GUELPH – It was a night to recognize the many faces that make Gryphon Football the special program that it is. Coaches, players, staff, supporters and members of the Guelph community came out to the University of Guelph's Creelman Hall on Saturday night (Jan. 25, 2020) for the Wildman Dinner, the annual awards night for the Guelph Gryphons football team.
Fifth-year linebacker
Job Reinhart took home the two biggest trophies of the evening, with the Guelph native being named the recipient of both the Ted Wildman Memorial trophy (athletics, academic and community service), as well as the Donald Forster award as team MVP.
Reinhart, who was selected by the Calgary Stampeders in the 7th round of the 2019 CFL Draft, returned to U of G for his fifth and final season this past fall and capped off a memorable Gryphon career by earning OUA All-Star honours for the second time in his career. The landscape architecture major helped lead a U of G defence that finished the 2019 regular season as the No. 1-ranked scoring defence in the province. Reinhart finished 2nd on the team with 44.5 tackles to go along with 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble while anchoring the middle of the Gryphon defence.
Dotun Aketepe, a fourth-year marketing management major from Barrie, was named the recipient of the Tom Dimitroff Sr. Defensive Player of the Year award. Aketepe started the season at free safety before transitioning to halfback where he would become one of the league's top shutdown players. Aketepe recorded a team-high 4 interceptions in 2019 to go along with 29.0 tackles to help him earn OUA All-Star status for the first time in his four-year career with the Gryphons. Fifth-year receiver
Kade Belyk was named the Stu Lang Offensive Player of the Year for a second consecutive season after leading the team in receptions (31) despite missing three regular season games due to injury.
Perhaps the most explosive player for the Gryphons in 2019 was rookie
Clark Barnes, who was named Special Teams Player of the Year after an unforgettable freshman campaign. Barnes earned First Team U SPORTS All-Canadian status as a returner after recording three kickoff returns for touchdowns. A complete list of the award winners for the 2019 Gryphon football season can be found below. The Gryphons 2020 football schedule has been released with the team set to kickoff a new decade with a road game at York before returning home to face Waterloo on Sunday, September 6.
Wildman Dinner Award Winners
Award winners recognized from the 2019 OUA football season
Ted Wildman Memorial Trophy: Job Reinhart
Donald Forster Trophy (MVP): Job Reinhart
Stu Lang Offensive Player of the Year: Kade Belyk
Tom Dimitroff Sr. Defensive Player of the Year: Dotun Aketepe
Special Teams Player of the Year: Clark Barnes
Kyle Walters Trophy: Coulter Woodmansey
Rookie of the Year: Justin Lauzon
Tom Mooney Lineman of the Year: Alain Cimankinda
Support Staff: Taylor Floris
Pflug Family Community Service Award: Alex Jafs
Richard P. Kohler Perseverance Award: Greg Corfield
Riddell Coach of the Year: Claudio Silvestri (St. Thomas More Catholic S.S. - Hamilton, ON)
