Football Players of the Week (April 27)

4.27.21

INDIANAPOLIS – The spring season is officially in the books and a champion has been crowned as the final series of Great Midwest Athletic Conference Football Players of the Week were released on Tuesday.
 
Tiffin finished a perfect run through the spring standings to earn the conference title on Saturday night against Findlay. The Dragons earned their label of back-to-back champions with a 23-8 win under head coach Cris Reisert.
 
Ohio Dominican and Findlay tied for the second in the league standings at 4-2. Hillsdale defeated ODU to close out the regular season and Kentucky Wesleyan scored a spring victory on Sunday against Lake Erie.
 
Coaches will start the all-conference and individual awards process later this week.
 
Offensive Player of the Week
Devin Butler
Tiffin
Wide Receiver
RS Senior
District Heights, MD (Frederick Douglass HS)
 
Butler was the primary target early and often from his QB Nick Watson, who graciously deferred to his teammate despite having strong enough numbers to merit offensive weekly consideration for the fourth time in a row.
 
The 6-1 wide out had 8 catches for 148 yards and a pair of TD’s on Saturday at Frost-Kalnow Stadium, helping lift his team to the outright conference title. With the weather conditions a bit slick, the senior made some tough catches in traffic while gaining separation on some deeper routes as well.
 
One of those tough catches was on a 3rd and 5 in Tiffin’s first drive of the game. He capped the scoring drive shortly after with a 35-yard gain caught in the corner of the end zone from Watson.
 
On the other end of the field in the second quarter, he cashed in from the red zone from 8 yards out. His long reception of the day was 49 yards.
 
Butler had his second 100+ yard receiving game of the season after erupting for 161 yards in the season-opening win vs. Walsh. He also had a receiving touchdown vs. Kentucky Wesleyan on April 10.
 
Defensive Player of the Week
Kyle Kudla
Hillsdale
Linebacker
Sophomore
Avon, OH (Avon HS)
 
Kudla did a little bit of everything on the field to help the Chargers beat Ohio Dominican and end the spring on a very high note. Hillsdale played spoiler to thwart at least a chance of the Panthers possibly sharing co-champion honors in one of the scenarios that unfolded Saturday.
 
The sophomore linebacker was a dynamic playmaker as he finished with nine tackles, a sack, tackle for a loss, forced fumble and an interception.
 
Six of those tackles were solo. He jarred the ball loose from ODU on a running play in the first quarter inside the red zone.
 
In ODU’s first offensive series of the second half, Kudla picked off QB Evan Ernst around midfield, triggering a long Hillsdale offensive drive where points off of his turnover were converted by RB Logan VanEnkevort that gave the Chargers a 28-14 lead.
 
In the fourth quarter, Kudla applied pressure for a sack to begin an ODU drive with 8:40 left to play. The Chargers’ defense would give possession back to their offense with another fumble recovery.
 
Special Teams Player of the Week
David Orlando
Tiffin
Kicker/Punter
Junior
Avon, OH (Avon HS)
 
Orlando earned player of the week honors for his performance for the third time this season, his contributions in Saturday’s championship game an unquestioned factor in lifting Tiffin to the conference title.
 
Orlando scored 11 points off three made field goals and a pair of converted PAT’s while making his mark in field position with two different punts downed inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.
 
It marked a top-10 single game scoring performance by a kicker in conference history with a handful of individuals scoring 11 points or more.
 
He nailed all three of his field goal attempts with a long of 27, guaranteeing the Dragons’ some points following long drives sustained by the offense.
 
The junior averaged over 41 yards on three punts, including a long of 53.