BURLINGTON, Ont. - For the first time in 2021, a Gryphon football player has garnered conference-wide honours.
Eric Stranz, an accounting major and kicker on the Gryphon football team, has been named
OUA Special Teams Player of the Week after his standout performance on Saturday (Sept. 25) in Guelph's dramatic 23-21 win over the No. 1-ranked Western Mustangs.
OUA Football Players of the Week (Week 2 --- Sept. 25, 2021)
Offensive – Tre Ford (QB) Waterloo Warriors
Defensive – James Hinsperger (LB) Waterloo Warriors
Special Teams – Eric Stranz (K) Guelph Gryphons
The OUA football schedule was kicked into high gear when the Gryphons knocked off the No. 1 ranked team in the nation, and Guelph can thank the foot of kicker Eric Stranz for a great deal of his team's season opener success. 
The big boot of Stranz connected on three field goals in the game, with each giving his side the lead at the time. The Ayr, Ont. native first split the uprights with an extra point, after which he nailed a 25-yarder to give Guelph a 10-8 cushion early in the second quarter. In the second half, Stranz was able to reach back for a pair of daunting kicks in the form of not one, but two makes of at least 45 yards (45, 47). The first came just over five minutes into the half to restore his team's two-point lead, before doing the same with his late third quarter connection. An additional extra point brought Stranz's total to 11 points in his team's 23-21 win over Western. Stranz also had the 900 fans in attendance in awe, when he connected from 54-yards out on a field goal attempt, which was ultimately negated by an off-side call.
The graduate of Southwood Secondary School in Cambridge also contributed an average of 40.1 yards across his 10 punts on the day, including a long of 57 yards and one to pin Western inside their own 20. This marks the first time in Eric's career that he has garnered OUA Special Teams Player of the Week honours, with the 2021 season marking the second full season of kicking duties for Stranz following an impressive 2019 campaign.
The Gryphon football team will kick off their second of six regular season games on Saturday (Oct. 2) when they travel to Windsor to face the Lancers (0-1). All Gryphon football games can be seen live online at OUA.tv. For more information on the latest edition of "OUA Football Players of the Week" head to oua.ca.
