Football POWs: Sequeira, Beeksma, Barnes take home Week 2 honours on the gridiron
Burlington, Ont. – Clay Sequeira, Jared Beeksma, and Clark Barnes have been named Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Football Players of the Week for the period ending September 2, 2019.
Offensive Player of the Week – Clay Sequeira, Toronto Varsity Blues
Fourth-year quarterback Clay Sequeira had another standout night, leading the Varsity Blues football team to a 54-26 victory over the Windsor Lancers in their 2019 home opener on Sunday night at Varsity Stadium.
The commerce major from Pierrefonds, Que., who started his 2019 campaign off with a bang in Week 1 after posting over 450 yards in the air, doubled down on his electrifying efforts thus far with another stat-stuffing performance in Week 2. The veteran pivot went 17-for-28 for 464 yards and six touchdowns, showing off his arm strength on several occasions with a few big game-changing plays, including three 50+ yard touchdowns in the final frame.
After a low-scoring start to the game, Sequeira certainly opened things up in a big way for the Blues in the final quarter, leading his team to a 35-point stretch and 21 unanswered to dash any hopes of a Windsor comeback. Adding to his impressive day in the air, Sequeira also tacked on 110 yards on the ground on 13 rushes for a second straight week of over 500 all-purpose yards.
Sequeira currently sits atop the nation, leading all U SPORTS quarterbacks with over 460 passing yards per game, 12 yards per attempt, and 10 touchdowns.
Defensive Player of the Week – Jared Beeksma, Guelph Gryphons
Gryphon third-year linebacker Jared Beeksma had the biggest game of his university career on Sunday night in Ottawa, helping propel the Gryphons to a 37-20 victory over the No. 8-ranked Carleton Ravens.
Beeksma’s memorable performance included the first touchdown of his OUA career when the Cambridge native sniffed out a Carleton screen in the 2nd quarter and intercepted the Tanner DeJong pass before taking it back 31-yards the other way for the pick-six. The defensive score gave Guelph a 20-17 lead at the time, heading to the 3rd quarter.
With the game tied at 20-20 late in the 3rd, Beeksma would come up big once again, this time coming untouched off the edge and delivering a huge hit on Ravens quarterback DeJong. The hit from Beeksma knocked the ball loose and right into the hands of fourth-year defensive end A.J. Allen, who would cruise 25-yards the other way for Guelph's second defensive score of the game to put the Gryphons up 27-20.
Beeksma finished the night with four tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, and played a starring role in a pair of defensive touchdowns in the Gryphons’ first win of the season.
Special Teams Player of the Week – Clark Barnes, Guelph Gryphons
Two weeks ago, Clark Barnes was not a familiar name around OUA football circles. It sure is now.
The rookie receiver from Brampton has stole the spotlight through the first two weeks of his OUA career. A week ago, Barnes provided the fireworks in Guelph's season opening game against McMaster, taking the opening kickoff back 100-yards for a touchdown on the game's opening play. Seven days later, Clark Barnes did the unthinkable by repeating the feat.
Barnes would quiet the sold-out Carleton crowd at MNP Park by taking the game's opening kickoff back 106-yards for his second kickoff return for a touchdown in as many games to give the visiting Gryphs a 7-0 lead right out of the gates.
The rookie return-man added a couple extra special team touches and another 36 yards on offence on the day, showing that he has quickly become one of the most dynamic players to hit the university gridiron anywhere in the province.
