Yazbeck, Hallschmid, Mullan named OUA football players of the week

Burlington, Ont. – Keanu Yazbeck, Soren Hallschmid, and Tyler Mullan have been named the Canadian Football Perspective’s OUA Players of the Week for Week 10.

Offensive Player of the Week – Keanu Yazbeck, Western Mustangs

Yazbeck took over the field in the Western Mustangs 46-10 quarterfinal win over the McMaster Marauders on a cold Saturday afternoon.

The Kirkland, Que. product amassed 176 yards on 14 carries in the win. Yazbeck, a fourth-year running back, scored his lone major on the day five minutes into the second quarter. He found a hole in the Marauder defence and took the ball 27 yards into the end zone to increase the Mustangs' early lead to 24-3.

Yazbeck will look to back up his powerful performance against the Guelph Gyrphons on Saturday in the OUA semifinal.

Defensive Player of the Week – Soren Hallschmid, Western Mustangs

Hallschmid was a key factor in limiting the McMaster Marauders offence to 261 total yards in Western's OUA quarterfinal win.

The defensive lineman had two solo tackles and three assisted for a total of five in the contest. The fourth-year social sciences student made his presence most felt with three and a half sacks for a loss of 40 yards. The Victoria, B.C. native had his hand in every quarterback takedown in the win.

Hallschmid will hope to continue his defensive dominance in the Mustangs' meeting with Guelph on Saturday.

Special Teams Player of the Week – Tyler Mullan, Queen's Gaels

Mullan was a stronghold in the Queen's Gaels defeat of the Windsor Lancers 22-19 in the quarterfinals of the OUA playoffs on Saturday afternoon.

The third-year kicker was a perfect three-for-three on field goals. He contributed key points for the Gaels, trading kicks with Windsor’s Brady Lidster, as all points came off their feet in the second and third quarters.

The North Bay, Ont. native’s longest make of the day came from 34 yards out, as he also sent 18 and 21-yard fields goal through the uprights. 

The arts and science student will ready his leg for a big matchup with the undefeated Laurier Golden Hawks in the OUA semifinals on Saturday.