GUELPH, Ont. –
Brandon Ferigo (defence),
Isaiah Smith (offence) and
Harrison Bagayogo (special teams) have been named Gryphon football's "Players of the Game" following the team's 28-24 loss to Windsor on Monday, September 5.
Brandon Ferigo (Defence)
Linebacker
Brandon Ferigo takes home defensive player of the week honours after leading the way in the middle of the Gryphon defence on Labour Day with a team-high 9.5 tackles.
A local native and graduate of Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute, Ferigo is in his fifth-year with the Gryphon football program, but first full year as a starting middle linebacker with the Gryphon defence. Early on in 2022, the 23-year-old psychology major has established himself as a physical presence in the middle of the Gryphon defence, with the 6'1, 223 pound linebacker also accounting for 5 tackles during the Gryphons Week 1 matchup at Western.
Isaiah Smith (Offence)
Rookie running back,
Isaiah Smith, officially introduced himself to Gryphon football fans with a huge performance on Labour Day Monday versus the Lancers. The 6'0", 213 pound first-year back is a physical presence in the Gryphon backfield, but the Burlington native also showcased his tremendous speed, with the bio-medical science major exploding for a 67-yard touchdown run midway through the opening quarter to send the near capacity crowd into a frenzy. Late in the 2nd quarter,
Isaiah Smith would find the endzone for a second time on the day, this time punching it in from 2-yards out, helping Guelph take a 14-13 lead into the locker room at halftime. Smith finished the day with 12 carries for 119 yards and 2 touchdowns (9.9 yards per carry).
Harrison Bagayogo (Special Teams)
All-Canadian defensive back
Harrison Bagayogo is the Gryphons special teams player of the week for Week 2 of the season, after the 24-year-old Bois-des-Filion, Quebec native came up with the biggest special teams play of the day. Midway through the 2nd quarter, Bagayogo blocked a Windsor punt, giving the Gryphons outstanding field position at the Lancers 24-yard line. The Gryphons were able to take advantage of the short field, with
Isaiah Smith punching it in for a 2-yard touchdown to cap the drive. Bagayogo, a 6'3", 200 pound defensive back now in his fourth year with the Gryphon football program, is no stranger to heroics with the Gryphon special teams. Back in his rookie season in 2019, Bagayogo came up with a
season-saving punt block in the playoffs, when he not only blocked a Carleton Ravens punt in the 2019 OUA quarterfinals, but also recovered it himself in the endzone for the game-winning touchdown to send the Gryphons through to the OUA semifinals.
The Gryphon football team (0-2) will now head to the University of Waterloo on Saturday (Sept. 10) to face a well-rested Waterloo Warriors team who is coming off a bye week.
The Warriors are 1-0 on the season after defeating York in their season opener on August 27 and are currently ranked No. 8 in the national rankings. Kickoff at Warrior Field on Saturday is set for 1pm and can be seen live online at www.OUA.tv.
2022 GRYPHON FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
GAME 1 @ WESTERN
OFFENCE:
Juwan Jeffrey (13 carries, 49 yards rushing, 3.8 avg, long of 15)
DEFENCE: Scott Murray (2.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles)
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Eric Stranz (3-4 FG, long of 50 | 9 punts, 333 yards, 37 avg, 2 inside 20)
GAME 2 vs WINDSOR
OFFENCE:
Isaiah Smith (12 carries, 119 yards, 2 TD, 9.9 avg)
DEFENCE:
Brandon Ferigo (9.5 tackles, 1.5 TFL)
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Harrison Bagayogo (punt block)
