Football | 11/13/2014 2:55:00 PM
Saturday will mark the final game of the season for the Simon Fraser University Clan football team as it takes on Central Washington in a non-conference contest beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Swangard Stadium.
The game will mark Senior Day, as the team honours the 2014 senior class and the work they have put in during the course of their playing careers while at SFU.
Some seniors were part of the inaugural recruiting class when the University made the move to the NCAA back in 2010, while one player came during the end of the Clan's time in the CIS.
All eyes this week will be on Clan linebacker
Jordan Herdman (Winnipeg, BC), who is within two tackles of the NCAA Division II lead. Herdman is averaging a GNAC-record 14.8 tackles per game and currently has 148 total tackles, two back of senior linebacker Jared Koster of New Mexico Highlands. Last week Herdman recorded 19 tackles, including eight solos, in the loss to Azusa Pacific University Cougars.
Simon Fraser's
Earl Anderson (Courtice, ON) had three kickoff returns for 45 yards against Azusa Pacific to establish himself as the first player in GNAC history to record 100 returns and 2,000 career yards. He has 100 for 2,018 yards.
SFU lost 21-6 to conference champion Azusa Pacific last weekend. The Cougars scored 14 points off of turnovers as the Clan offence could not string drives together, while the defence held GNAC leading rusher Terrell Watson in check for much of the afternoon. Red-shirt junior linebacker
Mitchell Barnett added nine tackles for the Clan.
SFU running back
Stephen Spagnuolo (Vancouver, BC) finished with his fourth straight game of over 100 all-purpose yards as he rushed 12 times for 70-yards and caught eight passes for another 76-yards.
The last time the Wildcats and Clan played was in the Border Battle, where the Wildcats won 63-7 in Bothell, WA.
Central Washington (6-4, 4-2) will finish no worse than a tie for second in the GNAC after a 49-17 win over Dixie State last week. CWU's offense did produce 391 yards as the Wildcats outrushed DSU 219-52. Four players had 30 or more yards rushing led by Jordan Todd, who netted 79 on 16 carries.
CWU's defense had 10 tackles for losses, led by defensive end Tovar Sanchez with 2 ½ for losses of 11. DB Blake Williams-Miller had 10 stops.
Central Washington's defense and special teams have accounted for eight touchdowns this season, two more than the rest of the GNAC's six teams combined.
The Wildcats have five of the GNAC's seven interception return touchdowns and rank fourth nationally in defensive TDs. They lead the GNAC in interceptions with 19 for 452 yards
CWU's Jesse Zalk returned a kickoff 90 yards last Saturday at Dixie State for the first and only GNAC kickoff return TD of the season. Zalk, who ranks 11th nationally in kickoff returns, is averaging 29.9-yards. Zalk returned three kickoffs for 124 yards last weekend.
