OTTAWA (CFL.ca wire) -– Laval linebacker Éric Maranda, Sherbrooke wide receiver Samuel Giguère, Saskatchewan safety Dylan Barker and Regina guard Brendon LaBatte are the four Canadian Interuniversity Sport football players selected to suit up in the 83rd edition of the prestigious East-West Shrine Game on January 19, 2008 at John O’Quinn Field at Robertson Stadium in Houston, Texas.
This marks the first time in history that four CIS players are invited to the annual all-star showcase, which features over 80 of the top United States college players. After Calgary offensive lineman Tom Spoletini was selected in 1985, two CIS representatives made the trip down south annually from 1986-2007.
Every year since 1925, the Shrine Game has been played to raise money and to help make the public aware of the expert orthopedic and burn care available, at no cost, at all 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children. To date, the game has raised more than $14 million for Shriners Hospitals.
The impressive list of past CIS players invited to the event includes Manitoba defensive tackle Israel Idonije, who took part in the 2007 Super Bowl as a member of the Chicago Bears; Calgary defensive lineman Dan Federkeil, who received a Super Bowl ring following the Indianapolis Colts’ triumph last February; Western Ontario Hec Crighton Trophy-winning receiver Andy Fantuz, named the top Canadian player in the 2007 CFL final following the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Grey Cup victory; as well as four Hec Crighton winners, three Presidents Trophy recipients as CIS defensive player of the year, and 13 J.P. Metras Trophy winners as CIS lineman of the year.
Maranda, an agronomy student from Notre-Dame-des-Pins, Que. was the Quebec conference nominee for the Presidents Trophy and a first-team all-Canadian this season as he completed a remarkable five-year career with the Rouge et Or. The six-foot-two, 228-pound linebacker, who led Laval with 35.5 tackles and forced two fumbles in 2007, is a three-time Vanier Cup champion (2006, 2004, 2003) and received the Ted Morris Memorial Trophy as the MVP of the CIS final in 2006.
Maranda is the second Laval player invited to the Shrine Game following offensive lineman Carl Gourgues in 2004.
Giguère, an accounting student from Sherbrooke, Que. had a breakthrough season in his third campaign with the Vert & Or earning a spot on the first all-Canadian team after he led the Quebec conference with 855 receiving yards, finished fourth with 44 catches and tied for second with seven receiving touchdowns.
The six-foot, 215-pound junior becomes the first Sherbrooke representative in the Shrine Game and only the fourth CIS receiver to be selected following Fantuz (2006), former Regina Ram and Grey Cup champion Jason Clermont (2002), and former Calgary Dino, Hec Crighton Trophy recipient and Vanier Cup champion Don Blair (1996).
Barker, an arts and sciences student from Moose Jaw, Sask. who played in the 2005 and 2006 Vanier Cup finals, was a first-team all-Canadian for the second straight year in his third season with the Huskies after leading Saskatchewan and placing sixth in the Canada West conference with 53 tackles. He also added three interceptions.
The six-foot-four, 200-pound junior, who helped the Huskies lead the Canada West in passing defence this fall (157.9 yards / game), will be the fifth Saskatchewan player to travel to the Shrine Game and the second in as many years, following offensive lineman Jordan Rempel in 2006.
LaBatte, an arts student from Weyburn, Sask. was a second-team all-Canadian in his third campaign with the Rams and helped the high-powered Regina offence lead the Canada West with an average of 32.1 points per game.
The imposing six-foot-four, 320-pound junior is the second Ram selected for the all-star classic after Clermont.
As members of the East team for the 83rd Shrine Game, Maranda and Giguère will play under Dick Vermeil, the only head coach in history to lead teams to victories in both the Super Bowl and the Rose Bowl.
As members of the West squad, Barker and LaBatte will be led by Mike White, who spent 47 years coaching at both the college and professional levels, including head-coaching stints at the University of California-Berkeley, the University of Illinois and the NFL’s Oakland Raiders.
