Ford, Parkes Named Investors Group OUA Athletes of the Week
BURLINGTON, Ont. - The following athletes have been named Investors Group Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Athletes of the Week for the period ending Aug 29, 2017.
MALE – Tyrell Ford (Niagara Falls, Ont.) – 1st year – Waterloo Warriors - Football
The Investor's Group Male OUA Athlete of the Week is Waterloo Warriors first year cornerback/ punt returner Tyrell Ford.
The rookie from Niagara Falls, Ontario made a splash in his first OUA regular season contest, returning back a pair of punts for touchdowns.
Ford's first touchdown return came in the second quarter, running 98 yards to the house to put the Warriors up 25-17 over the Lancers. One was not enough though, as in the fourth quarter, he once again put his name on the highlight reel with a 100-yard return, sidestepping and breaking off would-be tacklers for his second punt return for a touchdown.
Those two returns for touchdowns sealed Waterloo's first win since 2014, and puts the Warriors at 1-0 for the season.
Ford, who will be studying recreation and leisure this fall, finished the game with eight punt returns for 263 yards. He was also a factor on the defensive side of the ball, helping the Warriors limit the Lancers to only 194 yards through the air. Ford finished with 5.5 tackles in the game.
The Warriors look to go 2-0 on the season when they host the York Lions on Labour Day Monday at 1:00 PM.
FEMALE – Nicki Parkes (Sarnia, Ont.) – 5th year – Toronto Varsity Blues - Soccer
The OUA Female Athlete of the Week is Toronto Varsity Blues midfielder Nicki Parkes.
The fifth-year Sarnia native had an explosive start to the season, scoring three goals and an assist in a pair of Toronto victories over the weekend.
The chemical engineering major had a goal and an assist in the Varsity Blues' opening game of the season on Saturday versus Nipissing.
Parkes picked off where she left off Saturday, scoring two goals in a Toronto 4-1 victory over the Laurentian Voyageurs on Sunday afternoon at Varsity Stadium.
In 2016, Parkes was named a OUA East second team all-star, a year in which she dressed for 16 regular season games and scored three goals.
The Varsity Blues look to build off their 2-0 start with a pair of games in the nation's capital this weekend. Toronto will take on Ottawa on Friday, before taking on Carleton Saturday.