OUA Players of the Week (2): Vandervoort, Dita-Balotoken & Ferraro

HAMILTON – The following student-athletes have been named OUA Football Players of the Week for the period ending September 2, 2013.

OFFENCE: Daniel Vandervoort, McMaster Marauders, Receiver

First-year receiver Daniel Vandervoort (Barrie, Ont.) starred for the Marauders in a losing effort on Labour Day, hauling in seven catches for a game high of 172 yards and a touchdown. Vandervoort’s major came on the largest play of the day, as McMaster quarterback Marshall Ferguson found him with a 73-yard strike. The rookie receiver has now registered a touchdown in both of McMaster’s games this season, having compiled 89 yards on six catches against Ottawa in the season opener.

DEFENCE: Yann Dita-Balotoken, Queen’s Gaels, Defensive Back

Yann Dika-Balotoken (Toronto, Ont.) returned two interceptions for touchdowns as the No.2 Gaels (2-0) topped the No.6 Marauders (1-1) 31-24 in their home opener in front of over 7,600 fans at Richardson Stadium on Monday afternoon. In the process the Gaels snapped the Marauders 19-game win streak against OUA opponents. The third-year defensive back blew the game open in the third quarter, returning a deflected pass 99 yards to score before returning another errant pass 70 yards to the end zone in the fourth quarter. Balotoken finished with two interceptions, two touchdowns, 4.5 tackles a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Daniel Ferraro, Guelph Gryphons, Kicker

Daniel Ferraro, a third-year kicker from Mississauga, Ont. put together an outstanding clutch performance in Guelph’s 24-23 win over the Windsor Lancers. Ferraro went 3-for-4 on field goals and won the game for the Gryphons with a game-winning 17-yarder with eight seconds left. After an injury to Gryphon kicker, Julian Tropea this past week, Ferraro stepped up for the team and completed both punting and kicking duties. He averaged 39.6 yards per punt on 12 punts and averaged an impressive 64.8 yards per kickoff, keeping the Lancers pinned deep in their own territory.

Advocating for football prospects one story at a time.

Leave a Reply