INDIANAPOLIS – In Week 4, two teams emerged as co-leaders in the standings as the new Great Midwest Athletic Conference Football Players of the Week were announced on Monday morning by the league.
Hillsdale and Tiffin both took care of business over the weekend to earn their second Great Midwest win.
The Chargers (3-1, 2-0 G-MAC) stymied Lake Erie despite holding just a 17-7 lead at the break. The Hillsdale offense was tracked in the second half and first-team all-conference wide receiver Trey Brock became the school’s all-time leader in career yards.
Hillsdale RB David Graham cashed in on two red zone carries for scores and Drake Temple had one of the longest interception returns in league history with a 70-yard runback.
The Dragons (4-0, 2-0 G-MAC) won their fourth straight game and remain as the lone unbeaten representing the league after dispatching of Walsh (0-3, 0-1 G-MAC) in a close finish. After Daijohn Isbell picked off a single-game record three passes last week, Da’Von Johnson stepped up with a go-ahead pick six in the second quarter.
Under the lights at Donnell Stadium, Findlay (2-2, 1-1 G-MAC) and Ohio Dominican (3-1, 1-1 G-MAC) faced off as part of the NCAA DII Showcase package as an ESPN3 production in a conference championship rematch. For the second straight year, ODU had the upper hand as redshirt freshman QB Evan Ernst made his first career start and threw for over 300 yards and two TD’s in his first career start.
Ernst showed poise in the pocket and wasn’t rattled on a big stage going up against an Oilers defense that permitted just over 300 yards of total offense in the first three weeks of the season.
On a crisp cool night, Richard Wilson and EJ Colson each had over 100 yards rushing as ODU and UF combined for 81 rushing attempts.
In a shootout, Kentucky Wesleyan picked it up its second straight win in at Steele Stadium as five different scoring plays of 50+ yards were racked up in the box score between the Panthers (2-2, 1-1 G-MAC) and Malone (1-2, 1-1 G-MAC).
A 38-38 tie in the fourth quarter was snapped for good on a record-tying kickoff return that is mentioned below.
The lone non-conference game had Alderson Broaddus running roughshod over Glenville State in the I-79 Barrel Classic. The Battlers (1-3, 0-1 G-MAC) broke into the win column and have uncovered a gem with QB Joe Czlelusniak, who threw for over 350 yards and three TD’s.
Offensive Player of the Week
Landan Thomas
Kentucky Wesleyan
Running Back
Freshman
Coral Springs, FL (Coral Springs Charter)
In a breakout performance, Thomas turned on the burners against Malone by helping anchor the ground game to bury the Pioneers in conference play.
The rookie speedster threatened the single-game conference rushing record held by a former Kentucky Wesleyan running back, Josiah Israel (237 yards in 2016), by racking up 220 on 26 carries.
Thomas dashed for three touchdowns, including long scoring runs of 51 and 58 yards, as the Panthers totaled almost 450 yards of total offense. He became just the eighth player since 2016 to score three rushing TD’s.
His first rushing score was from 51 yards out to give KWC a 14-7 in the first quarter. He capped a six-play drive with an 18-yard run in the red zone at the start of the second quarter. The big-play ability was again on display with a game-tying 58-yard rumble in the third that put KWC and Malone even at 31-31.
Thomas’ rushing yardage total is the fourth best in conference history behind Israel and Brandon Jones (Alderson Broaddus), who ran for 232 and 230 as a senior.
Thomas is now third in the conference in rushing while averaging 73.8 yards per game on 44 carries. He is averaging 6.7 yards per carry.
Defensive Player of the Week
Ross Thompson
Ohio Dominican
Linebacker
Redshirt Senior
Delphos, OH (Delphos Jefferson HS)
If you were tuned into Saturday’s game on social media, a Cox Sports TV affiliate or the Great Midwest Digital Network, #2 in white was on your radar the entire game leading a fierce Ohio Dominican defensive stand.
Thompson is the first student-athlete of the season to collect his second conference weekly award as he racked up 14 tackles, a sack and broke up two passes in ODU’s 34-21 win against Findlay.
Thompson led all players around the league in Week 4 in tackles from his linebacker spot and is currently second in the league with 45 total stops.
He helped generate an effective ODU pass rush with his second sack of the season and the Panthers were able to pressure the Oilers with four sacks as unit.
He jarred the ball loose in the Findlay red zone late in the second half on a Rhys Gervais pass attempt as one of his memorable breakups. Thompson was credited with five solo tackles and nine assisted stops.
Special Teams Player of the Week
Derek Barnes
Kentucky Wesleyan
Wide Receiver
Senior
Clearwater, FL (Calvary Christian HS)
Barnes carved out arguably one of the best single-game performances in Great Midwest history with his impact in the kick return game and as a downfield threat in the pass attack.
Listed at 6-1, 190, Barnes was a nightmare for the Pioneers on Saturday as he finished with 330 all-purpose yards and three total touchdowns.
Barnes had a game-winning 100-yard kickoff return, going the entire length of the field to break a 38-38 tie midway through the fourth quarter. His run matched a 100-yard return by AB’s Maurice Thomas done just last year.
Barnes also added three catches for 142 yards (led all Great Midwest receivers in yards for Week 4) and two touchdown grabs as the Panthers won back-to-back games.
His 330 all-purpose yardage total is the fourth best in a single game behind Ashton Dulin (Malone), Keelan Cole (Kentucky Wesleyan) and David Turner (Ohio Dominican).
Barnes is now the league leader in all-purpose yardage with 259 on kick returns, 233 receiving and 121 on punt returns.