Preview: 2015 East-West Bowl

CFL.ca Staff

OTTAWA (CIS-SIC) — The CIS East-West Bowl is set to take place Saturday afternoon in a culmination of a week’s worth of celebrating the top Canadian university football talent.

The 2015 CFL prospects game, now in its 13th year, is scheduled to take place at McGill University’s Percival Molson Memorial Stadium in Montreal at 2 p.m. and can be seen live online at www.cis-sic.tv.

This will be the first time that McGill will be hosting the event after Western University in London, Ont. hosted the last six contests. Previous renditions of the all-star showcase have been held at McMaster (2008), Laval (2007, 2006) and Wilfrid Laurier (2005, 2004, 2003).

The East side is comprised of student-athletes representing schools from the AUS and RSEQ conferences, as well as Carleton, Ottawa, Queen’s and Toronto. The West contingent is made up of players from Canada West and the remaining OUA universities.

The game itself is the final event of what has been a busy schedule for CFL prospects and CIS players over the last seven days. Along with daily practices for the East and West teams, the CFL Combine showcased the top eligible-talent for the CFL Draft which will take place on Tuesday May 12 at 8 p.m. and air nationally on TSN.

Other events included CFL Free Agency Camp for players eligible to attend 2015 CFL training camps and not participating in the East West Bowl as well as the annual banquet. However, not all of the festivities were just for the players as a coaches clinic featuring presentations by CFL and CIS mentors is scheduled to take place earlier in the day on Saturday.

Many of those playing in the East-West Bowl this year will be eligible for next year’s CFL Draft.

Four players from the East and eight players from the West have already been named all-Canadians since the start of their CIS careers. The list includes quarterback Will Finch of Western, running back Mercer Timmis of Calgary, receivers Llevi Noel of Toronto, Brett Blaszko of Calgary and George Johnson of Western, offensive linemen Charles Vaillancourt of Laval, Philippe Gagnon of Laval and Sean Jamieson of Western, linebacker Curtis Newton of Guelph, as well as defensive backs Paolo Edwards of StFX and Calgary’s Elie Bouka and Cyril Iwanegbe.

Finch (2013), Timmis (2013) and Acadia receiver Brian Jones (2014) are all past Hec Crighton Trophy nominees, which is awarded to the top Canadian player in Canadian university football.

Quarterbacks Finch and James Fracas of Laurier will lead the West offence while Mount Allison’s Brandon Leyh and Saskatchewan’s Drew Burko will be under centre for the East. Burko’s position as offensive leader for the East will pit him against many of his teammates who are suiting up for the West side.

The game also boasts many alumni who are now on CFL rosters, including Hugh O’Neill (K – Sask), Brad Sinopoli (WR – Ott) and Matt Walter (RB – Cgy).

Calling the shots from the sidelines for the East will be Danny Maciocia, who led the Montreal Carabins to its first ever Vanier Cup last fall. Countering him on the West is head coach is Brian Dobie, whose Manitoba Bisons were on the losing end of that game. This will be Dobie’s second time at the helm of the West’s team as he previously coached them in 2008.

Last year, the East prevailed 19-12 in London to claim its fourth win in the past five years. The West, however, still leads the all-time series 7-5.

EAST WEST BOWL RESULTS:

2014 (at Western): East 19, West 12
2013 (at Western): West 18, East 17
2012 (at Western): East 24, West 16
2011 (at Western): East 34, West 27 (OT)
2010 (at Western): East 12, West 9
2009 (at Western): West 16, East 7
2008 (at McMaster): East 25, West 12
2007 (at Laval): West 22, East 19 (OT)
2006 (at Laval): West 34, East 26 (OT)
2005 (at Laurier): West 34, East 16
2004 (at Laurier): West 21, East 12
2003 (at Laurier): West 10, East 5

2015 EAST-WEST BOWL ROSTERS

EAST TEAM
Pos. Name University HT WT Hometown

Offence
QB Drew Burko Saskatchewan 6-4 220 Saskatoon, Sask.
QB Brandon Leyh Mount Allison 6-2 220 New Westminster, B.C.
RB Vincent Davignon Bishop’s 5-9 185 Granby, Que.
RB Lukas Gavac Toronto 6-1 223 Mississauga, Ont.
RB Luis Guimont-Mota McGill 5-9 190 Quebec City, Que.
RB Nicholas Narbonne Bourque Montreal 5-9 235 Saint-Jérôme, Que.
RB Thomas Troop Acadia 6-0 215 Alliston, Ont.
REC Louis Brouillette McGill 6-0 175 Sherbrooke, Que.
REC Doug Corby Queen’s 6-2 195 Burlington, Ont.
REC Félix Faubert-Lussier Laval 6-0 221 Montreal, Que.
REC Nicholas Gaudreault McGill 5-11 179 Lachine, Que.
REC Brian Jones Acadia 6-4 230 Enfield, Ont.
REC Llevi Noel Toronto 6-2 200 Toronto, Ont.
REC Matt Rose Mount Allison 6-3 210 Sackville, N.B.
REC Donald Tabor StFX 6-1 230 Dartmouth, N.S.
OL Jean-Philippe Bérard Sherbrooke 6-4 310 Cowansville, Que.
OL James Comeau StFX 6-2 300 St. Albert, Alta.
OL Pierre-Olivier Daloze McGill 6-2 276 Laval, Que.
OL Philippe Gagnon Laval 6-8 295 L’Ancienne-Lorette, Que.
OL Roman Grozman Concordia 6-4 310 Tel Aviv, Israel
OL Jason Lauzon-Séguin Laval 6-4 300 Pointe-Claire, Que.
OL Bobby Thomson Carleton 6-4 275 Montreal, Que.
OL Charles Vaillancourt Laval 6-4 325 Coaticook, Que.

Defence
DL Stefan Carty Carleton 6-1 249 Toronto, Ont.
DL Lucas Cristovao Saint Mary’s 6-2 230 Markham, Ont.
DL Jordan Dablé Sherbrooke 6-2 256 Grenoble, France
DL Mathieu Dupuis Montreal 6-1 295 Laval, Que.
DL Aaron Jervis Toronto 6-4 256 Oakville, Ont.
DL Rashid Timbilla Ottawa 6-3 252 Nepean, Ont.
LB Tanner Care Ottawa 6-1 215 Burlington, Ont.
LB Makenzie Fox Saint Mary’s 5-11 206 Bedford, N.S.
LB Alexandre Gagné Sherbrooke 6-1 215 Saint-Hubert, Que.
LB Shayne Gauthier Laval 5-10 215 Dolbeau-Mistassini, Que.
LB Arto Khatchikian Concordia 6-1 220 Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que.
LB Michaël Langlois Laval 6-0 210 Amos, Que.
LB Marc-Antoine Laurin Ottawa 6-1 215 Cantley, Que.
DB Gaël Bernard-Perron Sherbrooke 5-10 185 Magog, Que.
DB Michael Bohan Mount Allison 6-1 200 Sackville, N.S.
DB Mikael Charland Concordia 6-4 210 Gatineau, Que.
DB John Connors Toronto 6-1 190 Barrie, Ont.
DB Alexandre Doucet Montreal 5-11 195 Montreal, Que.
DB Paolo Edwards StFX 5-9 180 Hamilton, Ont.
DB Ryan Hector Bishop’s 6-0 180 Brampton, Ont.
DB Rashawn Perry Concordia 6-0 180 LaSalle, Que.
DB Maïko Zepeda Montreal 5-8 200 LaSalle, Que.

Special Teams
K Félix Faubert-Lussier Laval 6-0 221 Montreal, Que.
K Dillon Wamsley Queen’s 5-11 190 London, Ont.

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Danny Maciocia (Montreal)

Assistant coaches: Danny Desriveaux, offence (Montreal), Paul-Eddy Saint-Vilien, defence (Montreal), Kevin Mackey, special teams, defensive backs (Bishop), Nate Weiss, quaterbacks (Toronto), Dean Jones, running backs (Saint Mary’s), Steve Snyder, receivers (StFX), Luigi Costanzo, receivers (Toronto), Brad Collinson, offensive line (Laval), Pat Sheahan, offensive line (Queen’s), Glen Constantin, defensive line (Laval), Guillaume Boucher, linebackers (Sherbrooke), Nathan Taylor, defensive backs (Concordia)

WEST TEAM
Pos. Name University HT WT Hometown

Offence
QB Will Finch Western 6-3 215 Burlington, Ont.
QB James Fracas Laurier 6-0 195 Waterloo, Ont.
RB Declan Cross McMaster 5-11 215 Oakville, Ont.
RB Wayne Moore McMaster 6-0 222 Etobicoke, Ont.
RB Mercer Timmis Calgary 6-1 220 Burlington, Ont.
REC Brett Blaszko Calgary 6-4 215 Burlington, Ont.
REC George Johnson Western 6-3 188 London, Ont.
REC Greg Nyhof Laurier 6-4 225 Georgetown, Ont.
REC Brydon Ozmun Saskatchewan 6-0 200 Nipawin, Sask.
REC Dustin Pedersen Manitoba 5-11 215 Nanaimo, B.C.
REC Jimmy Ralph Alberta 5-10 188 Raymond, Alta.
REC Riley Wilson Regina 6-3 205 Regina, Sask.
OL Randy Beardy Windsor 6-7 280 Sarnia, Ont.
OL Jamal Campbell York 6-7 295 Toronto, Ont.
OL Ethan Charters Acadia 6-5 300 Oromocto, N.B.
OL Drew Digout Saskatchewan 6-4 265 Saskatoon, Sask.
OL Kyle Fraser-Audit Guelph 6-5 283 Port Colborne, Ont.
OL Zach Intzandt McMaster 6-5 290 London, Ont.
OL Sean Jamieson Western 6-7 316 Winnipeg, Man.
OL Taz Martin Waterloo 6-5 315 Elmira, Ont.
OL Alex McKay Manitoba 6-5 285 Winnipeg, Man.

Defence
DL Rupert Butcher Western 6-5 296 London, Ont.
DL Donnie Egerter Guelph 6-3 285 Niagara Falls, Ont.
DL Ousmane Guindo McGill 5-10 219 Laval, Que.
DL David Onyemata Manitoba 6-4 300 Lagos, Nigeria
DL Boyd Richardson UBC 6-3 235 Regina, Sask.
DL Ethan Sadowski UBC 6-5 257 Delta, B.C.
LB Alexandre Cromer-Émond Montreal 5-8 215 Price, Que.
LB Joey Dwyer Regina 6-2 200 Regina, Sask.
LB DJ Lalama Manitoba 6-1 220 Winnipeg, Man.
LB Curtis Newton Guelph 6-2 220 London, Ont.
LB Anthony Petrucci Laurier 6-0 195 Sarnia, Ont.
LB Frank Renaud Windsor 6-1 215 Windsor, Ont.
LB Michael Runowski York 6-2 225 Burlington, Ont.
DB Elie Bouka Calgary 6-1 205 Laval, Que.
DB Austin Crumb Windsor 5-11 195 Harrow, Ont.
DB Tristan Doughlin Guelph 6-0 185 Toronto, Ont.
DB Dylan Kemp Saskatchewan 5-11 195 Rosetown, Sask.
DB Cyril Iwanegbe Calgary 5-9 190 Brooks, Alta.
DB Michael Schmidt Calgary 5-11 190 Calgary, Alta.
DB Josh Small York 5-9 175 Pickering, Ont.
DB Hunter Turnbull Calgary 5-11 180 Calgary, Alta.

Special Teams
K Stephen Fabian Alberta 6-2 165 Tilley, Alta.

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Brian Dobie (Manitoba)

Assistant coaches: Joe D’Amore, offence (Windsor), Wayne Harris Jr., defence (Calgary), UBC’s Paul Orazietti, special teams (UBC), Michael Faulds, quarterbacks (Wilfrid Laurier), Tom Flaxman, running backs (Western), Dwayne Masson, running backs (Regina), Jason Sulz, receivers (Alberta), Mark Surya, receivers (Laurier), Scott Flory, offensive line (Saskatchewan), Chris Morris, offensive line (Alberta), Sheldon Neald, offensive line (Regina), Ryan Karhut, defensive line (York), Donnavan Carter, linebackers (Windsor), Matt Robichaud, linebackers (Waterloo), Adam Grandy, linebackers (Guelph), Dwayne Cameron, defensive backs (Laurier), Nial Both, defensive backs (Waterloo), Devin Kavanagh, defensive backs (Guelph)