s Desmond Turner had two receiving TD’s and Cameron Cobb displayed electric speed to help jolt the offense.
Bedlam ensued in the final game of the schedule as Hillsdale, coming off an overtime heartbreaker against Michigan Tech, bounced back in the most resilient form possible to beat No. 12 Ohio Dominican in Columbus.
The Chargers (2-1, 1-0 G-MAC) threw a wrench into the conference standings and handed the Panthers (2-1, 0-1 G-MAC) what many would consider an unforeseen defeat going into a championship rematch at Findlay in Week 4.
Hillsdale forced six turnovers, including five interceptions to force Ohio Dominican into utilizing two quarterbacks on the field.
Kentucky Wesleyan (1-2, 0-1 G-MAC) clawed its way into the win column against Kentucky State as the defense stood tall in the final moments of regulation. After making two picks in the season opener against Findlay, Alijah McGhee sealed the Panthers’ win with a 28-yard pick six to break a 13-13 tie with 26 seconds left.
Findlay (2-1, 1-0 G-MAC) bounced from a Week 2 defeat against then-No. 9 Ferris State with a home thrashing against William Jewell. The Oilers (2-1, 1-0 G-MAC) took it to the Cardinals with 58 points and chewed up the WJC defense in the run game with six touchdowns.
Malone was idle in Week 3 and it turned out to be an off week for Walsh as the ramifications from Hurricane Florence cancelled a trip to Division I Jacksonville.
Offensive Player of the Week
Austin Sandusky
Hillsdale
Wide Receiver
Senior
Morenci, MI (Morenci HS)
Sandusky stepped up on a big stage to lead all Great Midwest receivers in yards during Week 3 while producing one of the longest plays in conference history.
The Chargers had missed first team all-conference wideout Trey Brock in Week 2 vs. Michigan Tech, but players like Konnor Maloney and Sandusky pushed their games to the next level.
Sandusky continued the early-season surge with four catches and 143 yards with an 80-yard touchdown against No. 12 Ohio Dominican as the Chargers pulled the upset over a nationally-ranked opponent on the road.
The 80-yard connection from QB Chance Stewart is one of the top 10 longest plays in the conference record books and gave Hillsdale a 27-10 lead late in the third quarter.
Sandusky has nine yards and 177 yards receiving on the season with a pair of touchdowns. He is also averaging almost 29 yards on kick returns, including a long of 51.
Defensive Player of the Week
Daijohn Isbell
Tiffin
Defensive Back
Senior
Long Beach, CA (Richland HS)
Isbell contributed to a stifling defensive effort by forcing three of the four turnovers from the Tiffin defense against Alderson Broaddus.
The ballhawk Isbell wears No. 20 and if he wasn’t wearing green and gold, you might have confused him with Ed Reed as he set a new single-game conference record with three interceptions, breaking up a cluster of 10 players who had two picks in a contest.
Isbell also had a conference record with 73 combined return yards, breaking the previous best of 70 from Michael James (Alderson Broaddus) and Dan Shanley (Hillsdale).
Isbell’s performance was one of several standouts in the secondary in Week 3 as KWC’s McGhee delivered a win for Kentucky Wesleyan with a pick six and Hillsdale’s Wyatt Batdorff and Alex Anschutz each had a pair of interceptions.
Special Teams Player of the Week
Matt Harding
Hillsdale
Defensive Back
Freshman
Livonia, MI (Detroit Catholic Central HS)
The first player not named Logen Neidhardt from Ohio Dominican corralled special teams conference weekly honors as Hillsdale turned the tables on the Panthers for an impressive win in the Great Midwest opener.
Harding delivered one of the biggest plays of the game with 80-yard return for a touchdown off a blocked field goal attempt.
He also finished the game with six total tackles and recorded one of Hillsdale’s five interceptions.
Harding’s big play on special teams resulted in a 34-10 lead for Hillsdale early in the fourth quarter.