CFL.ca Staff
OTTAWA — After their inspiring victory over Laval in the 2011 Vanier Cup, three McMaster Marauders have been honoured as CIS Players of the Week.
Quarterback Kyle Quinlan, linebacker Aram Eisho and kicker Tyler Crapigna have been named the offensive, defensive and special teams players of the week respectively.
The final selection of the 2011 season was made by a committee comprised of members of Football Reporters of Canada (FRC).
Quinlan, a fourth-year economics student from South Woodslee, Ont., was honoured on offence thanks to a performance for the ages that earned him the Ted Morris memorial trophy as Vanier Cup MVP at the end of a spectacular 41-38 overtime win over top-ranked Laval.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound pivot had one of the best games in the 47-year history of the Vanier Cup, completing 36 of 55 passes for 482 yards and two touchdowns, adding 106 yards on the ground on 14 carries.
His 36 completions and 482 passing yards both rank second in Vanier Cup history, while the Marauders’ 41 first downs tied the single-game record and their 675 yards of offence were good for second-place all-time.
Eisho, a first-year social sciences student from Hamilton, took home the weekly honour on defence after he claimed the Bruce Coulter award as the best defensive player in the Vanier Cup. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound freshman racked up a game-high 11.5 tackles and forced a fumble as McMaster held the Rouge et Or to 355 yards of total offence.
Crapigna, a second-year environmental and earth science student from Nepean, Ont., was the choice on special teams thanks to his four field goals on six attempts, including the championship-winning kick in extra time.
The 5-foot-7, 156-pound all-Canadian, who was playing in his first post-season game after missing three weeks due to illness, split the uprights from 26, 37 and 24 yards out in the first half but missed a potential game-winning 30-yard attempt on the final play of regulation.
He redeemed himself on the Marauders’ second possession in OT as he hit from 30 yards away to lift McMaster to its first-ever CIS football title.
