A pair of U of S players are among this week’s Canada West Conference football players-of-the-week.
Receiver Colton Klassen is the offensive star while the defensive star is Jacob Solie from the Dogs’ secondary. Klassen had six catches for 99 yards, including a pair of first half touchdown receptions in Friday’s 33-20 victory over visiting Regina at Griffiths Stadium. Solie had three tackles and a key 64-yard interception return for a major score as boosted Saskatchewan moved into sole possession of second place with a 3-1 record. Following is the news release from the Canada West Conference…
FB: Saskatchewan duo, Arruda-Welch named players of the week
Receiver Colton Klassen and defensive back Jacob Solie helped Saskatchewan improve to 3-1 on the season.
Klassen is the CW offensive player of the week thanks to a big first half, as the third-year Arts & Science student hauled in a pair of touchdowns, while defender Jacob Solie posted some points of his own in Saskatchewan’s 33-20 home win over the Regina Rams.
Along with Klassen and Solie, Manitoba Bisons returner Marcel Arruda-Welch has also been honoured, as he claimed the special teams player of the week honour for the second time in three weeks.
CW OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: REC – Colton Klassen
Saskatchewan Huskies
3rd-year
Saskatoon, Sask.
Arts & Science
STATS: 6 catches for 99 yards / 2 touchdowns
It only took Colton Klassen one half Friday night to claim the offensive player of the week honour, as the third-year Saskatchewan Huskies receiver caught six passes for 99 yards in a 33-20 win over the Regina Rams.
Two of Klassen’s receptions were touchdowns, as the Saskatoon native hauled in majors of 14 and 12 yards in the opening 30 minutes. The Arts and Science student sits first in the conference with six TD receptions through four weeks of action.
Despite suffering an injury late in the first half, which kept him out for the remainder of the game, Klassen was Saskatchewan quarterback Kyle Siemens’ favourite target on the night, as the Huskies improved their record to 3-1 on the season.
The Huskies return to action this Saturday when they travel to Calgary for a matchup with the first-place Dinos.
Saskatchewan Huskies
3rd-year
Saskatoon, Sask.
Business
STATS: 64-yard interception return touchdown / 3 tackles
Third-year defensive back Jacob Solie helped Saskatchewan take sole possession of second in Canada West over the weekend, as the third-year defender provided six points for the home side.
With the Huskies already leading 14-3 late in the first half, Solie added six more to the total, as he picked off Regina quarterback Noah Picton, running the interception back 64 yards for a major.
It was Solie’s first interception of the season, and Saskatchewan’s second pick-six of 2018, after Payton Hall ran one back 90 yards in the Huskies Week 2 win over Manitoba.
In addition to his pick six, which proved to be pivotal in the 33-20 win, Solie added a trio of tackles, as Saskatchewan hit the midway point of the season by topping their win total from a year ago.
Manitoba Bisons
2nd-year
Winnipeg, Man.
University 1
STATS: 4 kickoff returns for 82 yards / 5 punt returns for 114 yards
For the second time in three weeks, Manitoba Bison return man Marcel Arruda-Welch is the CW special teams player of the week, as the Bisons earned a 37-27 win over the Alberta Golden Bears Friday in Edmonton.
The second-year player combined for nearly 200 return yards, as he posted 82 yards on four kickoff returns, along with 114 yards on five punt returns.
Arruda-Welch’s biggest play of the game came in the second quarter when he returned an Alberta punt 87 yards, before finally being hauled down at the Alberta two-yard line. The Bisons would find the endzone moments later.
Arruda-Welch’s special teams honour marks the third consecutive week a Bison has claimed the conference award, after kicker Brad Mikoluff earned the Week 3 nod.
Manitoba returns to action this Saturday when they host the Regina Rams in a battle of 2-2 teams.
