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Nov. 2, 2008
IUP earned both PSAC West Player of the Week awards as junior cornerback Akwasi Owusu-Ansah and sophomore wide receiver Mychal Skinner were honored for their performance in a 35-10 win over Gannon. Owusu-Ansah was named the PSAC West Defensive Player of the Week largely on the strength of his three interceptions while Skinner was selected the Offensive Player of the Week after catching eight passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Owusu-Ansah (Columbus, Ohio/Whetstone) had all three of his interceptions in the first half to double his team- and PSAC-leading total to six. His picks were part of the nine forced by the IUP defense that tied the school record set versus Virginia Union in the 1991 NCAA playoffs. No IUP player had intercepted as many as three passes in a game since Reece Brown in the same game versus Virginia Union 17 years ago. The school record is five by Norm Lewandowski versus Clarion in 1956. Owusu-Ansah had 42 interception return yards, broke up another pass, made three tackles and returned three kickoffs for an 18.7 average. In addition to leading the PSAC in interceptions, he has nine pass breakups to give him a conference-best 15 passes defensed. He is fifth in the league in punt return average at 12.8 and sixth in kickoff return average at 24.5. Skinner (Vandergrift/Kiski Area) tied his career high in receptions and set a new career best in receiving yards while registering his second two-touchdown game. He had a 37-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter to jump start an IUP offense which wasted three earlier trips into Gannon territory. Skinner also had a six-yard scoring reception in the fourth quarter to put the finishing touches on the Crimson Hawk win. He added receptions of 20 and 19 in the contest. Despite missing one game and parts of three others with a toe injury, Skinner ranks third on the team in receptions with 23 and yards with 347 and is tied for third with three touchdown catches. He has 13 catches for 188 yards and all three of his touchdowns in the past two games. |
