INDIANAPOLIS – Four teams are tied at the top of the standings during another crazy weekend on the gridiron as Great Midwest Athletic Conference Football Players of the Week for Week 8 were rolled out on Monday.
The combination of an Ohio Dominican win, Tiffin win, Findlay loss and Hillsdale win, caused a logjam for first place at 4-1.
Ohio Dominican rolled up over 250 yards of rushing in a 56-17 win over Walsh. The Panthers improved to 6-2 overall to bounce back from an overtime loss in Week 7 against Findlay.
Kentucky Wesleyan had a 14-point lead at halftime in an attempt to shock Tiffin while the Dragons eventually stormed back for an overtime win. Tiffin scored 21 points in the second half before QB Nick Watson found Reggie Colson for his second touchdown of the day in overtime, a 32-yard pass play.
Findlay was handed its first loss in the conference schedule by Hillsdale as the Chargers served an upset on the road. The two teams combined to score 29 points in an explosive fourth quarter as Hillsdale QB Garrit Aissen threw for almost 400 yards and three touchdowns.
Ashland escaped from the clutches of Lake Erie in a shootout, a 42-41 final in favor of the Eagles. After being tied 28-28 at halftime, both teams exchanged blows deep into the second half as Lake Erie missed a PAT attempt and Ashland was able to take the lead with six minutes left in regulation. Ashland scored a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns as LEC QB Gerald Gardner had an aerial show with five passing TD’s.
The NCAA Super Region 1 rankings will also be released for the first time this week as programs from the Great Midwest, Mountain East Conference, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and Northeast-10 Conference jockey for position for championship bracket consideration.
Offensive Player of the Week
Isaac TeSlaa
Hillsdale
Wide Receiver
Redshirt Freshman
Hudsonville, MI (Unity Christian HS)
It’s hard to avoid any car-related puns about TeSlaa, but the redshirt freshman receiver revved up the engine of the Hillsdale offense in a hard-earned road victory at Findlay.
The 6-4, 200 lb. target was a problem for the Oilers all afternoon while hauling nine balls for 193 yards and found the end zone three times in a 34-29 win.
The 193 yards represented a single-game high total in the conference this season and ranks as the eighth most in conference history as he edged out current LEC WR Nate Dantley Jr. and current NFL pro Keelan Cole Sr.
TeSlaa caught touchdown passes from QB Garrit Aissen from 81, 37 and 6 yards out, becoming the first player to do this season in the conference. It also represents the 14th time a player has had three receiving TD’s in one game, the last being his current teammate Konnor Maloney against Alderson Broaddus in 2019.
TeSlaa now has team-leading 36 catches for 589 yards this season. His six receiving touchdowns ranks third in the league.
Defensive Player of the Week
Kevin Hyde
Tiffin
Defensive Back
Redshirt Junior
Cincinnati, OH (Colerain HS)
Something must be in the water for cornerbacks and safeties alike in the Great Midwest this fall as the conference single-game interception record was matched for the second time in three weeks of league play.
After Hilldsale’s Jackson Gillock had three interceptions in the game against Walsh in Week 6, Hyde picked off three passes of his own in Week 8.
Hyde came up big for the Dragons in a pivotal overtime win over Kentucky Wesleyan. Two of his picks came inside the red zone to put a halt to potential scoring drives by the Panthers.
Hyde added five tackles and now has five interceptions that is tied for the league lead with Gillock and the Kentucky Wesleyan duo of Kishawn Walker and Shedrick Kirk.
Special Teams Player of the Week
Justin Moore
Ashland
Safety
Junior
Akron, OH (Firestone HS)
In a close 42-41 final, Ashland needed every point on the board, which included a big play from a punt return by Moore on special teams.
The junior safety, who already has three interceptions on the season with 39 tackles, produced a 67-yard return for a score.
It was the second punt return for a touchdown this season in the conference including one by Tiffin’s Anthony Lowe.
Moore broke a 14-14 tie in the second quarter as part of a high-scoring first half. He has returned two punts this season for Ashland.