Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Central Washington provided for the closest game for GNAC teams in week one of the season. This week, the Wildcats will have a chance to show off in a very tough test in front of an ESPN3 audience.

After falling to Division I-FCS Idaho 41-31 last week, Central Washington hosts No. 2 Ferris State in a game that will be streamed nationally as part of the NCAA Division II Football Showcase.

The Wildcats provided the Vandals quite the battle in the Kibbie Dome, building as much as a seven-point lead in the second quarter. The Vandals came back to take a 10-point fourth quarter lead, but Tony Archie’s 39-yard touchdown pass to JoJo Hillel brought CWU within 34-31 with seven minutes left.

Central Washington finished with a respectable 359 yards of total offense in the contest and converted on every red zone opportunity.
Ferris State will provide just as tough if not a tougher challenge for the Wildcats. Ranked No. 2 in the latest AFCA Division II Coaches Top 25, the Bulldogs advanced to the 2018 NCAA Division II championship game. The Bulldogs were on the losing end of an exciting 49-47 contest with Valdosta State.

Ferris State enters the week with a 1-0 record after a 24-23 home win last week over Findlay. The Bulldogs had to hold off a late rally by the Oilers, who saw a two-point conversion opportunity fail with 51 seconds left to avoid the upset.

Central Washington had one of two Division I-FCS opponents last week. Simon Fraser had a solid start at Portland State, with Rysen John scoring on a 60-yard touchdown pass three plays into the game. The Vikings rebounded from a slow start, however, to roll to the 70-7 win.
Western Oregon opened the 2019 campaign on Thursday, dropping a 45-20 game to Angelo State. Azusa Pacific also opened in Lone Star country, falling at West Texas A&M 35-16.

The Wolves will host the other GNAC home game this weekend, welcoming No. 12 Texas A&M-Commerce to McArthur Field. Simon Fraser plays at Angelo State while Azusa Pacific travels to Missouri S&T.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Tony Archie, Central Washington
WR • 6-1 • Junior • Tacoma, Wash.

Archie finished with 185 yards of total offense and a pair of touchdowns in the Wildcats’ 41-31 loss to Division I-FCS Idaho. Archie caught eight passes for 146 receiving yards. Both of his touchdowns came in the second quarter, including one with 9:13 left in the quarter that gave CWU a 14-10 lead. Archie also threw for a 39-yard touchdown pass to JoJo Hillel with 7:13 left in the fourth quarter that brought the Wildcats back to within 34-31.

Also Nominated: Brandon Jackson (Azusa Pacific), Rysen John (Simon Fraser), Ty Currie (Western Oregon).

DEFENSIVE
Donte Hamilton, Central Washington
DB • 6-3 • Senior • Mission Viejo, Calif.

Hamilton led all defensive players in the game with 17 tackles (7 solo, 10 assisted) in the Wildcats’ 41-31 loss at Division I-FCS Idaho. He also had 2.5 tackles for loss for 16 yards and one of three CWU sacks for a loss of eight yards.

Also Nominated: Ben Sakut (Azusa Pacific), Joey Sinclair (Western Oregon).

SPECIAL TEAMS
Ramzee Jaridly, Azusa Pacific
P/K • 6-1 • Freshman • Chino Hills, Calif.

In his first collegiate game, Jaridly went 3 for 3 on field goals and 1 for 1 on his only point-after attempt in the Cougars’ 35-16 loss at West Texas A&M on Saturday, accounting for the majority of APU’s points. He connected on second-quarter field goals on 35 and 23 yards and added a long attempt for 39 yards in the third quarter.

Also Nominated: Gavin Todd (Central Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
AZUSA PACIFIC
LAST WEEK: Sept. 7: Lost at West Texas A&M, 35-16
THIS WEEK: Sept. 14: at Missouri S&T, 7 p.m. (CDT)

• Azusa Pacific scored all of its points in a 16-point run through the second and third quarter, but that momentum was not enough to hold off five straight West Texas A&M touchdowns in the final 20 minutes for a 35-16 loss in the opener.

• Freshman kicker Ramzee Jaridly accounted for 10 of those points with three field goals and the Cougars’ lone extra point of the game, earning him GNAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Jaridly went 3 for 3 on field goal attempts, two of which were over 30 yards. He kicked his long field goal of 39 yards with 9:23 left in the third quarter.

• Azusa Pacific finished with 277 yards of total offense, 253 of which came in the air. Junior quarterback Tyrone Williams, Jr., completed 25 of 36 passes for 253 yards and a touchdown. He enters the week leading the GNAC in passing yardage and is 14th in Division II with 25 yards per completion.

• Junior wide receiver Brandon Jackson caught six of those passes for 63 yards and the lone third quarter touchdown. Senior running back Bryce Grandison caught seven passes for 62 yards.

• In what might be one of the cleanest games ever in Division II football, the two teams combined for just three penalties for a total of 20 yards. Azusa Pacific had two of those for 10 yards. The two teams are among those tied first in Division II in fewest penalty yards.

• Defensively, junior linebacker Ben Sukut led Azusa Pacific with 10 tackles, including seven solo tackles. He had one tackle for loss and had the Cougars’ lone sack of the game for five yards. Senior defensive end Robert Bohanna had 2.5 tackles for loss. Bohanna ranks 18th in Division II in tackles for loss.

• Azusa Pacific leads the GNAC in passing offense with 253 yards and is first in scoring defense with 35 points allowed. The Cougars’ 18 first downs allowed is also a GNAC best.

• The Cougars are on the road next Saturday, playing at Missouri S&T. Azusa Pacific opens home play on Saturday, Sept. 21, hosting Western Oregon in both teams’ GNAC opener.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: Sept. 7: Lost at Idaho, 41-31
THIS WEEK: Sept. 14: vs. Ferris State, 4:05 p.m.

• Central Washington had Idaho on the ropes, leading by seven in the second quarter and with a shot to win it late before a late Vandals’ touchdown gave the Division I-FCS hosts a 41-31 victory.

• While the Wildcats allowed 498 yards of total offense, they also forced two Idaho turnovers, both of which Central Washington converted into points. Central Washington also finished with six tackles for loss and three sacks.

• Senior linebacker Donte Hamilton was named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week after he led all players with 17 tackles, including seven solo tackles. He also had 2.5 tackles for loss for 16 yards and a sack for eight yards. Hamilton ranks third in Division II in total tackles and is 18th with his 2.5 tackles for loss.

• Junior wide receiver Tony Archie earned GNAC Offensive Player of the Week honors after he finished with 185 yards of total offense and played a role in three touchdowns. Archie caught eight passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns, including a 24-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter that gave the Wildcats their first lead of the game. Archie also threw for a 39-yard touchdown pass with 7:13 left in the fourth which brought the Wildcats within three points.

• Redshirt freshman Canon Racanelli had a solid showing in his collegiate debut, completing 13 of 31 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns.

• Senior running back Michael Roots also had a strong game, carrying the ball 22 times for 113 yards. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry and enters the week ranked first in the GNAC and 22nd in Division II.

• Central Washington still ranks among teams receiving votes in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, receiving five points.

• Central Washington leads the GNAC in scoring offense (31), pass efficiency (147.8) kickoff returns (21.7 yards per return) and punt returns (11 yards per return). The Wildcats are second in the GNAC in total offense at 359 yards per game and second in both rushing offense (114 yards per game) and passing offense (359 yards per game). Defensively, CWU is 20th in Division II with three sacks.

• The Wildcats will face another huge test this week in front of a national audience, hosting No. 2 ranked Ferris State on Saturday. The game will be streamed on ESPN3 as part of the Division II Football Showcase.

SIMON FRASER
LAST WEEK: Sept. 7: Lost at Portland State, 70-7
THIS WEEK: Sept. 14: at Angelo State, 6 p.m. (CDT)

• Simon Fraser succeeded in hanging with Portland State through most of the first half, but the Vikings regrouped to seven second-half touchdowns and 10 straight to end the game to beat the Clan 70-7.

• The Clan’s lone touchdown came on the third play of the game when sophomore quarterback Justin Sieber found senior wide receiver Rysen John for a 60-yard touchdown pass. The Clan also had scoring chances on two of their next three drives, but missed field goals at 40 and 47 yards.

• John led the Simon Fraser offense with 141 receiving yards on five catches. He enters the week ranked 20th in Division II in receiving.

• Sieber completed 9 of 23 passes for 157 yards before he was knocked out by an injury late in the second quarter. Sieber enters the week ranked 18th in Division II with 17.44 yards per completion.

• Sophomore kicker Kees Metselaar kept busy much of the day, punting 10 times for 435 yards and averaged 43.5 yards per punt. He currently ranks 11th in Division II in punting average.

• Junior linebacker Griffin Barrett led the Simon Fraser offense with 11 tackles, which included six solo tackles. The Simon Fraser defense forced and recovered three fumbles in the first half, with sophomore defensive back Brendan Lowry doing the honors for two of those fumbles.

• Simon Fraser enters the week averaging 113 yards per game and 178 passing yards per contest. The Clan is fifth in Division II with the three recovered fumbles and ranks 22nd with three turnovers gained.

• Simon Fraser hits the road this week for its first Division II contest of the season, traveling to San Angelo, Texas for a Saturday night meeting with Angelo State.

WESTERN OREGON
LAST WEEK: Sept. 5: Lost at Angelo State, 45-20
THIS WEEK: Sept. 14: vs. Texas A&M-Commerce, 1:05 p.m.
 
• Opening the 2019 GNAC season on Thursday night, Western Oregon ran into an Angelo State buzzsaw that scored six straight touchdowns through the middle of the game in taking a 45-20 loss to the Rams in the season opener for both teams.

• The Wolves finished with a solid 399 yards of total offense in the contest, almost evenly divided between passing and rushing. Senior quarterback Ty Currie completed 15 of 26 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown. His lone scoring pass went to freshman wide receiver Damon Hickok late in the fourth quarter. Currie also carried 18 times for 60 yards. Currie enters the week ranked second in the GNAC in passing.

• Sophomore running back Omari Land led the WOU rushing game, carrying 21 times for 82 yards and two touchdowns. Land is second in the GNAC in rushing and is tied for 19th in Division II with his 12 points scored.

• Defensively, sophomore Jaylin Parnell led the Wolves with eight tackles and three passes defended, which ranks him seventh in Division II in the category. Sophomore defensive back Joey Sinclair also had eight tackles in the contest, including five solo tackles.

• Junior return specialist Curtis Anderson returned four kicks for a total of 83 yards, including a long run of 28 yards. He is the early GNAC leader in total kick return yards.

• Western Oregon leads the GNAC in total offense with its 399 yards also leads the conference with 197 rushing yards per game and 22 first downs. The Wolves also rank 10th in Division II in time of possession (37:24).

• The Wolves will open the 2019 home schedule on Saturday, hosting Texas A&M-Commerce at 1:05 p.m.