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BAY CITY, Mich. - Ferris State University sophomore quarterback Jason Vander Laan (Frankfort, Ill./Chicago Christian) was named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) "Offensive Player of the Week" after setting a new Division II record for single season rushing yards by a quarterback in FSU's 35-22 win over Northern Michigan University . Michigan Technological University senior linebacker Taylor Ziolkowski (Goodman, Wis.) earned "Defensive Player of the Week Honors," while Grand Valley State University senior safety/kick returner Erik Thompson (Pontiac, Mich./L’Anse Creuse North) was tabbed "Special Teams Player of the Week."
GLIAC Football Offensive Player of the Week:
Jason Vander Laan - Ferris State
(SO, QB, 6-4, 236, Frankfort, Ill./Chicago Christian)
FSU sophomore quarterback Jason Vander Laan had a record-setting day as the Bulldogs posted a 35-22 win over Northern Michigan in the regular-season finale on Saturday. Vander Laan entered the contest needing only 88 yards rushing to establish a new NCAA D-II all-time single season record for yards gained on the ground by a quarterback and accomplished the feat in the first quarter en route to 211 total yards on the ground. He ran for three scores and threw for another as the Bulldogs completed their first eight-win season since 2006 and only the second in the program’s last 16 years.
GLIAC Football
Offensive Weekly Honor Roll:
Jamie Potts - GV, Sam Landry - HC, Anthony Bilal - LE, Justin
Davis - MU, Tyler Scarlett - MT, Shaye Brown - NM, Brandon Schoen -
OD, Jonathon Jennings - SV, Antonio Pipkin - TU, Desmond Martin -
WS.
2013 GLIAC Offensive "Players of the Week": (9/9) A. Bilal - LE; (9/16) J. Vander Laan - FS; (9/23) J. Jennings - SV; (9/30) V. Reed - UF; (10/7) A Taylor - AU; (10/14) J. Vander Laan - FS; (10/21) B. Gallagher - LE; (10/28) J. Jennings - SV; (11/04) J. Jennings - SV; (11/11) M. Miller - OD (11/18) J. Vander Laan - FS.
GLIAC Football Defensive Player of the Week:
Taylor Ziolkowski - Michigan Tech
(SR, LB, 6-0, 215, Goodman, Wis.)
Taylor Ziolkowski had a career-high
17 tackles plus the game-clinching interception in Tech’s
28-21 win over Wayne State last Saturday (Nov. 16). The senior
linebacker posted 12 solo tackles including one on a fourth-down
play that stopped a Warriors drive in the fourth
quarter. Ziolkowski’s interception came at the
six yard line with 29 seconds left as WSU was trying tie the score.
The Huskies were able to kneel out the clock after the pick.
Ziolkowski, who had four consecutive double-digit tackle games to
end his career, finished as Tech’s top tackler with 93 stops
on the year.
GLIAC Football Defensive Weekly Honor
Roll:
Jamar Wimberly - FS, Jordan Kaufman - GV, Devin Moynihan - HC,
Tanner Wells - LE, Brock Lundeen - MU, Thomas McNamara - NM,
Di’Andre Harrison - OD, Brian Johnson - SV, Terry Harper -
TU, Ed Viverette - WS.
2013 GLIAC Defensive "Players of the Week":
(9/9) J. Kaufman - GV; (9/16) E. Viverette - WS; (9/23) J.
Zimmer - FS; (9/30) C. Culbertson - OD; (10/7) R. Williams - GV;
(10/14) J. Stewart - FS; (10/21) C. Trudell - WU; (10/28) D. Hogan
- GV; (10/28) D. Hogan - GV.; (11/04) D. Hogan - GV; (11/11) R.
Williams - GV; (11/18) T. Ziolkowski - MT.
GLIAC Football Special Teams Player of the Week:
Erik Thompson - Grand Valley St.
(SR, SS, 6-1, 200, Pontiac, Mich./L’Anse Creuse
North)
Grand Valley State senior SS/KR
Erik Thompson returned a second half kickoff 76 yards for a
touchdown that helped the Lakers claim a 49-34 victory over Saginaw
Valley State in the regular season finale. Grand Valley State led
28-27 with 9:05 left in the third quarter when Thompson took a
short kickoff back 76 yards for a touchdown that upped the GVSU
lead to 35-27. The touchdown was the first of three the Lakers
scored in a span of 9:01 in the second half. In addition, Thompson
added six tackles on defense.
GLIAC Football Special Teams
Weekly Honor Roll:
Kenya Price - FS, Steven Mette - HC, Christian Jesse - NM, Brent
Wahle - OD, Scott Stanford - SV.
2012 GLIAC Special Teams
"Players of the Week": (9/9) N. Morris - UF;
(9/16) D. Harrison - OD; (9/23) G. Mead - MT; (9/30) J. Bell - OD;
(10/7) B. Wahle - OD; (10/14) S. Stanford - SV; (10/21) B. Wahle -
OD; (10/28) S. Willis - TU; (11/4) J. Phillips - MU; (11/11) V.
Showers - WS; (11/18) E.Thompson - GV.