FRC - CIS football players of the week (#3): Finch, Kruba, Kolodzinski honoured

OTTAWA (CIS) – Western quarterback Will Finch, teammate and linebacker Pawel Kruba, as well as Saskatchewan kicker Denton Kolodzinski are the CIS football players of the week for the period ending Sept. 7, 2013.

Finch, a second-year social science student from Burlington, Ont., was honoured on offence after he guided the nationally third-ranked Mustangs (3-0) to a dominating 58-15 road win over defending two-time OUA champion McMaster (1-2), Saturday in Hamilton. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound sophomore was near perfect against the 2012 Vanier Cup finalists, completing 74 percent of his passes (26 of 35) for 449 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. Three games into the season, Finch leads CIS in completion percentage (75.8) as well as touchdown-to-interception ratio (10-1).

StFX receiver Devon Bailey, McGill running back Luis Guimont-Mota and UBC running back Brandon Deschamps were also up for the award.

Kruba, a fifth-year social science student from Windsor, Ont., took home the weekly honour on defence thanks to his game-high nine tackles and two interceptions in the victory against the Marauders. The 5-foot-11, 210 pound senior picked off quarterback Marshall Ferguson on back-to-back McMaster drives in the third quarter, two plays which were quickly converted into Western field goals. Kruba’s two interceptions tie him for the CIS lead after three weeks of regular season action.

Saint Mary’s lineman Rob Jubenville, Laval safety Vincent Plante and Calgary lineman Brett Wade were also nominated.

Kolodzinski, a fourth-year student from Regina, was the choice on special teams after he was good on each of his five field goal attempts in a hard-fought 36-34 road victory over No. 8-ranked Manitoba (1-1), including the game-winning kick from 40 yards out with 18 seconds remaining in regulation. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound senior, who had split the uprights from 32, 44, 37 and 37 yards out earlier in the contest, also had a great day punting and kicking off the ball as he averaged 43.4 yards on seven punts and 57.8 yards on four kickoffs. The win helped the undefeated Huskies (2-0) move up to No. 6 in the CIS Top 10.

Saint Mary’s returner Melvin Abankwah, Montreal kicker Félix Ménard-Brière and Western kicker Lirim Hajrullahu were the other nominees.

Offensive nominees:
AUS: Devon Bailey, receiver, StFX
RSEQ: Luis Guimont-Mota, running back, McGill
OUA: Will Finch, quarterback, Western (recipient)
CWUAA: Brandon Deschamps, running back, UBC

Defensive nominees:
AUS: Rob Jubenville, lineman, Saint Mary’s
RSEQ: Vincent Plante, safety, Laval
OUA: Pawel Kruba, linebacker, Western (recipient)
CWUAA: Brett Wade, lineman, Calgary

Special team nominees:
AUS: Melvin Abankwah, returner, Saint Mary’s
RSEQ: Félix Ménard-Brière, kicker, Montreal
OUA: Lirim Hajrullahu, kicker, Western
CWUAA: Denton Kolodzinski, kicker, Saskatchewan (recipient)

WEEK 4 SCHEDULE (all times local)

September 14

13:00 No. 7 Guelph (2-0) at Toronto (1-2)(Sportsnet 360)

13:00 Carleton (0-2) at Windsor (1-2)(TVCOGECO & live webcast)

13:00 York (1-1) at No. 9 McMaster (1-2)(Cable 14 TV & live webcast)

13:00 StFX (1-0) at Concordia (0-2)(live webcast)

13:00 Ottawa (2-1) at No. 3 Western (3-0) (Rogers TV London)

13:00 No. 10 Saint Mary’s (1-0) at No. 4 Montreal (2-0) (Radio-Canada TV & live webcast)

14:00 No. 1 Laval (2-0) at Acadia (0-1)(live webcast English & live webcast French)

14:00 McGill (1-1) at Mount Allison (0-1)(Eastlink TV & live webcast)

14:00 No. 8 Manitoba (1-1) at UBC (1-1)(live webcast)

17:00 No. 6 Saskatchewan (2-0) at No. 5 Calgary (2-0) (live webcast)

17:00 Regina (0-2) at Alberta (0-2)(SHAW TV & live webcast)

19:00 Laurier (0-3) at Waterloo (1-2)(live webcast)

19:00 Bishop’s (1-1) at Sherbrooke (0-2)

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Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) represents journalists and broadcasters in every region of the country covering CIS Football. Since 1958, Football Reporters of Canada has been an organization of media members who have covered the Canadian Football League, serving to select the league’s outstanding players, coach-of-the-year and all-star teams through voting conducted by its members. In 2009, the FRC amalgamated with the University Football Reporters of Canada (UFRC) to give the organization greater scope in its affiliation with amateur and college football. FRC also works with the CFL and CIS to establish guidelines and working conditions for the men and women who report on the game. Selected members of FRC also help to choose builders, players and media members for induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

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