INDIANAPOLIS – The 11th and final week of the regular season saw a league champion rise to the top as Great Midwest Athletic Conference Football Players of the Week were released on Monday.
Findlay claimed the program’s first conference title by defeating Tiffin on Saturday. The Oilers then found out they would be in the field of 28 programs selected to the NCAA Division II Championship bracket in Super Region One against No. 2 seed Shepherd this upcoming Saturday.
Pending an official announcement, another postseason opportunity awaits for a Great Midwest program in the America’s Crossroads Bowl Game in early December against an opponent from the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC).
Offensive Player of the Week
Brian Benson
Findlay
Running Back
Junior
Mansfield, OH (Senior HS)
Benson was ultra reliable toting the rock and the talented running back had his name called plenty to set the tone for Findlay’s ground game against Tiffin.
Benson carried 38 times for 244 yards while averaging 6.4 yards per rush attempt. He scored three touchdowns, all in the first half.
The junior punched it in three times inside the 10-yard line to highlight an efficient day in the red zone in less than ideal weather conditions at Donnell Stadium.
In seven games played, Benson now has 467 net yards on the ground while scoring six touchdowns. He is averaging 66.7 yards per game and his long run of the season is a 32-yard play.
Defensive Player of the Week
Ervin Besingi
Findlay
Defensive Line
Junior
Clayton, OH (Northmont HS)
Big players show up in big games and the intimidating #0 in the Orange and Black was everywhere on the field to help Findlay win a conference championship trophy.
Besingi wreaked havoc in the Dragons’ backfield as he finished with four tackles for a loss, a pair of sacks and one forced fumble.
The junior lineman tallied five total tackles, four solo, to help slow down a Tiffin offense that still ranked as the league’s best in scoring by the end of the weekend.
Besingi is tied for second in the conference in total tackles for a loss with 13.5 while sharing the league lead with Ohio Dominican’s Eddie Miller-Garrett in sacks with 8.5 each.
Special Teams Player of the Week
Jack Shannon
Hillsdale
Punter
Senior
Huntertown, IN (Carroll HS)
Two of the premier booming legs in the conference were on display on Saturday as Hillsdale defeated Ohio Dominican in an important regular season conclusion for both programs.
Shannon was instrumental in helping swing field position for the Chargers on his seven punt attempts in a 21-17 win at Frank “Muddy” Waters Stadium on Saturday.
The senior averaged 46.7 yards per punt and drilled a long of 55 as his total yardage came out to 327 on the day.
The Chargers kept their postseason hopes alive with a win as they finished the regular season with a 6-5 overall record. Shannon is second in the conference in punting and has placed 13 punts inside the opponent 20-yard line.