Week 9 Notes
Great Midwest Records (PDF)
INDIANAPOLIS - Only three games are taking place on Saturday in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference for Week 9 as teams continue to jostle for position in the league standings.
Conference leaders Tiffin, who find themselves as the first team out of the AFCA Top 25 poll and the ninth team in the Super Region 1 rankings, are idle this week. Ohio Dominican also finds itself with a bye after coming in at number 10 in the Super Region 1 rankings.
The first game on Saturday finds Findlay travelling to Lake Erie. The Oilers are coming off a close battle with sixth-ranked Notre Dame College (OH) and look to bounce back this week. The Oilers rank second in the conference in total offense while the Storm rank second in the conference in total defense.
One side of the ball will have to give this week. Findlay ranks third in the conference in passing behind QB Matt Winzeler and have the second leading receiver, Ruben Flowers. The Lake Erie defense is led by stud DT Justin Growel.
LEC has some stout offensive weapons of their own after Javarian Smith and Nate Dantley Jr. linked up 12 times for 200 yards in Week 8 vs. Tiffin. Smith also threw for 469 yards, one of the highest single-game marks in the conference records.
In the second matchup of the week, Hillsdale travels to Alderson Broaddus as the Battlers look to pick up their first win of the season. The Chargers are led by RB David Graham who averages just under 100 yards per game and leads the league in points at 74. DB Zach Herzog leads the conference in total tackles with 74.
On the other side of the field, the Battlers look to pick up a victory behind DB Matt Jackson who ranks sixth in the conference in total tackles at 57.
The final matchup of the week sees Kentucky Wesleyan traveling to Walsh in the nightcap. The Cavaliers are seeking their second conference win of the season while the Panthers will attempt to secure their first win this year.
Walsh is led by RB Koby Adu-Poku who is third in the conference in all-purpose yards. Leondre Crosby and Morgan Trust rank fourth and fifth in tackles for loss in the league with a combined 17. Trust is also second in the conference in sacks with 8 total.
Kentucky Wesleyan is led by QB Wiley Cain who averages 223 yards per game through the air, which ranks fifth in the conference. The defense ranks fourth in the conference in sacks at 16 and fifth in interceptions at 9, two of which were returned for touchdowns.
Teams will look to pick up victories and move up in the conference standings with only two more weeks of regular season football left following this Saturday. Postseason bids are at stake, including a bowl bid in the America’s Crossroads Bowl in early December.