Tuesday, September 26, 2017

If your team has a high-powered offense, whether on the ground or in the air, this was the week for you.

The GNAC’s five teams combined to score a total of 283 points in three games that included a pair of relative blowouts and an exciting overtime battle.

The overtime shootout, a 49-48 Humboldt State win at Western Oregon, was the first extra period game in the conference since 2014. The Lumberjacks overcame a 35-14 deficit to tie the contest on Robert Webber’s 33-yard touchdown pass to John Todd with 1:40 left.

Ja’Quan Gardner opened the overtime with a three-yard scoring run. Nick Duckworth responded for Western Oregon with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Paul Revis, but the extra point went wide to hand the game to the Lumberjacks.

In the lone non-conference game of the week, Central Washington built a 49-14 cushion on former GNAC foe Dixie State over the first three quarters. The Trailblazers came back to score four fourth quarter touchdowns, but the Wildcats prevailed in the 58-40 victory.

Azusa Pacific, meanwhile, picked up its first GNAC win of the season in record fashion as it beat Simon Fraser 83-7 on Burnaby Mountain. The 83 points and 11 point-after kicks made set a GNAC single game record while the Cougars tied another record with 11 touchdowns.

September will finish up with a pair of conference contests. Simon Fraser will play at Central Washington while Western Oregon travels to Azusa Pacific, where the Cougars have yet to win this year. Humboldt State has the non-conference matchup of the week, hosting Chadron State.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSE
John Todd, Humboldt State
WR • 6-3 • 195 • Junior • San Diego, Calif.

Todd led Humboldt State receivers with 225 yards on seven catches and had three touchdowns in the Lumberjacks’ 49-48 overtime win at Western Oregon. He opened the game with a 90-yard touchdown reception, had a 30-yard scoring reception later in the first and then scored on a 33-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter to tie the game and force overtime. Todd’s 225 receiving yards is the second-best single game performance in HSU history.

Also Nominated: Andrew Elffers (Azusa Pacific), Nick Duckworth (Western Oregon).

DEFENSE
Tyler Johnson, Western Oregon
LB • 6-1 • 225 • Senior • Eugene, Ore.

Johnson came up with 17 tackles, two tackles for loss and forced a fumble, which later resulted in a touchdown, as the Wolves fell in overtime to Humboldt State, 49-48. Johnson also had an interception in the fourth quarter.

Also Nominated: Adrian Shocks (Azusa Pacific), Jackson Huerta (Central Washington).

SPECIAL TEAMS
Jacob Hall, Azusa Pacific
K/P • 6-2 • 195 • Junior • Greenville, Ill.

Hall tied Azusa Pacific and GNAC single-game records with 10 extra-points on 10 attempts and kicked a 19-yard field goal in the Cougars’ 83-7 win at Simon Fraser. He contributed 13 points as APU set a GNAC single-game record in points scored.

Also Nominated: Jackson Huerta (Central Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
AZUSA PACIFIC
LAST WEEK: Sept. 23: Won at Simon Fraser, 83-7
THIS WEEK: Sept. 30: vs. Western Oregon, 6 p.m.

• Azusa Pacific won its first GNAC game of the season in record fashion, setting a conference single game record for points in an 83-7 win at Simon Fraser.

• The 83 points surpassed the previous GNAC record of 77 by Western Washington against Montana Western on 9/15/01. The 11 touchdowns scored by the Cougars tied the record set by Western Washington in the same game. Azusa Pacific also set a record with 11 PAT kicks made.

• Running back Kurt Scoby did the most offensive damage, carrying 11 times for 173 yards and three touchdowns.

• Quarterback Andrew Elffers completed just 5 of 6 passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns and rushed six times for 96 yards and a touchdown. Tyrone Williams, Jr., completed all four of his passes for 133 yards and a touchdown. Elffers enters the week third in the GNAC in rushing at 62.5 yards per game and is fifth in passing with 192.8 yards per game. Elffers is third in Division II with 16.76 yards per completion.

• Kicker Jacob Hall was named the GNAC Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time this season after he tied GNAC records by going 10 for 10 on PAT attempts. He also had a 19-yard field goal late in the second quarter. Hall leads the GNAC in punting with 43.5 yards per punt, but punted just once on Saturday.

• Azusa Pacific enters the week second in the GNAC in scoring offense at 35.5 points per game and third in total offense with 403.2 yards per game. The Cougars lead Division II in net punting (43.50 yards per punt) and is tied for first in defensive touchdowns (3).

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: Sept. 23: Won at Dixie State, 58-40
THIS WEEK: Sept. 30: vs. Simon Fraser, 1 p.m.

• Central Washington scored four first half touchdowns and held as much as a 49-14 lead before holding off a Dixie State fourth quarter surge for the 58-40 victory.

• With the win, Central Washington jumped four more spots to No. 26 in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, one of two GNAC teams in the top-25.

• The Wildcats finished with 442 yards of total offense, 291 of those on the ground. Christian Cummings carried 23 times for 108 yards and three touchdowns. He enters the week ranked 22nd in Division II with five rushing touchdowns and is second in the GNAC with 81.5 rushing yards per game.

• Quarterback Reilly Hennessey completed 11 of 19 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns and he also rushed six times for 71 yards and a touchdown. The junior transfer from Division I-FCS Eastern Washington is fourth in the GNAC with 193.8 passing yards per game.

• The Wildcats picked off Dixie State three times. Tyler Hasty had one of those interceptions to go along with six tackles. James Fakkema finished with six tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack while Kevin Haynes had seven tackles. Central Washington finished with an impressive 16 tackles for loss for 56 yards.

• Billy Greer had one of the two Central Washington sacks. He enters the week ranked 19th in Division II with 1.00 sacks per game. As a team, CWU is 11th in Division II with 3.50 sacks per game and 12th with 9.3 tackles for loss per game.

• Central Washington leads the GNAC and is 15th in Division II in rushing defense with 91.5 yards allowed per game. The Wildcats also lead the GNAC in total defense (316.5 yards allowed per game), first downs (93) and field goals (4 for 5). Offensively, the Wildcats are averaging 462.2 yards per game and 221.8 rushing yards per game.

HUMBOLDT STATE
LAST WEEK: Sept. 23: Won at Western Oregon, 49-48 (OT)
THIS WEEK: Sept. 30: vs. Chadron State, 6 p.m.
 
• Humboldt State used four second half touchdowns to overcome a 35-14 deficit to force overtime and then used Ja’Quan Gardner’s touchdown in the extra period to beat Western Oregon, 49-48.

• The overtime contest was the first in the GNAC since South Dakota Mines beat Dixie State, 41-40, on 11/1/14. It was the fourth overtime game for Humboldt State in the GNAC era (2001-present).

• With the win, Humboldt State climbed three spots to No. 19 in the latest AFCA Division II Coaches Poll.

• Wide receiver John Todd was named the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week after he caught seven catches for 225 yards, which included a 90-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter and a 33-yard reception with 1:40 left in the fourth that forced overtime. Todd enters the week second in the GNAC with 113.7 receiving yards per game and tied for 24th in Division II with four receiving touchdowns.

• Gardner had another impressive game on the ground, carrying 25 times for 176 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime. The senior enters the week ranked 13th in Division II weith 185.33 all-purpose yards per game, fifth with 155 rushing yards per game and seventh with six rushing touchdowns.

• Quarterback Robert Webber completed 17 of 27 passes for 334 yards and five touchdowns, but was also intercepted three times. Webber is second in the GNAC in total offense with 264.7 yards per game and third with 257.3 passing yards per game. Webber’s pass efficiency rating of 203.0 is second in Division II.

• Humboldt State leads the GNAC and is third in Division II in scoring offense with an average of 50.3 points per game and with 538 yards of total offense per game. The Lumberjacks leads Division II with a team pass efficiency rating of 202.24 and sixth with a .705 team completion percentage.

SIMON FRASER
LAST WEEK: Sept. 23: Lost to Azusa Pacific, 83-7
THIS WEEK: Sept. 30: at Central Washington, 1 p.m.

• The Clan was on the losing end of Azusa Pacific’s record performance as the Cougars beat Simon Fraser, 83-7, on Burnaby Mountain.

• Simon Fraser finished the day with 269 yards of total offense, but were hampered by 11 penalties for 93 yards, two interceptions and a pair of safeties allowed.

• Quarterback Miles Richardson completed 21 of 38 passes for 186 yards and one touchdown, a 10-yard scoring pass to Rysen John in the third quarter. Richardson enters the week second in the GNAC with 258 passing yards per game and 30th in Division II with 1,032 total passing yards. Richardson is also 16th in Division II with 23 completions per game.

• Wide receiver Gavin Cobb finished with 202 all-purpose yards, catching seven passes for 67 yards and returning eight kicks for 136 yards. Cobb leads the GNAC and is 11th in Division II with 191 all-purpose yards per game and fifth in Division II with 481 combined kick return yards.

• Simon Fraser enters the week third in the GNAC with 258 passing yards per game while averaging 305.2 yards of total offense per game. The Clan is second in the GNAC in kickoff returns, averaging 20.7 yards per return.

WESTERN OREGON
LAST WEEK: Sept. 23: Lost to Humboldt State, 49-48 (OT)
THIS WEEK: Sept. 30: at Azusa Pacific, 6 p.m.
 
• An impressive offensive effort in the home opener was not enough to pull out the win on Saturday as Humboldt State escaped with a 49-48 overtime win in Monmouth.

• The overtime thriller was the first extra period game in the GNAC since Nov. 1, 2014. It is the fifth that Western Oregon has been in during the GNAC era (2001-present) and the first since Oct. 2, 2004.

• Linebacker Tyler Johnson was named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week after he finished with a GNAC season high 17 tackles (10 solo), two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and an interception. Johnson leads the GNAC and is 27th in Division II with 10.3 total tackles per game and is fourth with 0.8 interceptions per game (3 total).

• Quarterback Nick Duckworth completed 33 of 50 passes for 382 yards and four touchdowns. Duckworth leads the GNAC and is 12th in Division II with 311.8 passing yards per game. He also leads the GNAC and is 18th in Division II with 304.3 total offense yards per game.

• Wide receiver Paul Revis had another impressive game, catching 15 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns, including a 30-yard scoring reception in overtime. Revis enters the week leading the GNAC and fourth in Division II with 140 receiving yards per game.

• Running back Torreahno Sweet rushed 24 times for 111 yards and three touchdowns. He enters the week ranked fifth in the GNAC with 56 rushing yards per game.

• Western Oregon enters the week leading the GNAC and ranked 11th in Division II in passing offense, averaging 328 yards per game. The Wolves lead Division II in both interceptions (10) and defensive touchdowns (3).