CFL.ca Staff
OTTAWA — Running back Rotrand Sené and defensive lineman Jonathan Pierre-Étienne, both from the Montreal Carabins, and Concordia kick returner Kris Robertson are the Canadian Interuniversity Sport football players of the week for the period ending Oct. 8, 2011.
The selection was made by a committee comprised of members of Football Reporters of Canada (FRC).
Sené, a third-year arts and science student from Montreal, was honoured on offence after he helped the Carabins (3-3) edge previously undefeated and No. 1-ranked Laval (5-1) 17-12, which marked the first loss in 19 overall games for the reigning Vanier Cup champions dating back to the 2009 Mitchell Bowl. Going against the best run defence in the country, the 5-foot-10, 195-pound junior racked up 111 yards on 22 carries, including the game-winning touchdown on a 13-yard scamper with 56 seconds left in regulation.
Sené became the first player to rush for 100 yards or more against Laval since Nov. 14, 2009, when he had another 111-yard effort in the Quebec final.
Saint Mary’s running back Craig Leger and McMaster quarterback Kyle Quinlan were also up for the award.
Pierre-Étienne, a fourth-year law student from Montreal, took home the weekly honour on defence thanks to a dream afternoon against the Rouge et Or offence, which entered the contest as the top unit in the RSEQ. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound senior recorded a game-high 14 total tackles (12 solo), forced a fumble that led to a Carabins field goal and set a team record with 4.5 quarterback sacks, just a half-sack shy of the single-game conference mark set by McGill’s Jason Manzano back in 2003.
A 2009 draft pick of the BC Lions, Pierre-Étienne currently leads CIS with 7.5 sacks on the season.
Acadia defensive back Cameron Wade and Wilfrid Laurier linebacker Mitchell Bosch were also nominated.
Robertson, a third-year sociology student from Pickering, Ont., was the choice on special teams after tying the single-game Quebec conference record with 214 punt return yards in a 39-16 win over McGill in the 25th annual Shrine Bowl. The 5-foot-7, 183-pound halfback had a pair of 60-plus yard returns, including a 69-yard touchdown that gave the Stingers (3-3) a 26-11 lead early in the third quarter.
Robertson also took a kickoff back on 52 yards to finish the contest with 266 total yards in returns.
Kickers Anthony Alix of St. Francis Xavier and Dan Village of Queen’s were also up for the distinction.
