OTTAWA (CFL.ca wire) -– Guelph running back Nick Fitzgibbon and Regina teammates, defensive end Stan Van Sichem and kicker Perri Scarcelli are the Canadian Interuniversity Sport football players of the week for the period ending Nov. 3, 2007.
Fitzgibbon, a second-year sociology student from Puslinch, Ont. claims the award on offence after scoring four touchdowns to lead the unranked Gryphons (6-4) to a 38-31 upset win over No. 5 Laurier (7-2) in the OUA semi-final round and their first Yates Cup appearance since 1996. The 20-year-old sophomore, who finished third in the nation this season with 13 all-purpose majors, scored three times in the last 26 minutes of the contest as Guelph dominated Laurier 24-7 in the second half, and finished with 110 yards and one TD on the ground and 64 yards and three scores on five receptions.
StFX running back James Green, Laval running back Pierre-Luc Yao and Saskatchewan receiver Scott McHenry were also up for the offensive honour.
Van Sichem, a third-year business administration student from Amsterdam, Netherlands receives the defensive award after he sacked Saskatchewan quarterback four times to lead the No. 6 Rams (6-3) to a 19-13 Canada West semi-final victory and a spot in Saturday’s Hardy Trophy final. The six-foot-three, 225-pound junior forced a fumble on one of his three second-quarter sacks, a play that led to a game-tying field goal.
StFX defensive end John Emminger, Concordia defensive back Marc Champagnie and Western defensive back Matt Carapella were also nominated on the defensive side of the ball.
Scarcelli, a third-year continuing education student from Calgary is honoured on special teams after kicking four field goals in as many attempts in the Rams semi-final win over their provincial rivals. The six-foot, 190-pound junior, who struggled in the regular season going only 7-of-16, was good from 22, 19, 17 and 37 yards, and also pinned the Huskies three times inside their 20-yard line on six punts.
Returners Jonathan Hood of StFX and Jedd Gardner of Guelph were also considered.
Offensive nominees:
AUFC: James Green, running back, StFX
QUFL: Pierre-Luc Yao, running back, Laval
OUA: Nick Fitzgibbon, running back, Guelph (recipient)
Canada West: Scott McHenry, receiver, Saskatchewan
Defensive nominees:
AUFC: John Emminger, defensive end, StFX
QUFL: Marc Champagnie, defensive back, Concordia
OUA: Matt Carapella, defensive back, Western Ontario
Canada West: Stan Van Sichem, defensive end, Regina (recipient)
Special team nominees:
AUFC: Jonathan Hood, returner, StFX
QUFL: No nomination
OUA: Jedd Gardner, returner, Guelph
Canada West: Perri Scarcelli, kicker / punter, Regina (recipient)
CIS FOOTBALL WEEK 11 SCHEDULE (all times LOCAL except Canada West: EASTERN)
11:30 a.m. Eastern QUFL final: Concordia at Laval (RDS)
1 p.m. Atlantic AUFC final: StFX at Saint Mary’s (EastLink)
1 p.m. Eastern OUA final: Western at Guelph (The Score)
4:30 p.m. Eastern Canada West final: Regina vs. Manitoba (The Score)
