2014 OUA Uncovered Football Preview

Team Previews

Western Mustangs ...............................................................................8Queen s Gaels ........................................................................................28McMaster Marauders ..........................................................................22Guelph Gryphons ................................................................................14Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks ..........................................................54Windsor Lancers ...................................................................................38Ottawa Gee-Gees ................................................................................42Toronto Varsity Blues ..........................................................................58Carleton Ravens .....................................................................................72Waterloo Warriors ................................................................................68York Lions ...............................................................................................64

feaTUresSports Net 360 .....................................................................................4Spotlight on Pat Tracey ......................................................................6Ten Questions with Stu Lang ...........................................................20Top OUA Linebackers of the 2000’s ...............................................34OUA’s Top CFL Prospects ...................................................................48Growing the Gridiron ..........................................................................51Capital Growth ......................................................................................52

Photo by: Michael P Hall

PRESEASON POLLS

OUA UNCOVERED: 2014 Football Season Preview 13

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Fan P

OLL

OUA P

OLl

COACH

POL

L

Wes

tern

W

este

rn

Wes

tern

Guel

ph

Quee

n’s

Qu

een’s

McM

ast

er

McM

ast

er

Guel

ph

Quee

n’s

Gu

elph

M

cMast

er

Otta

wa

Laur

ier

Win

dsor

Laur

ier

Win

dsor

La

urie

r

Win

dsor

Ot

taw

a

Otta

wa

Toro

nto

To

ronto

To

ronto

Carl

eton

Ca

rlet

on

Carl

eton

Wate

rloo

W

ate

rloo

Yo

rk

York

Yo

rk

Wate

rloo

feaTUresOUA.tv Season Preview 18Can Anyone Take Down Western? 21Who Needs An Offseason? Not Joey Cupido 34Top OUA Defensive Linemen of the 2000’s 407 Questions with Michael Faulds 45Hometown Kid Heads Up Hawks 51Austin Kennedy Is Ready To Bring Home The Playoffs 56Mike Randazzo: Taking Recovery To The Next Level 63Making The Jump From OUA to CFL 64Team Ontario Top Prospect Profiles 66Growing The Gridiron 67Canada, Craney and Football in Kuwait 84Central Canada Women’s Football League 87

Team PreviewsWestern Mustangs 22Queen’s Gaels 26McMaster Marauders 30Guelph Gryphons 36Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks 46Windsor Lancers 52Ottawa Gee-Gees 58Toronto Varsity Blues 68Carleton Ravens 72Waterloo Warriors 76York Lions 80

The road to the 2014 Yates Cup begins Labour Day Monday (Sept. 1) with another exciting season of OUA football set to kick off!

Each week will feature a Marquee Matchup that you won’t want to miss, beginning Week 1 when the Guelph Gryphons travel down Hwy. 6 to take on the McMaster Marauders at Ron Joyce Stadium at 1 p.m.

The Marauders, led by fifth-year quarterback Marshall Ferguson, are looking to avenge last year’s 24-22 loss to rival Guelph, a game that saw McMaster score a touchdown with 17 seconds left in the game, but fail the two-point conversion that would likely have forced overtime.

After posting a 7-1 regular season record, Guelph’s 2013 season came to a disappointing end when it fell 34-17 in the OUA semi-final against Queen’s. The team now has its eyes on capturing its first Yates Cup since 1996, and is returning a number of key players, including quarterback Jazz Lindsey and eight starters to its defence that ranked first in the conference last season.

Week 2 (Sept. 6) features the Laurier Golden Hawks travelling to Windsor to take on the Lancers at Alumni Field.

Last season, Windsor came away with an exciting 26-25 overtime victory over Laurier, en route to a 4-4 record and the team’s third consecutive playoff appearance. Windsor and Laurier are returning 21 and 22 total starters, respectively, and both are looking to make some noise come playoff time.

There will be no love lost Week 3 (Sept. 13) when the Western Mustangs and Queen’s Golden Gaels renew one of Canadian university sport’s best rivalries in Kingston.

Returning just 10 total starters, Queen’s head coach Pat Sheahan described 2014 as a “transition year” for his squad. Don’t expect the new faces to let the intensity of this game dwindle, especially after Western handed Queen’s its only two losses of the season in 2013: one in the regular season and one in the Yates Cup championship.

The Carleton Ravens and Ottawa Gee-Gees butted heads in the Panda Game for the first time since 1998, after Carleton re-launched its football program in 2013. The Gees-Gees prevailed 35-10, but with a full season of experience now under Carleton’s belt, the rivalry will be better than ever as the teams battle for football supremacy in the capital—and for Pedro the Panda—in Week 4 (Sept. 20).

The first month of football closes out with Week 5 action (Sept. 27)

when two historic powerhouses go head-to-head in Steel Town, when Queen’s faces McMaster. The Gaels defeated the Marauders at home last season 31-24, a loss that surely stung a Marauders team with Yates Cup aspirations.

The October air might be cooler, but the action will be heating up in Week 6 (Oct. 4) when the Marauders travel to London for a meeting with the Western Mustangs. Last season, it was Western who rolled into Hamilton and handed the Marauders a 53-15 home loss. Now, McMaster is hoping to return the favour against a Mustangs team eyeing a second consecutive Yates Cup title.

The battle for precious OUA playoff spots continues Week 7 (Oct. 10) in Windsor when the Ottawa Gee-Gees head south to face the Lancers. These teams grabbed the final two OUA playoff spots last season, and with several returning starters on each side, this year’s tilt expects to have a lot on the line when they matchup under the Friday night lights.

In Week 8 (Oct. 11), the Toronto Varsity Blues take on the Queen’s Gaels for the first time since 2012, a game Queen’s won 35-7. The Blues narrowly missed ending their 18-year playoff drought in 2013, finishing 4-4, but losing the tiebreaker to Windsor. Fourth-year quarterback Simon Nassar and his team once again have their sights set on breaking the playoff drought, but the Gaels certainly won’t be sympathetic to their cause.

The craziness of the final day of the regular season ensues on Week 9 (Oct. 25), and two teams will be making their final push for the playoffs when the Guelph Gryphons and Laurier Golden Hawks close out their seasons in Waterloo.

You can catch all of these Marquee Matchups, as well as every other OUA football game this season, live online at OUA.tv.

OUa.Tv seasON Preview

18 OUA UNCOVERED: 2014 Football Season Preview

OUa.Tv seasON Preview

CaN aNYONe TaKe DOwN wesTerN?


It was one of the most dominant seasons in OUA history, yet the Western Mustangs still finished 2013 with a sour taste in their mouths.

For a team that averaged an eye-popping 57.2 points per game, finished the regular season 8-0 winning by an average of almost 39 points, and won its two OUA playoff games by a combined 59 points, anything less than a Vanier Cup win was bound to be a disappointment.

Playing the Mitchell Bowl outdoors in Calgary with inclement weather, Western looked unprepared to deal with the elements and the talent of the Dinos squad. The end result was an ugly 44-3 loss handed to a team that had trailed at halftime once all season.

The Mustangs offence is returning as dominant as ever and will continue to wreak havoc on OUA defences in 2014. Quarterback Will Finch, who was injured early in the Mitchell Bowl and forced to leave the game, is looking to improve on a season where he passed for over 3,000 yards, 21 touchdowns, and just six interceptions, while completing almost 70 percent of his passes.

Finch will have a cupboard full of offensive weapons to choose from, as the Mustangs have returned their top four receivers, and their 1-2 running back punch of Garret Sanvido and Yannick Harou – a tandem that ran for nearly 1000 yards and 13 touchdowns in just 12 combined games. All will be working behind an offensive line that could be described as young in 2013, but now has another year of experience.

With so many returning starters, it’s almost mind boggling to think what type of offensive numbers the team could put up this season.

Last season was a familiar story for head coach Greg Marshall, who has coached McMaster and Western to a combined eight Yates Cup wins (four at each school), but has only made one Vanier Cup appearance when his Western Mustangs lost to Laval in 2008.

For Marshall and the Mustangs, winning the Yates Cup is not an accomplishment but an expectation, and they are heavy favourites to repeat.

So, can anyone in OUA take down Western?If there is one dent in the purple armour, it’s on defence.

Western lost all three of its starting linebackers from 2013. All-Canadians Pawel Kruba and Beau Landry are now with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, while Sean Blake signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The trio led Western in tackles last season, and despite strong recruiting efforts, will be almost impossible to immediately replace.

And don’t expect their OUA opponents to willingly play the role of the Washington Generals this season. There are other talented squads who also have some pretty lofty goals for 2014.

The McMaster Marauders and Guelph Gryphons have returned several starters of their own, and both teams have talented veteran quarterbacks, experienced coaches, very strong defences, and plenty of playoff experience.

Queen’s is going through a transitional year, but will still have a well-prepared and talented team capable of knocking off any opponent.

The Laurier Golden Hawks will also be much stronger this season. They are led by second-year coach Michael Faulds – a familiar name to Mustangs fans – and despite finishing 1-7 last season, they were the only OUA team to lead Western at halftime.

Ottawa and Windsor might not be considered Yates Cup contenders, but overlooking either team in the regular season or playoffs could prove perilous even to the heaviest of favourites.

Everyone is going to make preseason predictions and power rankings – it’s part of the fun in the lead up to a new season. But, the fact remains, once teams hit the field none of what’s written on paper counts on the scoreboard.

The only thing for certain?It’s going to be another exciting season of OUA football.

CaN aNYONe TaKe DOwN wesTerN?


BY: JULIEN MEI


1. wesTerN mUsTaNgs

It was one of the most impressive seasons in OUA history. An 8-0 record, an average score of 57-19.

The problem for their OUA opponents this season is that these Mustangs may be even better.

Start with the quarterback. Will Finch had a spectacular 2013 season, throwing for over 3,000 yards, with 21 TDs against only 6 interceptions. This year he’s up to 225 pounds on his 6’3” frame, and has basically lived in the film room over the summer to improve his game even more.

Head coach Greg Marshall says Finch has worked hard on the mental side of the game as well.

“We have a big playbook,” Marshall told OUA Uncovered. “Will worked hard in the off-season and knows the playbook better. We can now play faster this season.”

Marshall says there’s another aspect to the mental game where his QB should be better.

“He doesn’t dwell on the play before,” said the coach. “If we had a bad play or two Will is now putting it behind him, not overthinking the negative. He’s more confident.”

He should be confident when he looks at his veteran, talent-laden receiving corps. George Johnson, Matt Uren, Justin Sanvido and Brian Marshall are all back. Johnson was just 18 receiving yards shy of 1,000. Marshall, selected by Calgary in the 2014 CFL draft, was fourth in the CIS with 753 yards, leading the team with six touchdown catches. Uren may be the best receiver of the bunch, but was plagued by injury last year and will look to bounce back this season.

“The receiving corps is as talented and deep a corps as I’ve ever had,” said coach Marshall.

Also back for the Mustangs is their

tremendous one-two punch at running back. Garret Sanvido and Yannick Harou have different styles, but each is very, very good. Sanvido led the country in 2012 with 1,001 yards in just eight games. Last year the pair combined for 973, with the team averaging 225 yards per game on the ground. If that’s not enough, Adam Sinclair is also back and he can play either RB or receiver.

Western featured a very young offensive line last year and it should only be better this season. While Eric Armitage is gone, center Matt Van Praet is back to lead the group. Van Praet, who plays the position as well as anyone in the country, will see Joe Circelli on his left. The guard was chosen by the Calgary Stampeders in this year’s CFL draft. Eddie Meredith will play the all-important left tackle position, while the right side will see either Kadeem Adams or Sean Jamieson at tackle. Jamieson could end up at right guard, as could Kane McEwen.

The Mustangs are more than just an offensive machine. The defence should also be very good this season.

Daryl Waud leads the charge from his defensive end position. Ricky Osei-Kusi will play opposite him on the line. The pair will be joined by a solid rotation of tackles. Rory

Connop, Rupert Butcher, Andrew Pedda and Ryan Northfield will all get playing time.

If there was any position hit by graduation it was the linebacking corps. All-Canadians Beau Landry and Pawel Kruba have both moved on to play for the CFL’s Hamilton

Tiger Cats. Freshman Jean-Gabriel Poulin from St. Nicolas, Que. may have the inside job on the inside backer position. Preston Huggins will be the weak side linebacker, while Philippe N’Djore, a transfer from Bishop’s, has the first opportunity to start at the strong side linebacker position.

The Mustangs young secondary of a year ago has also gained experience. Jesse McNair will be the safety, Simon Bahru and Josh Woodman will be the corners, while Malcolm Brown and Kalvin Johnson return as the halfbacks.

Replacing a legend is never easy, but that will be Zach Medeiros’ job. Lirim Hajrullahu has moved on to

the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers after the most successful kicking career in Canadian university history. He set the all-time CIS scoring record a year ago, finishing with an astonishing 422 career points.

His role will be filled by transfer Medeiros, who was with Université deMontreal before playing junior football for the London Beefeaters. Medeiros, who may be blessed with a stronger leg than his predecessor, was drafted by the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos.

“There are more quality teams this year in the OUA. Laurier and Windsor will definitely be improved. Carleton will be better. We can’t dwell on what happened last year,”

– Coach Marshall

BY: MIKE HOGAN


DEFENCETackles Tot Solo AstB. Landry 46 36 20P. Kruba 38 29 18S. Blake 28 21 14

Sacks Sack D. Ainsworth 4R. Osei-Kusi 4 Interceptions Int T. Lass 4P. Kruba 4S. Bahru 3

SPECIAL TEAMSKickoff Return Ret Yds Avg LngA. Thibaudeau 22 549 25.0 48 A. Sinclair 3 74 24.7 31

Punt Return Ret Yds Avg LngJ. Sanvido 43 355 8.3 30Y. Harou 9 183 20.3 48

Kickoffs Att Yds Avg L. Hajrullahu 62 3843 62.0

Punting Att Yds Avg L. Hajrullahu 39 1591 40.8

Field Goals Att Made % LngL. Hajrullahu 26 22 85% 42

OFFENCEPassing Comp Att Yds % TD IntW. Finch 191 274 3047 69.7% 21 6B. Huggins 14 23 289 60.9% 2 0

Rushing Att Yds Avg TD G. Sanvido 66 498 7.5 5Y. Harou 80 475 5.9 8W. Finch 62 319 5.1 5 Receiving Rec Yds Avg TD G. Johnson 60 982 16.4 5B. Marshall 34 753 22.1 9J. Sanvido 20 311 15.6 1

2013 Team leaDers

2. QUeeN’s gaels

If it weren’t for those Western Mustangs.By most standards the 2013 season was

an outstanding one for the Gaels. Regular season and playoffs combined the team went 8-2, but Queen’s simply could not beat the best team in the OUA. Both losses were against Western, 50-31 in the regular season and 51-22 in the Yates Cup final.

Pat Sheahan is back for a 15th season as the head coach at Queen’s. He’ll have his work cut out for him this time around as the Gaels have been hit hard by graduation.

One key veteran back for a fifth season is quarterback Billy McPhee. The strong-armed pivot will once again lead what should be a balanced and potent attack. McPhee passed for over 2,100 yards a year ago, but more importantly threw 17 touchdown passes against just four interceptions, fewest of the 21 CIS quarterbacks who threw 150 more passes.

Ryan Granberg finished his stellar career in 2013, but there are several running backs ready to step up. Of that group, Jesse Andrews has earned the right to start. As Granberg’s backup last season he averaged an incredible 8.6 yards per carry, best in the country among backs with at least 50 carries. He’ll be backed up by Jonah Pataki and Aaron Dowd. Pataki rushed for 118 yards in a game against Waterloo last year, a game where three Gaels topped the 100-yard mark.

Graduation decimated the receiving corps, but that doesn’t mean the cupboard is bare. How well the new faces play will reflect on how well they’ve recruited. Alex Carroll should be the top receiver for Queen’s this season. Doug Corby will have an opportunity to make an impact. Peter Hannon, Curtis Carmichael, Alex Zulys, Munashe Masawi, Justin Saddlemyre are returning players who could also see playing time, while freshmen Matteo Del Brocco from Leamington, Ont. and speedy Brandon Tyrell from Oakville will also get long looks.

The Gaels are also down a couple of starting offensive linemen from a year ago. John Meenagh returns at center, with Dan Hayes at right tackle. Coach Sheahan told OUA Uncovered that it’s an open competition for the other jobs.

“We’re a work in progress,” the coach said of the o-line. “We recruited seven offensive

linemen in 2011 and now is their chance to shine. We’re just as big (as 2012), we just lose experience.”

The new defensive coordinator is long-time CFL coach Greg Marshall, not to be confused with the coach of the same name at Western. He’ll have a decent mixture of veterans and youngsters to work with.

The defensive line will be anchored by Derek Wiggan. The

three-time OUA all-star and 2013 First Team All Canadian was selected by Calgary in April’s CFL draft. There’s little doubt he will be one of the league’s more impactful players again this year. He’ll be joined at

tackle by Natu Myers.If you watched the Gaels over the last few

years it was almost impossible to not see linebacker Sam Sabourin. He was always around the football, but has now graduated. That opens the door for other players to step up. Michael Moore will get a look in the middle, Luke McQuilkin, Stephen Trivieri, Mitch Spataro, Jesse Topley and freshman Brendan Coffey from Montreal will all compete for playing time.

The Gaels secondary was also hit by graduation with All Canadians Andrew Lue and T.J. Chase-Dunawa both gone. The good news is that Yann Dika-Balotoken and Brendan Morgan return. Both players appeared in the East West Bowl. Dika-Balotoken was a First Team OUA All Star and was a CIS co-leader with five interceptions, two of which he took back for touchdowns.

Dillon Wamsley returns and give the Gaels one of the top place kickers in the country. He hit a 52-yard field goal last year, longest in the CIS. He was second in CIS scoring. Wamsley’s punting leaves a little to be desired though, as his 35.1 average was second-worst in the OUA.

““This is a transition year at Queen’s. My plan is to be a tough team to beat by season’s end.””

– Coach Sheahan


BY: MIKE HOGAN


DEFENCETackles Tot Solo Ast J. Baronaitis 47 41 12S. Sabourin 34.5 28 13S. Plumley 29 23 12

Sacks Sack C. Dyer 5.5D. Wiggan 5.5J. Miniaci 4.5

Interceptions Int Y. Dola-Balotoken 4 4 Players Tied 2

SPECIAL TEAMSKickoff Return Ret Yds Avg LngC. Patrician 7 155 22.1 55D. Corby 7 133 19 51

Punt Return Ret Yds Avg LngD. Corby 45 489 10.9 53 G. Aprile 3 122 19.0 115

Kickoffs Att Yds Avg D. Wamsley 50 2848 57

Punting Att Yds Avg D. Wamsley 55 1931 35.1

Field Goals Att Made % LngD. Wamsley 28 18 64% 52

OFFENCEPassing Comp Att Yds % TD IntB. McPhee 127 222 2134 57.2% 17 4R. Mitchell 4 7 42 57.1% 0 0

Rushing Att Yds Avg TD R. Granberg 89 621 7.0 5J. Andrews 55 473 8.6 5D. Heslop 64 391 6.1 3

Receiving Rec Yds Avg TD G. Aprile 19 466 24.5 5S. Macdonell 31 449 14.5 4D. Corby 19 286 15.1 3

2013 Team leaDers

3. mcmasTer maraUDers

The standards at McMaster have become so high that the 2013 season was disappointing.

That’s easy to say after consecutive Vanier Cup appearances, including a national championship in 2011. Compared to that, a 5-3 record, combined with a 32-3 semi-final loss at Western, was not exactly living up to expectations.

Will that change this year? Head coach Stefan Ptaszek hopes so and there’s a pretty good chance it will.

Replacing a Marauder legend would not be easy, but QB Marshall Ferguson didn’t do a bad job at all last year. He may not possess all of the qualities exhibited by his predecessor Kyle Quinlan, but Ferguson did something that neither Quinlan, Ben Chapdelaine or Adam Archibald were able to do before him. The quarterback tossed 21 TD passes, a school record. The 6’2 pivot returns for a fifth and final season with a talented crew to throw to, meaning there’s a chance he could break his own record. Ptaszek says Ferguson is more confident and more relaxed heading into his second year as a starter, not pressing as much as he did a year ago.

One of Ferguson’s favourite targets is his former high school teammate Ben O’Connor. He’s joined in the receiving corps by ‘The Flying Dutchmen’, Josh Vandeweerd and Danny Vandervoort. The former was top ten in CIS receptions last season, while the latter had eight TD catches en route to being named the CIS Rookie of

the Year. Declan Cross and Max Cameron return, with Cameron playing the position formerly occupied by Michael DiCroce, one of the OUA’s most exciting players. Also on the scene is true freshman Dan Petermann. The highly recruited slotback from Hamilton is a great route runner who could provide another vertical threat. Esaie Mbobko is another highly-touted freshman from St. Thomas.

For the last decade and a half the Marauders have been known as one of the best rushing teams in the country, but that wasn’t the case last year. They were just seventh in the conference. Kasean Davis-Reynolds led the team in rushing, finishing one yard shy of 500 for the season. Veteran Wayne Moore is also back for another season as is Kingsley Amankwaa. The most interesting name in the backfield is that of Chris Pezzetta. He’s missed each of the last two seasons with injuries, but is back. The last game he played in was Mac’s Vanier Cup win

in 2011.The club was the

most dangerous red zone team in the CIS, converting 74% of its trips inside the opponent’s 20 yard line into touchdowns. They certainly have the weapons to at least equal, if not surpass that mark.

On the offensive line, Matt Sewell is a big loss, both literally and figuratively. The 6’8, 335 pound tackle is now plying his trade with the CFL’s Toronto

Argonauts. Sewell was injured for much of last season, so the Marauders got a taste of life without the big man. There will be three returning starters: Sean Smith, Zach Intzandt and Tyler Goldsworthy. Tom Sterling and Cody

Speller will also get time on the line, but the most interesting offensive lineman this year is Adam Dickson, a defensive lineman until now. He made the move willingly, hoping it would help the team.

One of the reasons the Marauders can allow Dickson to flip to the offensive side of the ball is that the defensive line is very good and very deep. Conner Mackay, Mark Mackie and Mike Kashak will play the two end spots, while Fabion Foote and Kevin Aleinik will play tackle. Hassan Barry is a freshman to keep an eye on.

Nick Shortill is back to anchor the linebacking unit. Joe Richardson will join him, as will Jake Heathcote. He was their top recruit two years ago and is poised to be a starter this season. Also in the linebacker mix is Eric Mezzalira, the Marauders top recruit last year. Kyle Fitzsimons will add some veteran presence to a group that will no doubt miss Aram Eisho.

McMaster had the best pass defence in the league, allowing just 222 yards per game. The secondary was busy again last year, picking off 14 passes. What must give opposing offensive coordinators nightmares is trying to come up with a game plan against a secondary that’s returning four players for a fifth year.

Here’s an interesting stat. Joey Cupido has more playoff interceptions than playoff games played, which is pretty impressive when you realize he’s played ten post-season games, picking off 11 passes in the process. Four veterans are back in a spectacular secondary. Scott Martin will move to safety to replace Mike Daly, the now Hamilton Tiger-Cat, is the only one missing from the group. Steve Ventresca and Allan Dicks will also be back.

Tyler Crapigna returns for a fifth season. He’s not very big, but has a strong leg and was 16/19 in field goal attempts last season. He was selected by the Calgary Stampeders in this year’s CFL draft. He’s a much better place kicker that he is a punter.

“If we improve each and every week we’ve got a shot at winning the Yates Cup.”

– Coach Ptaszek


BY: MIKE HOGAN


2013 Team leaDers

DEFENCETackles Tot Solo Ast A. Eisho 45 39 12S. Martin 32 28 8K. Ahlstedt 29.5 26 7

Sacks Sack M. Mackie 5M. Kashak 3.54 Players Tied 2

Interceptions Int S. Ventresca 4K. Ahlstedt 32 Players Tied 2

SPECIAL TEAMSKickoff Return Ret Yds Avg LngJ. Vandeweerd 18 413 22.9 54D. Vandervoort 1 30 30 30

Punt Return Ret Yds Avg LngJ. Vandeweerd 34 324 9.5 36D. Vandervoort 13 101 7.6 22

Kickoffs Att Yds Avg T. Crapigna 40 2263 56.6

Punting Att Yds Avg T. Crapigna 62 2233 36

Field Goals Att Made % LngT. Crapigna 19 16 84% 44

OFFENCEPassing Comp Att Yds % TD IntM. Ferguson 199 314 2410 63.4% 21 13 T. Filson 4 6 37 66.7% 0 0

Rushing Att Yds Avg TD K. Davis-Reynolds 76 399 5.2 4W. Moore 43 325 7.6 3J. Hill 37 196 5.3 1

Receiving Rec Yds Avg TD D. Vandervoort 31 594 19.2 8M. DiCroce 40 486 12.2 3J. Vandeweerd 47 442 9.4 3

The life of a student-athlete typically does not leave a lot of free time.

Between academics, practices, games, community involvement, and occasionally even a social event, the calendar tends to fill up quite quickly.

Now imagine adding “playing professional lacrosse” to the list.

Yet, that’s exactly what McMaster Marauders defensive back Joey Cupido does.

Drafted by the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) in 2012, Cupido debuted that year playing one game, and joined the team as a full-time roster player for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. He was named to the NLL’s All-Rookie team in 2013, scoring 15 points and grabbing 101 loose balls in 13 games.

“Lucky for me, football season and lacrosse season don’t overlap,” said Cupido. “As far as school goes, I always make sure to have everything done while I’m here, and then I’m gone pretty much every weekend for lacrosse.”

Just in case he might have had a few minutes of downtime, Cupido also plays lacrosse in the summer for the Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks of the Major Series Lacrosse league.

“I don’t really have an off-season, but fortunately both sports I play involve speed,” he said. “So really, I’m sort of training for one sport while I play the other.”

The Hamilton native recently completed his degree in Kinesiology, but still wants to keep playing professional lacrosse.

“I think this is my last season playing football. I’ve spoken to some CFL teams, but at the end of the day you can’t play everything forever – you have to pick and

choose. Not that I wouldn’t love to play professional football in Canada, I would jump at the opportunity, but I think for the health and longevity of my career, lacrosse is something I can play for longer.”

Attendance wise, the Mammoth are one of the most successful teams in the NLL, actually averaging higher gate numbers in 2008 than the two other Pepsi tenants – the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL and the NBA’s Denver Nuggets.

“It’s incredible. We play in front of about 17,000 fans on average and it’s a loud, electric atmosphere. It’s basically like if every game were a Vanier Cup.”

And Cupido knows all about playing in the Vanier Cup, having been a part of both McMaster’s recent Vanier appearances, beating Laval in 2011 and falling to the same Rouge et Or team in 2012.

Amazingly, he has 11 career playoff interceptions in 10 career playoff games for McMaster, including a CIS record four interceptions in a playoff game against Queen’s in 2011 – something he lists as one of his proudest individual accomplishments in either sport.

Asking a dual-sport athlete which they prefer to play can be like asking a parent who their favourite child is, but Cupido does acknowledge certain differences that he appreciates about each.

“They both involve reading plays and I try to be a very cerebral and fast player in both. The thing about lacrosse, though, is I can be involved in every play and I will always have the ball in my stick. In football, sometimes the ball doesn’t come my way all game, but that also means I’m doing my job by taking away the receiver I’m covering.”

This will be Cupido’s final season at McMaster, and along with winning the Vanier

Cup, he also wants to appreciate his final university experience and the opportunity to be a leader on the team.

“When I go in the Mammoth locker room, I’m one of the youngest guys, but at McMaster I’m one of the oldest guys on the team. Here I’m kind of a leader and have a different role in the locker room.”

McMaster’s season opens on Labour Day at home against the Guelph Gryphons in the OUA’s Week 1 Marquee Matchup. You can check out all the action live on OUA.tv throughout the season.

BY: Julien Mei

whO NeeDs aN OffseasON?NOT JOeY CUPiDO



whO NeeDs aN OffseasON?

4. gUelPh grYPhONs

It’s been a 17-year drought for the Guelph Gryphons. The last time they won the Yates Cup was in 1996, but this year’s team is in a good position to take a serious run at the long elusive conference title.

The Gryphons were one game away from a perfect regular season when they dropped their season finale at Queen’s before heading into the playoffs. After a win against Windsor, the Gryphons would return to Kingston, only to have their hearts broken again by the Gaels in the OUA semi-finals.

That was not an easy pill to swallow for Guelph head coach Stu Lang, a Queen’s graduate, yet he’ll be able to field 16 returning starters from last year’s squad.

Jazz Lindsey is back for a fourth season as the Gryphons quarterback. He flirted with 2,000 yards passing last season and will no doubt benefit from spending training camp with the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts. However, he’ll need to cut down on his interceptions if he’s going to take his game to the next level. Coach Lang is thrilled the Gryphs were able to recruit James Roberts from Cambridge as a potential successor to Lindsey somewhere down the road.

Running back Rob Farquharson missed

half of the 2013 regular season with a hamstring injury, yet still averaged over 100 yards rushing in the games he did play. The fifth-year running back may be the best at his position in the conference. He also has some added incentive after being overlooked at the CFL draft. The dangerous Johnny Augustine will also see a lot of action, but he’s still the number two back on the depth chart.

Receivers A’dre Fraser and Alex Charette are back. Both have established themselves as not only talented pass catchers, but as dangerous special teams players. The receiving corps will no doubt feel the loss of both Saxon Lindsey and Dillon Dimitroff, but those departures open the door to the likes of former quarterback Lucas Spagnuolo, a transfer from UBC who red shirted last year, and Mason Swift, a top recruit from a year ago.

When you speak with coaches from OUA teams, many are envious of the number of blue chip offensive line players the Gryphons have been able to recruit. This year’s group will be led by third-year center Matt Nesbitt and tackle Kyle Fraser-Audit. Two freshman may get a chance to start right out of the gate: guard Andrew Pickett of Kitchener and tackle Arran MacRae of Kingston. They’ll need to develop as individuals and as a group to help ease the loss of Jake Piotrowski.

The Gryphons defence was outstanding last year. It gave up conference lows with

17.4 points and 335 yards against per game. Guelph’s D was second in the CIS with 15 interceptions and third in the country with 34 sacks. The defence also scored three touchdowns.

The defensive line will be led by the ends. Two-time all-star Cam Walker returns, while the Gryphons are elated that Djordje Gavrilovic has transferred from Waterloo. The Gryphs will play a lot of 3-4 defence this year and will see Donnie Egerter and Dan Horta, a transfer from Concordia who red shirted last year, man the middle.

An all-star in 2012, John Rush is healthy and will lead the linebacking corps after missing six games last year with a knee injury. With the team playing a four-linebacker set, he’ll be joined on the inside by Andrew Graham, who filled in for the injured Rush a year ago. Curtis Newton and Pat McGrath will be the outside backers.

Tristan Doughlin is back at safety and that’s bad news for receivers who go over the middle. Colin Mandich, Mike Carney and Matt Myers will all return to the Gryphons secondary. Nick Parisotto is a freshman from Guelph, Royce Metchie is a first year player from Brampton, but both will see playing time this season.

The kicking duties will be handled by the Ferraro brothers. Daniel returns to the Gryphons and will do the punting, while younger brother Gabriel, a freshman, will do the field goal kicking.

“Our defence has been solid. The offence has to step up and score some more points.”

– Coach Lang


BY: MIKE HOGAN


2013 Team leaDers

DEFENCETackles Tot Solo Ast C. Newton 42 32 20T. Doughlin 32.5 24 17I. Marouf 31 27 8

Sacks Sack I. Marouf 6.5J. Thompson 5.5J. Finley 1

Interceptions Int T. Palmer 5T. Doughlin 28 Players Tied 1

SPECIAL TEAMSKickoff Return Ret Yds Avg LngA. Fraser 8 205 25.6 49A. Charette 6 166 27.7 61

Punt Return Ret Yds Avg LngA. Fraser 42 472 11.2 52A. Charette 14 248 17.7 125

Kickoffs Att Yds Avg D. Ferraro 40 2175 54.4

Punting Att Yds Avg D. Ferraro 68 2398 35.3

Field Goals Att Made % LngD. Ferraro 16 10 62% 47

OFFENCEPassing Comp Att Yds % TD IntJ. Lindsey 136 240 1805 56.7% 13 10L. Nangle 12 23 152 52.2% 2 0

Rushing Att Yds Avg TD R. Farquharson 64 419 6.5 5J. Augustine 59 393 6.7 1J. Lindsey 39 194 5.0 3

Receiving Rec Yds Avg TD S. Lindsey 44 515 11.7 6A. Charette 36 468 13.0 1C. Trivieri 21 334 15.9 3

Although the skill position players may be flashy and grab all the headlines, there is a reason for the old adage that games are won and lost in the trenches. As the game has evolved and passing has become the focal point of modern football, the reality is that it is that now a team’s ability to protect the passer, and conversely its defence’s aptitude for getting pressure on the passer, is most often what determines that team’s success. Being able to make a quarterback uncomfortable, while plugging up the run is what the following list of players did better than any others during the last decade.

10 - Justin Shakell (DE), Laurier - 1999-2003: The smallest player on the list at 6’2, 240 lbs it was Shakell’s

outstanding motor that landed him among the league’s elite pass rushers and run stoppers of the past decade. A true speed rush defensive end, he pursued quarterbacks and ball carriers with relentless desire. A First Team OUA All-Star and First Team CIS All-Canadian in 2002 and a First Team OUA All-Star in 2003 Shakell was drafted by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2004.

9 - Chris Van Zeyl (DE/DT), McMaster – 2004-2007: One of the bigger players on the list, coming in at 6’6, 275 lbs, Van

Zeyl came to Mac and formed part of a defensive line that for three seasons was the best group assembled anywhere in the conference during the decade. An absolute nightmare for opposing offensive linemen with his combination of size, strength, agility and fantastic reach, Van Zeyl posed issues for offensive coordinators week in and out. He would be named an OUA First Team All-Star and First Team CIS All-Canadian in his senior season in 2007 to go along with his Second Team recognition in 2006. An irresistible talent for the CFL he would be drafted in 2007 by Montreal and eventually transition to offensive line where he has excelled as an offensive tackle for the Toronto Argonauts, winning a Grey Cup in 2012.

8 - Andrew Jones (DT), McMaster – 2002-2006: Part of a decade long run of dominant Marauder defences, Jones

was part of a one-two interior tandem with Jeff Robertshaw that made McMaster nearly impossible to run against and scary for opposing quarterbacks. At 6’3, 300 lbs, Jones was one of the best true defensive tackles to ever don the maroon. He was a two time First Team OUA All-Star in 2004 and 2005, Second Team CIS All-Canadian in 2004, and a Second Team OUA All-Star in 2006. Jones also hoisted

the Yates Cup in his first two seasons with McMaster. His sheer size made him an ideal candidate for a position change in the CFL where he has spent the past eight seasons on the offensive line, winning the Grey Cup in back-to-back seasons with B.C. and Toronto in 2011 and 2012.

7 - Jeff Robertshaw (DT), McMaster – 2002-2006: The second part of the Mac interior, Robertshaw was a First Team

OUA All-Star and Second Team CIS All-Canadian in 2004 when he led OUA in QB sacks with eight, tying him for third most sacks in a single season. He was also named a Second Team OUA All-Star in 2003 and was part of two Yates Cup Championship Teams in 2002 and 2003. After signing in the CFL with Hamilton, Robertshaw would go on to spend five seasons in the league, winning back-to-back Grey Cups as a member of the Montreal Alouettes.

6 - Sebastien Tetreault (DT), Ottawa - 2006-2010:A three time OUA First Team All-Star and Second Team CIS All-

Canadian in 2007, 2009 and 2010, Tetreault was a staple for the Gee-Gees for five seasons, leading the league in 2010 with seven sacks. At 6’4, 270lbs, Tetreault was a force in the interior that required opposing coaches game plan around his presence. Despite taking on double teams week in and out throughout most of his career, he continued to not only be effective but also productive recording 20 or more tackles in several seasons.

5 - Chuck Walsh (DE), Waterloo – 1998-2001: One of only three J.P Metras Trophy winners on defence during the

decade, Walsh was a First Team OUA All-Star and First Team CIS All-Canadian in 2001 after a standout senior season at the University of Waterloo. He would go on to be drafted in the fifth round 45th overall by Toronto in the 2002 CFL Draft where he would play four seasons, winning the Grey Cup in 2004 before retiring following the season.

4 - Vaughan Martin (DT), Western – 2007-2008: The most physically dominant player on the list, Martin was a

massive 6’4, 297 lbs and an immovable object in the middle of the Western Mustangs defence. In addition to his size, what made him an especially intimidating force in the trenches was a speed and quickness not often seen in players of his size. A First Team OUA All-Star in 2008 and a Second Team OUA All-Star in 2007 he would become the only CIS player ever to be drafted as an underclassman in the NFL draft when he was taken in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers. He was a member of the Mustangs back-to-back Yates Cup championships, and had Vaughan spent longer

Top 10 DEFENSIVE LINEMEN of the 2000’s


BY: Bryan Crawford

Top 10 DEFENSIVE LINEMEN of the 2000’s


at Western, he most certainly would have been even higher on the list.

3 - Matt Kirk (DT/DE), Queen’s - 2001-2004:At 6’4, 250 lbs, Kirk was a versatile defensive lineman who lined

up at both defensive end and tackle during his OUA career. Despite his productivity at both positions, it was at defensive tackle where he stormed onto the scene during his senior seasons. At the tackle position, Kirk’s athletic ability made him an opposing defender against the run and also efficient at getting after the passer from the interior. He was recognized as an OUA All-Star in 2003 and 2004, along with being named a CIS All-Canadian and the OUA J.P. Metras Trophy winner in 2003. Following his outstanding 2003 season, Kirk would be drafted in the CFL draft by Ottawa and go on to play seven seasons with three clubs, winning the 2006 Grey Cup as a member of the B.C. Lions.

2 - Ricky Foley (DE), York - 2001-2005:At 6’2, 255 lbs, Foley may be one of the smaller players on the list but

without question is the best pure athlete. The former decathlete may even be the best defensive player to ever line up for the Lions. A First Team OUA All-Star in 2004 and 2005 and Second Team CIS All-Canadian in 2004, Foley helped a struggling Lions program achieve respectability. With a stronger supporting cast there is no telling what sort of production he could have achieved. His nine QB sacks in 2004 tied for second most in a single OUA season and led him to be drafted by B.C. in the first round, fourth overall in the 2006 CFL draft. During his eight seasons in the CFL, Foley has become one of the league’s best defensive ends, leading the league in sacks in 2009 and winning the Grey Cup three times as a member of the Lions, Argos and Roughriders.

1 - Osie Ukwuoma (DE/DT), Queen’s - 2005-2011:Possibly the most dominate defensive lineman in the rich history of

Queen’s University and one of the most dominant defensive players in OUA during the decade, Ukwuoma terrorized opposing offenses for five seasons from both the defensive end and defensive tackle positions. A First Team OUA All-Star four times in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011 along with two CIS First Team All-Canadian awards in 2008 and 2009 and a Second Team award in 2007. In 2008 he led the OUA’s top defence that anchored a undefeated season at Queen’s. His 9.5 sacks in 2008 would lead the league and tie an OUA single season record. In 2009 as the team’s defensive captain, Ukwoma was the heart of a fearsome defence that helped propel the Gaels to victories in the Yates Cup, Mitchell Bowl and Vanier Cup. He was selected in the CFL draft by Calgary in 2009 but following an injury left football to pursue a law career.


Phot

os b

y: M

icha

el P

Hal

l

Eight years removed from reaching the pinnacle of Canadian university football, winning the Vanier Cup with a perfect 12-0 record in 2005, the Laurier Golden Hawks are preparing to take a step forward after finishing last season with a 1-7 record.

Last season was the Golden Hawks first year under head coach Michael Faulds, who arrived from York where he was offensive coordinator. Despite the team’s struggles, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2002, the former Western Mustangs quarterback and all-time CIS passing leader is ready to lead an up-and-coming group into the 2014 season.

Describe what your first season as head coach was like?

“I had a really good time last season. That’s probably weird for some people to hear given that we went 1-7, but I surrounded myself with a great coaching staff and even though our record wasn’t great, our guys came to practice and came to play every day and every week. That’s promising coming into this year, because we are still improving and the energy and excitement around the program is as high as it’s been since I got here.”

What have been some of the biggest challenges in transitioning from player, to coordinator, to head coach?

“There’s nothing that I didn’t expect. I was a very observant player, so I was always aware of what the offensive and defensive coordinators were doing, and every year I immersed myself even more. Obviously last year everything was new to me, but it’s not like it caught me off guard. Even picking food for training camp, and bus schedules, and all

that, I knew it was part of the job.”

Despite going 1-7, your team played some very close games last season. Was 2013 a case of taking a step back to take two steps forward?

“Exactly. I said when I first got hired as head coach that things might have to get worse before they get better. We worked our guys tremendously hard last year know it might not benefit immediately, but it would help in years to come. We knew how young and inexperienced we were last year – (in August of last season) we didn’t know who our starting quarterback or running back would be, and we had a lot of holes to fill that have been filled this season.”

Fill in the blank. The 2014 Laurier Golden Hawks season is going to be:________________

“The 2014 season is going to be exciting. I use that word a lot, but I think it really symbolizes what is going on here. We have a ton of energy and I think it’s starting to create buzz around campus. We have a lot to prove, but there is a lot of excitement around the whole football program.”

What is the potential for this year’s squad?

“Internally, we think the sky’s the limit. We set our goals much higher than the public does. We think we can win it all, and expect to compete and have a chance to win every game we play.

Last season we took Queen’s to overtime at their homecoming, we took Windsor to overtime, and we led Western at half, so our team is really confident that we can play with any team in the conference. I don’t map it out for the guys, but I do tell them that there are steps. Before you can win the Vanier Cup

you have to win the Yates Cup; before that you have to make the playoffs; before that you have to have a good regular season and training camp. The ultimate goal is laid out for them, but there are steps you have to take.”

Obviously as a recruit you chose to go to Western, so what’s your pitch to top-recruits to choose Laurier over some of the larger football programs in the province or country?

“That’s what’s really unique about Laurier, we’re the smallest football-playing school in Ontario and we really sell that. It’s a nice community atmosphere, it’s got a beautiful campus just on one city block with some great academic programs, and we’ve got a great coaching staff to build relationship with recruits. The one thing that is scaring recruits away is that 1-7 record, but with a better turnaround this year, recruiting will become that much easier.”

You had tremendous success at Western as a player, what’s it like being a part of a different institution, and standing on the sideline across from Coach Marshall?

“I’ve been around the OUA and have ties to a lot of teams. I grew up in Guelph and used to be a ball boy for the Gryphons for seven or eight years, then I got my job at York and now Laurier, so anytime we play those teams is special. But having actually played at Western and being able to coach against one of my mentors in a game, I always look at a little more closely. Last year, we were the only team to lead them at halftime, and this season we get them on a Thursday night in London, so it’s going to be really exciting.”

7 QUesTiONs wiTh...

miChael faUlDs


BY: Julien Mei

5. laUrier gOlDeN hawKs

It would be an understatement to say that 2013 was a frustrating season for the Laurier Golden Hawks.

They led Western at the half, but lost. They held Guelph to five points in the second half, but lost. They blocked a field goal in overtime against Queen’s, but the Gaels still managed to score a game-winning touchdown on the play. The Hawks even managed to lose a game to Windsor in overtime -- on a rouge.

When all was said and done, their record remarkably stood at 1-7, something that’s unacceptable to head coach Michael Faulds, who enters his second year at the helm. However, the former Western Mustangs star wasn’t totally disheartened by what he saw last year.

“I learned how tough and relentless we were,” said Faulds. “Our record would be 1-5, but you’d think with our tempo we were 5-1. Our players saw our improvement.”

Of last year’s starters, 22 of them are coming back, so the team could turn things around in a hurry.

James Fracas took over as the Laurier starting QB in Week 4, leading the team to its lone win of the season, 41-10 over Waterloo. He’s back for another year, fresh off some CFL experience, as he was invited to take part in the Hamilton Tiger Cats training camp. Fracas will be building off a 62.5 per cent completion rate, the fifth-best mark in the CIS last year.

Last year Fracas and the entire offence were learning on the job. They’ve now had a season on the field, as well as a full off-season, to grasp the Faulds offence. It should pay dividends this season on game day.

It’s been an interesting year for Dillon Campbell. He won the OUA rushing title, after beginning his third season as a virtual unknown. Opponents quickly became aware of his ability, none more so than the

Western Mustangs, who fell victim to a 100-yard Campbell TD run. Campbell has since followed up the season by winning the 2014 OUA Cover Vote, an online contest selecting a player to grace the cover of the conference’s media guide.

The receiving corps dropped too many passes last year, with many of those drops coming at the most inopportune times. The majority of the group returns and should be better with a year of the Faulds offence under its belt. Kelvin Muamba led all Hawks with 36 receptions last season. Greg Nyhof and Marcus Arkarakas are also back for another go round. Scott Campbell, Anthony Pizzuti and Ethan Loft will all get playing time.

The offensive line has been problematic for Laurier over the last handful of years. The line will be bigger, stronger and more experienced this season. Jamie Lalonde will start at center, transferring from Guelph. New to the o-line this year is Tommy Griffiths, a former d-lineman who is making the switch. He was invited to the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts training camp on the offensive side of the ball. Griffiths will play guard, as will Mike Malanda. Brett Golding and Chris Reddy will start at the tackle spots.

While the offence struggled for much of the season, the defence was usually solid, showing flashes of brilliance. Starting up front, the Hawks are led by end Ese Mrabure-Ajufo and Kwaku Boateng. Mrabure-Ajufo is entering his CFL draft year, while Boateng was named to the OUA All-Rookie team

last season. Freshman Rashari Henry from Orleans, Ont. will get some reps at end. The tackles will be Emerson Gourdet and Asante Mizan.

Brandon Calver, the Hawks leading tackler from last season, will anchor the linebacking unit. Sam Montazeri and Anthony Petrucci will be the other starters in what is a very deep group for the Hawks.

Laurier fans will be watching Chris Ackie in the secondary, as will CFL scouts. He’s a potential first-round selection in the 2015

draft and will anchor an improving defensive backfield. Ben Millar will be the safety, Tanner Philp, William Pitt-Doe, Ron Kinga and Oren Bell will all see action.

Laurier has been blessed with some spectacular kick returners over the years. Though he had a lot opportunities to return kicks, true freshman William Pitt-Doe broke the team record for kick return yards in a season. Considering there have been players like Dillon Heap, Steve Turner and

Ian Logan used as primary kick returners, the record is impressive.

Ronnie Pfeffer is back for another season and will handle both place kicking and punting duties. He’s always been better at the former than the latter, but last year was just 14 for 23 kicking field goals. His 60.8 success rate was the worst in the country among regular kickers. The addition of freshman long snapper Jonathan Timmons from Mississauga will be a big help.

“I’m really excited. Our level of expectation couldn’t be higher. We know we’re better than a 1-7 team.”

– Coach Faulds


BY: MIKE HOGAN


2013 Team leaDers

DEFENCETackles Tot Solo AstB. Calver 42C. Ackie 40.5T. Majka 34

Sacks Sacks T. Griffiths 4.5K. Boateng 43 Players Tied 2

Interceptions Int F. Odum 24 Players Tied 1

SPECIAL TEAMSKickoff Return Ret Yds Avg LngW. Pitt-Doe 20 560 28.0 71M. Arkarakas 163 16.3 28

Punt Return Ret Yds Avg LngM. Arkarakas 44 336 7.6 35 W. Pitt-Doe 13 90 6.9 15

Kickoffs Att Yds Avg R. Pfeffer 30 1567 55.2

Punting Att Yds Avg R. Pfeffer 77 2813 36.5 Field Goals Att Made % LngR. Pfeffer 23 14 61% 45

OFFENCEPassing Comp Att Yds % TD IntJ. Fracas 103 164 1312 62.8% 6 5J. John 45 111 596 40.5% 3 4

Rushing Att Yds Avg TD D. Campbell 146 867 5.9 5J. Fracas 34 113 3.3 2

Receiving Rec Yds Avg TD G. Nyhof 22 447 20.3 4 A. Anthony 21 300 14.3 0I. Dell 16 226 14.1 0

hOmeTOwN KiD heaDs UP hawKs


He is six-foot, physically toned athlete who wears his sporting gear like it could be a business suit. James Fracas, this year’s starting quarterback for the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, knows what it takes to be behind centre on the gridiron.

“Confidence is a very big thing,” said Fracas, a Waterloo, Ont. native. “When you’re a quarterback you have to be one of the most—if not the most—confident person both on the field and off the field because people look up to you to be a leader.”

The fourth year business student knows a thing or two about leadership both on and off the field. Last year he started the Hawks’ final five games of the season and finished with 1,312 yards and six touchdowns while adding 113 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

After this breakout season, the two-time CIS Academic All-Canadian polished off his second year of eligibility by earning the Luke Fusco

Achievement Award, an award presented to the athlete who shows outstanding academic

and athletic achievement.“I expect a lot out of myself,” said

Fracas about his achievements. “I expect myself to be a strong leader for the team.”

This year, having gained the experience and confidence he needed, Fracas is about to live the dream—the

dream he had for himself when he came to Laurier as a freshman.

“When you first come in to the program you think you’re going to play right away. In rare cases you do, but it takes a lot of work to get yourself physically and mentally prepared,” said Fracas.

The Sir John A. MacDonald graduate continued to prepare himself to lead the Hawks to new heights during the summer as he attended the Tiger-Cats Training Camp in Hamilton.

“It’s a great initiative to help promote Canadian quarterback skills,” said Fracas.

The Tiger-Cats camp sees professional athletes working with CIS quarterbacks on the field and in the film room developing technical skills and field strategy.

“I learned a lot of technique that I can bring back individually. I learned more on reading the defence, too” said Fracas. “I now have a better understanding of what I’m looking at, and where I should be looking to figure out where the defence is playing.”

The Hawks had a rough start to the season last year, but became stronger as a team as they pushed to compete with some of the tougher programs in OUA; including a Week 7 overtime loss to the eventual Yates Cup finalist Queen’s Gaels that would earn the Hawks quarterback OUA Athlete of the Week honours.

“That last quarter against Queen’s was definitely a standout moment for me,” said Fracas. “That was a time our offence really came together to show what we can do, especially against one of the best defences in the OUA.”

The Hawks are fielding a more experienced team this year, and it has given Fracas a reason to believe that Laurier will be a clutch contender in OUA this year.

“We expect to be a competitive team; I’d be lying if I said otherwise. We have laid the groundwork, and even though the past few years have been hard on us, I feel like our coaches and athletes are more prepared than ever.”

hOmeTOwN KiD heaDs UP hawKs


BY: virginia tremaine

6. wiNDsOr laNCers

The 2013 season was one where the Lancers did what most observers expected of them. They beat the teams they were supposed to, made the playoffs, then lost in the first round to Guelph.

This year the expectations are higher.“We’ve been a playoff team three years in

a row,” fourth-year head coach Joe D’Amore told OUA Uncovered. “But we’ve been out in the first round. We need to try and host a playoff game.”

They certainly have a shot.Of last year’s 24 starters, 21 are returning,

the most important of whom is Austin Kennedy. Arguably the OUA’s most exciting player, the quarterback flirted with the 2,000-yard mark with 17 TDs and five interceptions, and rushing for nearly 400 more yards. As Kennedy goes this season, so go the Lancers offence. He’d like nothing more than to end his career with a playoff win or two.

What should make this offence good is the familiarity it has with the playbook and each other. The veteran receiving corps will return, led by Evan Pszczonak, fresh off a CFL camp with the Toronto Argonauts. An all-star last season who finished fifth in the CIS in receiving yards, Pszczonak be once again joined by Dylan Whitfield, who is entering his fifth season. Scott McEwen and Kyle Tyo will add experience to a potentially dangerous group. Two players have moved to receiver from other positions. Gilbert Stewart was a running back, while Dave McDuffie was a defensive back.

When Kennedy isn’t running the ball himself, he’ll be handing it off to the likes of Beau Lumley, Nigel Applewhaite and transfer Tarrence Crawford from SFU. Each one of the backs brings something different to the table and will be used in different situations. It’s a much different look than a year ago, when

Mitch Dender was the every down back. Following an appearance in the East West Bowl, Nathan O’Halloran returns this season as the Lancers’ fullback.

The offensive line is a good group that will be anchored by tackles Randy Beardy and Brett Boersma. Daniel Benson and Jacob Myall will be the guards, while Travis Durocher is the center. They are big, experienced and prepared to have a strong season. When they do break down, Kennedy’s ability to scramble will bail them out at times.

The offence will have a new wrinkle this season, as Coach D’Amore will be calling the plays from the sidelines this year . The coach and QB have been together for five years at Windsor, as well as three seasons with the OVFL’s Essex Ravens before that, so the adjustment shouldn’t be too dramatic.

The defensive line is also a veteran group that will have enough depth to sport a good rotation. Tai Pham, was tied for seventh in the CIS with 7.5 sacks, while Stephon Miller added six more. John Langley, Jordan Deneau, David Flewelling and local freshman Kellen LeClair will all make their presence felt throughout the season.

Frank Renaud cracked the top ten CIS

tacklers, finishing with 52 last season. Like RB Tarrence Crawford, Joe Iatzko is another SFU transfer from the Windsor area and should excel playing in front of the hometown crowd. Marcel Ugoh completes the starting group.

Injuries to key players really crippled the Lancers’ defensive secondary last season. Josh Burns missed most of the season with a collapsed lung, Jordan Deneau missed the season with a hamstring injury, while cornerback Austin Crumb also sat out last year. The good news is that all three are back and that should pay big dividends in the secondary. Cornerback Kuinton Elliott and safety Louis Polyzois complete the starting group.

Anthony Malandruccolo will get the opportunity to do both the placekicking and punting this season. He’s got a strong leg, so his kickoffs and field goal distance should be fine. If there’s a worry, it’s how consistent he will be punting the football.


““We need to start beating teams ahead of us in the standings. We haven’t beaten Queen’s, Mac or Western since I’ve been here.”

– Coach D’Amore

BY: MIKE HOGAN


2013 Team leaDers

DEFENCETackles Tot Solo Ast A. Whonder 53 43 20F. Renaud 52 43 18M. Dubuisson 37 33 8

Sacks Sack T. Pham 7.5G. Post 4

Interceptions Int M. McGarva 2U. Nwaesei 2

SPECIAL TEAMSKickoff Return Ret Yds Avg LngB. Lumley 14 323 23.1 42M. Dender 11 250 22.7 37

Punt Return Ret Yds Avg LngB. Lumley 47 433 9.2 55R. Veenstra 5 59 11.8 22

Kickoffs Att Yds Avg D. Cerino 39 2201 56.4

Punting Att Yds Avg D. Cerino 77 3052 39.6

Field Goals Att Made % LngD. Cerino 13 8 62% 42

OFFENCEPassing Comp Att Yds % TD IntA. Kennedy 139 232 1920 59.9% 17 5C. Wright 12 33 173 36.4% 2 3

Rushing Att Yds Avg TD M. Dender 75 522 7.0 5A. Kennedy 80 395 4.9 4G. Stewart 68 312 4.6

Receiving Rec Yds Avg TD E. Pszczonak 42 646 15.4 6B. Lumley 19 235 12.4 1D. Whitfield 18 213 11.8 3

I love two things equally – college football and the quarterback position. I vehemently ascribe to the notion that quarterback is the single toughest position in sports for the mental, physical, and psychological challenges it presents.

Windsor’s Austin Kennedy is much more than the 1920 yards passing and 59% completion rate he put up in 2013.

“He’s our league’s Johnny Manziel, but without the partying issue,” said an OUA scout. “On the field, he’s hard to maintain defensively, but low maintenance off of it.”

It’s a comparison Kennedy both likes and agrees with – though he did have to hold back some laughter upon hearing it.

What I love about Kennedy’s game is not the scrambling ability that’s made him famous. He’s an underrated passer. Like a point guard, he puts the ball in great spots. He might not throw as hard or as far as some of the elite quarterbacks in the country, but he puts the ball in a spot where only his receiver can get it. That’s why his touchdown-to-interception numbers were an astonishing 17-5 in 2013.

For Kennedy, the best locale for him to ball was at home at the University of Windsor. He was comfortable with the Windsor coaching staff, who had strong ties to the Essex Ravens football program where he played, and what’s more, he wanted to stay home. A kid who grew up in a subdivision just down the street from the stadium, he wanted to make it easier for his biggest fan, his mother, to see all of his games. He wanted the local Windsor football community to have one of its own to cheer for. He wanted to help resurrect a long proud, but often struggling, program.

Noble goals, but he has to be healthy to accomplish them. His competitive nature means he never gives up on a play,

constantly scrambling, but that style of play has obvious consequences. He was sacked more than any other QB in the CIS in 2013.

Like most QBs in the conference, his goal is to win a Yates Cup - something that has eluded him. As he embarks on his last CIS season there is another goal he’s ear marked that would be a major accomplishment - a

home playoff game. Kennedy has led the Lancers to the playoffs for the last three years as a starter. It’s no longer a goal, it is an expectation. None of those games, though, were played on campus in front of the people Kennedy so badly wants to impress. The Kennedy administration’s main order of business in 2014 is protecting their home turf.

It’s a home he willingly chose.

“He’s our league’s Johnny Manziel, but without the partying issue.”

– OUA Scout

BY: Donnovan Bennett


aUsTiN KeNNeDY is reaDY TO briNg The PlaYOffs hOme

7. OTTawa gee-gees

The 2012 Gee-Gees season was nothing less than a disaster. After a 0-5 start, the head coach was fired after a near mutiny by the players and a very talented team did not get an invitation to the post-season party.

In 2013, head coach Jamie Barresi stilled the choppy waters in his first season on the job. Ottawa finished with a 5-3 record and made the playoffs, but fell to McMaster 41-7 in the first round.

If the progress is to continue, it will have to be without its two most important players from a year ago.

At quarterback, Aaron Colbon has graduated. The Gee-Gees got a glimpse of the future when he was injured at times last year and Derek Wendel got some reps, going 29-49 for 448 yards with four touchdowns against a pair of interceptions. Not a pure drop-back passer, Wendel can roll out and move the pocket. Coach Barresi ran high-tempo practices to ensure Wendel was as comfortable as possible with the offence, as he will open the 2014 season as the starting QB.

Also graduated is running back Brendan Gillanders, who has moved on to play with the CFL’s Toronto Argos. They’ll miss his running ability as well as his leadership. The Gee-Gees have brought in several players who are ready to compete for the job, but Mack Tommy will get the first opportunity to start.

It’s a very deep group of receivers that

Wendel will have to work with. Nic Dagher had 39 catches a year ago. Ian Stewart recorded a pair of 100-yard games last season. Speedster Vincent Campbell provides a deep threat. Tristan Bailey is back from knee surgery, while Mitchell Baines should improve. The group is without leading receiver Andrew Mullings and Simon Le Marquand, who also moved along after an injury plagued final season. Still, it’s a group that provides several weapons.

The offensive line features Adam Valchuk at left tackle, with Joe Adebiyi on the right side. Taylor Servais brings experience to the group. Cody Moynes will play center if he’s healthy. Will Green will also see some playing

time. The young player that has the Gee-Gees most excited is freshman Ibra Ndiaye from Montreal, who is said to have strong pro potential.

Coach Barresi calls the offensive line “a good group, but not battle tested. It’s a good balance between veterans and kids,” said Coach Barresi.

Ettore Lattanzio was a force on the defensive line a year ago, co-leading the CIS in sacks with 10. He was won

the J.P. Metras Award for OUA Lineman of the Year and was selected as a First-Team All Canadian. He’ll be joined on the line by a group that has pretty good depth. Andrew Randall is back after missing last year with an injury, Sam Randazzo, Corbin Maxwell, Gabriel Caissy and freshman James Reinlein

from Quebec will all see playing time.Nick Lecour will be the man in the middle

among linebackers. He’s back after missing all of 2013 with an injury and will not only add an on-field presence, but will provide leadership on that side of the ball. Dylan Auty battled injuries a year ago as well, but is back this year. Marc-Antoine Laurin led the Gees-Gees in tackles last season, while Tanner Care joins the team after transferring from Bishop’s.

The secondary should be a strong point for Ottawa. Veteran halfback Randy Williams returns, as does Dustin Wilson at safety. Ty Cranston will man one of the cornerback spots, while Habib Sesay and Mike Randazzo are veterans who will also start. The expectations for this group are very high.

Lewis Ward will be back to do the place-kicking chores. He was good on 12 of his 17 attempts last year for a 71 percent success rate. Domenic Bellardini will do the punting once again after averaging 37.6 yards per kick a year ago.


“We hope to do better than last year. We have a tough schedule early. We have to get through it and we’ll see where we go from there.”

– Coach Barresi

BY: MIKE HOGAN


2013 Team leaDers


2013 Team leaDers

DEFENCETackles Tot Solo Ast M.-A. Laurin 34.5 30 9E. Lattanzio 28 25 6T. Cranston 26.5 24 5

Sacks Sack E. Lattanzio 103 Players Tied 2

Interceptions Int S. Cha 1M. Bond 1H. Sesay 1T. Rusznak 1

SPECIAL TEAMSKickoff Return Ret Yds Avg LngV. Campbell 21 423 20.1 53A. Mullings 13 216 16.6 25

Punt Return Ret Yds Avg LngV. Campbell 26 296 11.4 74A. Mullings 17 139 8.2 29

Kickoffs Att Yds Avg L.Ward/D.Bellardini 37 1963 53.1

Punting Att Yds Avg D.Bellardini 40 1504 37.6

Field Goals Att Made % LngL. Ward 17 12 71% 39

OFFENCEPassing Comp Att Yds % TD IntA. Colbon 180 277 2490 65% 20 13 D. Wendel 29 49 448 59.2% 4 2

Rushing Att Yds Avg TD B. Gillanders 109 740 6.8 2A. Colbon 45 435 9.7 4M. Tommy 17 105 6.2 1

Receiving Rec Yds Avg TD N. Dagher 39 657 16.8 3

A. Mullings 41 599 14.6 8I. Stewart 37 440 11.9 2

TaKiNg reCOverY TO The NexT level

Mike Randazzo has seen every colour of the Gee-Gees football program, being the longest serving player on the squad. The defensive back has been a member of the Gee-Gees since 2008, longer than most coaches on the team, and has battled through tremendous adversity to continue his OUA career.

Randazzo, a Hamilton, Ont. product, first arrived at Ottawa as a defensive back with nothing on his mind but joining the Gee-Gees as quickly as possible. After starting his career without any blemishes, playing two complete and successful seasons, Randazzo was dealt with a major setback prior to the 2010 season.

Upon visiting doctors after tweaking his right knee in spring football, he was informed that he had torn his ACL and would require season-ending surgery. It would be a long process for a player going into the prime of his career, but Randazzo was determined to get back to the field as soon as possible.

After eight months of recovery, he returned to the field and began to play again. However, in the midst of returning to action he would go through the hardship once again, tearing his left ACL only a few games into the 2011 campaign. The recovery would take even longer the second time around due to muscle loss and weakness in his legs caused by the first injury. He would ultimately miss the entire 2011 and 2012 seasons.

The obstacles of life would not end there for Randazzo. In the most difficult time of his athletic career, he would also go through the most challenging time in his personal life with the loss of his father. Regardless of the sport, this was a series of events that could stop many athletes’ careers in their tracks. But as a tribute to his father, the man from whom he drew so much inspiration throughout his early life, Randazzo returned to training in an effort to get back to the football field.

“I have to give credit to my dad because he

was such a big part of why I stayed in school and focused on football. After he passed away, my friends were there to help guide me through the hard times. I think the fact that my family is so tightly knit was also important during that time because we were always there for each other,” said Randazzo, who was joined by his brother Samuel on the Gee-Gees in 2011. “Obviously when Sam came to play here I was excited. We are good friends and hang out all the time so that definitely helped as well.”

What makes Randazzo so special, however, is what he was able to do while he was away from the football field. Despite being sidelined for months on end, Randazzo did not stop being involved with football or being a leader as a student-athlete. He began by giving his time to the Odawa Native Friendship Centre in Ottawa, where he tutored kids from the age of 7-12 years old at the homework club once per week.

The following academic year, Randazzo took an Indigenous writing class where he discovered a new interest for Canadian Aboriginal studies. Following the class, he launched himself into school politics where he volunteered with the Aboriginal Studies Canadian Student Association as its vice president.

The next summer, he decided to share his football knowledge by coaching in a newly founded football league in remote communities in northern Quebec. The league had been created by Trevor Monaghan, a former Gee-Gees quarterback from 1997-2001, who designed the league to give kids in the area a chance to play competitive football.

“I love coaching and doing things that help others in need. It helps you learn so much about yourself and helps you become the best person you can be,” said Randazzo. “When I was growing up, my family was always big into helping people in the community. It’s pretty much just bred into my blood. I realized when I got here that there was so much I could do to

help people, so I just tried to do as much as I could. As an athlete, I was someone younger people could look up to.”

After coaching for three seasons, Randazzo decided to stay in Ottawa this summer to prepare for the upcoming season, his fifth and final one in a garnet and grey uniform. It is a combination of all these charitable actions that warranted Randazzo the 2014 President’s Award, recognizing the Gee-Gee athlete who best excels in athletics, academics, and community service.

“It meant a tremendous amount to win that award - it’s always nice to be recognized for the work you do. Also, because I had been sidelined by injury it meant a lot knowing that I could contribute to Gee-Gee culture in way more than just the athletic component. It also solidifies my belief that as student-athletes we need to do more than just play. We are leaders and we can affect change here on campus and in our communities.”

In the past three years, Randazzo has had to deal with more adversity than some do in a lifetime, but he is ready to take to the field once again with all that now in his rear-view mirror. The veteran is at the peak of his physical ability and is as close to returning to his pre-injury form as possible. So how will this translate to the field?

“I feel great physically and mentally. There will always be some chronic pain in my legs from going through such dramatic injuries and I will have lost a bit of speed but I more than make up for that with the experience I have gained in the past few years. I am a very smart and mature player now and I think that will be a big advantage for me this season.”

This year’s edition of Gee-Gees football is one with much anticipation and Randazzo is likely to play an important role on the club. Still, it would not be the case without sheer determination and love for the game of football from Randazzo.

miKe raNDazzO


TaKiNg reCOverY TO The NexT level

BY: Erik meincke

Many Ontario University Athletic conference graduates have made the jump from university football to the Canadian Football League. But it’s a different journey for each individual.

Just ask Ricky Foley, Andy Fantuz – the last two OUA alums to win the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian award in 2009 and 2010 respectively – or Chris Van Zeyl, a 2013 CFL All-Star offensive lineman. Each man dealt with different obstacles on the way towards reaching their goals of becoming professional athletes.

For Foley, who grew up in rural Courtice, Ont., he didn’t really have any other choice. After his family farm went under, he channeled his entire focus towards making a career playing the game he loves.

“I had to make a living in football. I really didn’t have any other alternative,” Foley said. “Maybe that’s part of the reason I made it because a lot of people were going to practice and thinking of it as an extra curricular activity.”

From the first day of his initial OUA training camp, Foley knew he wanted to go pro. When he stepped on the field at York back in 2003 it was his first time ever playing organized football. Never before had Foley even played a down.

Through his hard work on the farm, Foley had developed a strong, athletic body. In his first OUA season he got adjusted to the game. Then in 2004 Foley became a dynamic defender and pass rusher for the Lions. He led the entire CIS with nine sacks and was named an All-Canadian. In his final season at York, Foley wreaked havoc on OUA offences, piling up 49 tackles and First Team OUA All-Star honours, capping off an impressive university career.

“There were a lot of guys in the OUA when I was playing who were better football players than me – I only played three years of football at York and never played high school – but I just outworked the other guys,” Foley said.

“I knew I had to outwork them if I wanted to make it to the pros.”

Sure enough Foley accomplished his goal of making it to the professional ranks when he was selected in the first round, fourth overall in the 2006 CFL Draft by the BC Lions. Surprisingly Foley feels making the transition from the OUA to the CFL, in some ways, was easy.

“I’m a farm boy so nothing compares to when I was growing up, the hours that I had to put into the farm, and the focus and work ethic,” Foley explained. “Once I became a pro football player, you practice four and a half hours a day and work out. It’s definitely a lot easier life style than farming. So that part wasn’t tough at all.”

“Yes, the speed of the game was faster, but it wasn’t that crazy. Honestly the biggest thing for me is consistency and discipline. You got away with bad habits in the OUA, you could be an athlete and that was enough. You can’t look great for one or two plays and then cost your team a big one in the CFL. A lot of guys look good or flash for one play. But to go and play 60 snaps a game when that other team is game planning against you, and be disciplined enough to not give up any big plays, that was the tough part.”

Foley is in his ninth CFL season and has been very successful so far. In 2009 he won the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian award when he recorded 51 tackles and a league-high-tying 12 sacks. On a team level, Foley has been a part of two Grey Cup winning squads in 2012 with the Argos and 2013 as a member of the Riders. It’s not just by happenstance that Foley has put together an impressive pro resume.

“You have to focus every single day, all day long. Eliminate all distractions in your life,” Foley said. “It has to be a 24-hour a day kind of job. It’s gotta be an obsession 365 days a year.”

Like Foley, another player out of the OUA to recently earn a CFL Most Outstanding Canadian award is Andy Fantuz. Fantuz took

home the honour in 2010 when he posted career highs with 87 catches and 1,380 yards. The Western University graduate played four seasons for the Mustangs from 2002-2005. He set CIS and OUA records for career receiving yards (4,123), single-season receiving yards (1300 in 2002), career receptions (189) and career touchdowns receptions (41). In 2005 Fantuz won the Hec Crighton Award as the top player in CIS football.

After a stellar university career, Fantuz was selected third overall in the 2006 CFL Draft by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Even though he’s turned into one of the best receivers in the CFL, it took some time for the 6’4”, 220 lbs pass catcher to get acclimated to the pro game.

“I remember being a bit intimidated at first. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I got drafted out to Saskatchewan and all I could think about was trying to learn the playbook, work as hard as I can and try to make the plays when they came. You can’t expect much when you go from being the number one receiver in university down to the bottom of the depth chart when you make the jump,” Fantuz said.

“The toughest part for me was not playing for the first few weeks. You go from being an every-down receiver in university and than all of a sudden I went four games without even stepping on the field on offence. To be on the sideline was frustrating, but you have to pay your dues and keep working hard in practice and your time will come.”

It wasn’t a long wait before Fantuz made his first CFL reception. In his fifth career game on July 22, 2006 he recorded five catches for 51 yards in his offensive debut.

“You have to work your way up,” Fantuz said, “and the best way to do that is be coachable, work hard, show your effort and make plays when they come.”

Fantuz confirmed the speed of the game is a lot faster in the CFL.

“It’s another level you haven’t seen before so you have to adapt.”

MAKING THE JUMP FROM OUA TO CFL


BY: Justin Dunk


Specifically from his own experience in the pro three-down game, Fantuz believes receivers coming up from university need to be ready for the increased physicality.

“In the CFL there is so much clutching and grabbing going on and everyone is a lot stronger and bigger,” Fantuz explained. “I would be as physical as you can so you can play fast.”

In the biggest game of his career to date, Fantuz caught four passes for 70 yards and a touchdown for Saskatchewan in the Riders 95th Grey Cup game win in 2007. For his effort he was named the Grey Cup’s Most Valuable Canadian.

“I always dreamed I could go places in football and I believed in myself,” Fantuz said.

Both Foley and Fantuz jumped from university to the pros playing the same position at each level. Chris Van Zeyl didn’t have it quite the same way. A CIS All-Canadian at the defensive tackle spot during his time as a McMaster Marauder, Van Zeyl had to make a position switch after being drafted into the CFL.

“At the end of my second training camp, Marc Trestman asked if I could play offensive line and that was the end of my defensive lineman career,” Van Zeyl said. “I took maybe four or five snaps in my entire OUA career as an offensive lineman.”

Van Zeyl actually never suited up in a game for the Alouettes. He was released and promptly scooped up by the Argos on September 5, 2008. It was in Toronto where he met two of his biggest offensive line mentors.

“I had Taylor Robertson and Rob

Murphy and a bunch of guys who were committed to helping me. I worked with them for I don’t even know how many hours to get to the point where I could actually compete at the CFL level,” Van Zeyl said. “It was either sink or swim and I wanted to swim really bad, so I worked my butt off.”

Since flipping to the other side of the ball, Van Zeyl has developed into a high-end starter on the offensive line for the Argos. Back in 2012 Van Zeyl started at right tackle for the Argos in their 100th Grey Cup victory and at the end of last season he was named a CFL All-Star at the guard position.

“As an offensive lineman you have to make sure that you’re not just a big offensive lineman, you have to be able to move. If you can’t move you won’t be able to keep up with the players in the CFL,” Van Zeyl said. “You get some of the best athletes general speaking in the CFL because they are tailored for the bigger field and the game itself. Everybody on the field is fast. So you have to be an athlete no matter what position you play.”

At the beginning of the 2014 CFL season 57 OUA products, up from 45 to start 2013, were on professional rosters. All took a unique path to the pros, but the one common theme from top-tier players like Foley, Fantuz and Van Zeyl is the desire and focus each has is unwavering. So for current and future OUA athletes who want to play professional football the opportunity is there, but you have to go out and earn it.


Phot

os b

y: M

icha

el P

Hal

l

Team ONTariO TOP PrOsPeCT PrOfiles


Marquis RichardsPosition: Running BackHeight: 5’10Weight: 235City: Brampton, ON

Bio: A physical back with the ability to run the ball as well be a lead blocker, Marquis has shown that he is one of the top upcoming recruits for the class of 2015.

Possible OUA Landing Spots: Carleton, Guelph, Laurier McMaster, Queens, Western

Dylan GiffenPosition: Offensive LineHeight: 6’8Weight: 320City: London, ON

Bio: Standing 6’8 Dylan towers over opponents but also has added strength and agility to his game making him a top recruit for 2015.

Possible OUA Landing Spots: Carleton, Guelph, Western.

Carter WilsonPosition: Defensive LineHeight: 6’3Weight: 230City: Arnprior, ON

Bio: An explosive pass rusher, Carter is able to use his speed and quickness to track down any and all QBs. Watch for him to make an immediate splash in the OUA.

Possible OUA Landing Spots: Carleton, Guelph, Western.

Alonzo AddaePosition: Defensive BackHeight: 5’11Weight: 170City: Pickering, ON

Bio: A ball-hawking safety from Pickering, Alonzo has shown he has the ability to cover any receiver he is lined up across from and is even more dangerous when the ball is in his hands.

Possible OUA Landing Spots: Carleton, Guelph, Laurier, Queens, Western.

Growing the Gridiron is a new youth football initiative/program to help grow the sport of football at the grassroots level in Ontario. Set to begin in the fall of 2014, Growing the Gridiron will offer Ontario youth between the ages of 7-14 a safe and fun introduction to football. Growing the Gridiron is organized, operated and facilitated by Ontario University Athletics (OUA) with the support of its current and future volunteers to ensure all Ontario youth have the opportunity to participate in all levels and disciplines (touch, flag and tackle) of football.

The Growing the Gridiron program is based off of four guiding principles:

1. Create a safe environment where children and adults can have fun with football2. Teach football skills, rules and strategy.3. Model and teach competitiveness with an emphasis on good sportsmanship. 4. Promote active living and positive self-esteem to participants and volunteers of the program. 5. Participants be introduced to football, and receive skill development sessions, derived from Football Canada’s LTAD model, which will help build positive self-esteem, confidence, and a

new love for the game of football. Each participant will engage in and progress through the Growing the Gridiron program, advancing through the levels and the skills associated with each level. Upon completion of each level the participants will receive a different coloured OUA football jersey symbolizing they have passed that level, which they can wear with pride! ootball. Each participant will engage in and progress through the Growing the Gridiron program, advancing through the levels and the skills associated with each level. Upon completion of each level the participants will receive a different coloured OUA football jersey symbolizing they have passed that level, which they can wear with pride!

Growing the Gridiron has been made possible thanks to the funding provided by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Canada’s leading charitable grant making foundation. The Trillium Foundation works with not-for-profit and chari-table organizations to help create vibrant and healthy communities in Ontario.

By engaging Ontario youth in a fun, safe and challenging way, Growing the Gridiron aims to increase youth partici-pation in football to ensure that more Ontarians are associating fun with football. As a result Growing the Gridiron will lead to more players choosing to stay in Ontario to pursue their academic and athletic careers in the OUA, and continue to be active with football for life!

8. TOrONTO varsiTY

The rebuild continued for the Blues in 2013.

After a 1-4 start last year, Varsity rolled to three consecutive wins to end the season, scoring a whopping 156 points in the process. It was the Blues first .500 season since winning the 1993 Vanier Cup. If nothing else, it gave the group a great deal of optimism to take into the off season.

Greg Gary enters his fourth season as the head coach and welcomes a pair of new coordinators. Luigi Costanzo moves from the University of Ottawa to run the offence, while long-time CFL star Kevin Eiben takes over as defensive coordinator, a job he held last year with McMaster.

The Blues have depth at quarterback, with Simon Nassar getting the nod as the starter. Nassar took over for an injured Chris Jugovic and seized the opportunity. In the last four games of the season, albeit against Windsor, York, Carleton and Waterloo, Nassar was a combined 98/154 for a 63.6 percent completion rate, 1492 yards, 13 TDs and 4 interceptions. Eye-popping numbers to be sure. Jugovic is back in the mix, recovering from a shoulder injury, but it’s Nassar’s team to start.

A familiar name returns as the feature running back. Third-year Blue Alex Malone replaces Aaron Milton, who has moved on to

the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos. There’s also some veteran depth to the position as Lukas Gavac is back. He was the starter two years ago, but was injured in 2013. He’ll see action as well, while Ashton Rochester may also see some carries this season.

The receiving corps took a major hit as both Alex Pierzchalski and Paul de Pass have graduated. The two combined for 104 catches a year ago, with each receiver finishing in the top five in the CIS in that category. The total yardage of those catches was just over 1,500 yards. Stone Souza may become the main weapon among this crop

of receivers. He won’t be the biggest guy on the field at 5’8, 150 pounds, but he’s a player that could be very difficult to contain if he gets the ball in space. Llevi Noel returns for another season and a pair of transfers will hope to contribute. Rahul Madan moves over from Western after sitting out last year, while Boris Isakov joins the Blues three years too late. In the 2011 season while playing for Queen’s, he recovered a blocked punt for a

game-winning touchdown in a 13-6 Gaels victory over Varsity.

The Blues were relieved to see that 6’6, 305 pound Aaron Wheaton didn’t make the CFL’s Ottawa Redblacks after being selected 28th overall. He’ll play left tackle with Danny Sprukulis manning the other side. Kevin Williams is the center, while the guards will be Chris Kelly and Ryan Searle, a transfer from Guelph. The Blues are also

excited about freshman Sam MacMillan from Toronto. The o-line took a hit during a pre-season matchup with McGill. Lawrence Hopper suffered a knee injury that could be season ending.

The defensive line is a veteran-laden group. Aaron Jervis may be the most dynamic player of the bunch. He’s a pure pass rusher. Owynn Lahnalampi will play the other side and provide leadership to the unit. Everton Williams is healthy again and will be joined by Jordan Marra, Grant McAdam and Zack Lukings.

Dylan Gordon was one of the top tacklers in the country a year ago and returns to anchor the linebacking corps. He’ll be in the middle, flanked by Brittley Mokube and Corey Williams. David Green will come in on dime packages.

John Connors will anchor the secondary from the safety position this year. Jaiden McBride and Trevor Harvey will be on the corners, while Larry Broni and JJ Lam will play the halfback spots. It should be an improved group this season.

The Blues have one of the most dangerous players in the conference returning kicks. Kevin Bradfield led the country in punt return yards. He returned one for a 97-yard touchdown and was named a First Team All-Canadian for his efforts. He broke the U of T record for career punt return yardage, surpassing Glenn “The Squirrel” McCausland’s mark. McCausland was a vital part of the ‘93 Vanier championship team.

Eric Hewitson will be the place kicker. He was 11/16 last year, a 69 percent success rate. Either Marcus Hobbs or Queen’s transfer Aaron Gazendam will do the punting.


“We need to gel. We have more pieces than we’ve had. We’re continuing to rebuild, but we’d like to get to the playoffs.”

– Coach Gary

BY: MIKE HOGAN


2013 Team leaDers


2013 Team leaDers

DEFENCETackles Tot Solo Ast D. Gordon 47 39 16H. Beeforth 33.5 24 19T. Harvey 33.5 28 11C. Johnson 33.5 27 13

Sacks Sack H. Beeforth 7A. Jervis 4.52 Players Tied 3.5

Interceptions Int T. Harvey 23 Players Tied 1

SPECIAL TEAMSKickoff Return Ret Yds Avg LngK. Bradfield 18 412 22.9 56T. Harvey 9 305 33.9 71

Punt Return Ret Yds Avg LngK. Bradfield 59 734 12.4 97

Kickoffs Att Yds Avg E. Hewiston 32 1657 51.8

Punting Att Yds Avg M. Hobbs 68 2320 34.1

Field Goals Att Made % LngE. Hewiston 16 11 69% 41

OFFENCEPassing Comp Att Yds % TD IntS. Nassar 103 165 1549 62.4% 13 5C. Jugovic 70 121 909 57.9% 4 4

Rushing Att Yds Avg TD A. Milton 89 603 6.8 1A. Malone 33 150 4.5 0A. Rochester 15 91 6.1 0

Receiving Rec Yds Avg TD P. de Pass 53 970 18.3 6A. Pierzchalski 51 537 10.5 9L .Noel 26 502 19.3 2

9. CarleTON raveNs

On the surface it looks like a disastrous season. An 0-8 record with an average score of 52-23. The first game of the season was a 71-4 loss to Western.

Who cares?The 2013 season will always be

remembered fondly as the program was taken out of the mothballs after 14 years in storage. It was a learning process for all involved and the good news is that the ridiculously young Ravens will have all 24 starters returning for another season -- bigger, stronger, faster and smarter.

Head coach Steve Sumarah joked with OUA Uncovered that he learned one thing above all else last year. “I’m much more patient than I envisioned I was,” Sumarah said.

Patience will be a key for the still very young group. It can be a test of a coach’s patience to develop one quarterback on the job, let alone two. That’s the case in the capital though as both Jesse Mills and Nick Gorgichuk are back again. Mills has the better skill set, but needs to continue to learn how to attack OUA defences. In the offseason, Mills attended workouts with the CFL’s Ottawa Redblacks which certainly should help. Gorgichuk is more game ready now, but may not have the upside that Mills has. The Ravens don’t want to play one QB and sit the other, so how Sumarah handles the duo will be worth watching as the season unfolds.

The 2014 season may be a case of running back by committee. The Ravens have several backs, all of whom possess unique qualities, so there may not be a number one back per se. Returning players Jahvari Bennett, Kwasi Gyamfi-Adusei and Keith Graham will be pushed hard by Raishaun Provo, a recruit out of Pickering.

The receiving corps is led by Nate Behar, the prize recruit of a year ago. He suffered a high ankle sprain in the first game of the season and really never played at 100 per cent. He’ll lead a group that will feature a pair of freshmen, Dimitri Vaillancourt from

Ottawa, and Theshawn Barry, a speed demon from Waterloo. Kyle Van Wynsberghe was the Ravens leading receiver a year ago with over 500 yards and will be back again along with Wilson Birch and Dexter Brown.

Games are won and lost along the line of scrimmage, so Carleton is pretty excited with the players up front. Back for second seasons are tackles Kwabena Asare and Tyler Young, both of whom have outstanding upside. The team is

also excited about the acquisition of Ryan MacPherson. He’s a home-town product who attended the IMG Academy prep school in Florida. Matt Lapointe is one of the team’s most veteran players, having played at Queen’s before transferring to Carleton a year ago. The team is also pumped with the recruitment of 6’7”, 330 pound KC Bakker from London and Nolan McGreer from Kingston.

For a team that scored 33 fewer points than any other team in the country, there’s

really only one way it can go from there.The Ravens are also excited about the

way their defensive line is shaping up. The young, inexperienced line was not up to the challenge physically in year one. However, this year they’re a little bigger and a little stronger, which is imperative if they are going to improve as a group. Recruit Jeremy Rioux is from across the Ottawa River in Outaouais, Que. and brings both speed and strength to the table. He’ll be an asset the team can use immediately. Emmanuel Adusei and Zach Annen, who injured his knee a year ago, will be counted on this season.

Middle linebacker Leon Cenerini led the CIS in tackles last year with 69. That of course is a double edged sword. Yes, he’s a talented player, but it also means that the defence was on the field for far too long, allowing Cenerini to add to his total. At 5’10’, 215 pounds, he’s not the ideal size to play inside, but Sumarah singled him out as perhaps the hardest working player on the team. He described him as a quiet player, who leads by example and is also highly coachable. He’ll be surrounded by players like Elliott Nelson and the Gallotta brothers, Emilio and Carlo.

The defensive backs will be led by Tunde Adeleke. He’ll be remembered forever for a play he made on special teams last year, returning a missed field goal 129 yards for a touchdown in the Panda Game against the Ottawa Gee Gees. He’ll anchor a secondary that includes Nathaniel Hamlin, who, like Adeleke is local product.

Mike Domagala will handle the kicking duties this year.

The Ravens are still a long way from where they’d like to be. But with the big picture in mind, this team has made major strides and is on the right path to becoming competitive in the country’s toughest conference.


“We took major strides last year. “This off season, being able to work together absolutely helped us on the learning curve.”

– Coach Sumarah

BY: MIKE HOGAN


2013 Team leaDers


2013 Team leaDers

DEFENCETackles Tot Solo Ast L. Cenerini 69 63 12T. Adeleke 39 30 18 E. Nelson 28.5 23 11

Sacks Sack E. Nelson 2.5S. Carty 2L. Cenerni 1

Interceptions Int N. Hamlin 36 Players Tied 1

SPECIAL TEAMSKickoff Return Ret Yds Avg LngJ. Bennett 15 292 19.5 30D. Beals 15 224 14.9 39

Punt Return Ret Yds Avg LngT. Adeleke 25 366 14.6 129

Kickoffs Att Yds Avg A. Banerjee 21 973 46.3

Punting Att Yds Avg A. Banerjee 79 2873 36.4

Field Goals Att Made % LngA. Banerjee 8 7 88% 40

OFFENCEPassing Comp Att Yds % TD IntJ. Mills 90 163 1211 55.2% 5 8N. Gorgichuk 52 102 612 51% 1 8

Rushing Att Yds Avg TD K. Graham 47 291 6.2 1K. Gyamfi-Adusei 39 173 4.4 0M.Patterson 21 95 4.5 1

Receiving Rec Yds Avg TD K. Van Wynsberghe 37 501 13.5 3D. Brown 16 403 25.2 2 N. Behar 34 376 11.1 1

10. waTerlOO warriOrs

Before the 2014 season even begins, it could be classified as another transitional year for the Warriors.

Head coach Joe Paopao left Waterloo and is back in the Canadian Football League. The search for a full-time replacement was put on hold until an Athletic Director was hired. Roly Webster was hired as the school’s AD, but that wasn’t until just before training camp opened in August.

Once again this season, it’ll be interim head coach Marshall Bingeman to the rescue.

If there’s one person who personifies Warriors football, it’s Bingeman. He played with the Warriors for five seasons and is entering his 24th season as a coach with the team.

This year he’s calling the shots, albeit on an interim basis, for the second time and he’s excited to be working with a young, enthusiastic coaching staff.

The black and gold are coming off yet another sub .500 season, with their only win being a 47-8 triumph over the expansion Carleton Ravens. It’s been a decade since they’ve made the playoffs, so yes, there’s a lot of work to do.

Jamie Cook will be back behind centre for the Warriors in 2014. He’s now in his fourth season and is coming off another disappointing year. The record was tough enough, but despite trailing in as many games as they did, the Warriors as a group only averaged 203 passing yards a game.

That ranked them 22nd in the country, but shockingly slotted them just ahead of Laval and Montreal. Cook has the advantage of being able to make plays on the run, something he may need to do again this season. He has leadership skills, a positive attitude and Coach Bingeman says at times the coaching staff has to “kick him out of the film room.”

How do you replace Nick Anapolsky? One of the busiest receivers in OUA history, he caught 74 passes last year on a team that

completed just 162 total, representing 46 percent of the team’s receptions. With his departure, Mike Dedys, Paul Cecile and Christian Lewis will see the ball a lot more often this season. If there’s an upside of losing the all-star, it’s that Cook will be forced to bring more receivers into the game, and should lead to much better ball distribution.

Anapolsky’s departure may also mean more work for the running backs, but that might not necessarily be a bad

thing. There’s depth at the position with both Ryan Di Risio and Danny Silvestri back for a fourth season. As mentioned, the Warriors were 22nd in passing yards per game, but only 24th in the CIS in rushing. The backfield tandem has another year of experience, which will no doubt help. Di Risio has a very good set of hands out of the backfield and at times will line up in the slot.

More needs to be expected from the offensive line in 2014 if they are to have success. Greg Coffin will be on the move outside to the all-important left tackle position. He’s coming off a freshman campaign that saw him receive OUA All-Rookie honours at

centre. Taz Martin will line up beside Coffin at left guard and should be coming into his own in this, his third season. He’s 6’4”, 305 pounds and loves to brawl on the inside. Brent Malecki will be the right tackle, while the centre and right guard spots will be occupied by a combination of Tom Demers, J-C Robertson and hometown freshman Sam Lewis.

Things have to tighten up considerably on the defensive side of the ball. Among CIS teams, only the Alberta Golden Bears surrendered more points than the Warriors. That’s right, the Carleton gave up 16 fewer points than Waterloo did a year ago.

The defence only recorded 10 sacks last season and will be looking for the right rotation up front to help make that happen. Fifth-year player Matt Kielo will flip from the o-line to defensive end spot to try and add a little physicality to the group. He will be a handful for opposing linemen. Paul Kaija will play rush end, while Braden Southern and freshman Hudson Bruin from Teeterville, Ont. will also see a lot of action.

It will be interesting to see what the rotation of linebackers will be as the season progresses. Greg Zaitz was fourth in the country in tackles and is back for a third season as the Will. Brendan Conway will be in the middle, while Yazeed Sinan will be the strong side linebacker. Brandon Corelli will also be in the mix.

Christian Mahler and Jordan Hoover are assured of starting positions in the secondary. Mahler had a couple of interceptions a year ago, while Hoover didn’t finish the season due to injury. Both were selected to represent the Warriors in the East West Bowl. Miklos McMaster, Jeff Kuipers, Daniel Riehl and freshman Lucas Merlin of Burlington, Ont. will all see playing time.

Freshman Mitch Kernick takes over as the kicker and will perform both punting and place kicking duties.


“We have an exciting group of young players, we (the coaches) have to get the most out of them.”

– Coach Bingeman

BY: MIKE HOGAN


2013 Team leaDers


2013 Team leaDers

DEFENCETackles Tot Solo Ast G. Zaitz 54.5 44 21C. Good 36.5 32 9C. Mahler 32.5 27 11

Sacks Sack D. Gavrilovic 7C. Dawson 2.5

Interceptions Int C. Mahler 7H. Mair 5C. Good 2

SPECIAL TEAMSKickoff Return Ret Yds Avg LngG. Ganza 23 464 20.2 47D. Silvestri 28 401 14.3 30

Punt Return Ret Yds Avg LngD. Silvestri 24 128 5.3 18G. Ganza 9 81 9.0 21

Kickoffs Att Yds Avg J. Fiorucci 37 1766 47.7

Punting Att Yds Avg J. Fiorucci 40 1408 35.2

Field Goals Att Made % LngJ. Fiorucci 8 5 62% 39

OFFENCEPassing Comp Att Yds % TD IntJ. Cook 80 139 874 57.6% 3 1B. Chris 81 138 827 58.7% 5 9

Rushing Att Yds Avg TD D. Silvestri 48 284 5.9 3R. Di Risio 45 247 5.5 0J. Cook 30 157 5.2 2

Receiving Rec Yds Avg TD N. Anapolsky 74 683 9.2 3C. Lewis 23 267 11.6 1P. Cecile 20 219 11.0 1

11. YOrK liONs

It may not have been a total exorcism, but last year the Lions were at least able to rid themselves of a couple demons.

They beat Laurier 33-20 for their first win over the Golden Hawks since 2002. York also defeated Carleton 50-34, the first time they had hit the half-century mark in a game since 2004.

Yet, it doesn’t mean that the 2013 season could be labeled as a success. Another 2-6 season, another year outside the playoffs.

This season’s Lions also have to adjust to life without quarterback Myles Gibbon. He changed the dynamic at the position when he arrived at York, but finding his replacement wasn’t as hard as one may think. After a battle in training camp, Nikko Stamatis won the job. He was a member of head coach Warren Craney’s initial recruiting class four years ago and has been with the team since then, but hasn’t used any of his eligibility. A pocket passer, he impressed the coaching staff with a solid summer of work.

To make things worse, like Gibbon, Errol Brooks is gone. He finished tenth in the CIS with over 700 yards rushing. That opens the door for another player to take the reins and Connor Anderson will be the player to watch. He carried the ball 31 times for the Leos

a year ago, averaging 4.5 yards per carry, finding the end zone twice. He hurt his ankle in the Queen’s game last year and was never 100 percent healthy after that. Craney is excited to see what a healthy Anderson can bring to the offence.

With the starting QB and leading RB gone, it would be verging on cruel if York lost its leading receiver as well. You guessed it, William Austin is gone too. However, the Lions are hoping that Jarrett Carson will provide a deep threat. In the final two games of the season he caught five passes for 107 yards, including a 43-yard reception versus Toronto. Carson is a gym and film rat who will be counted on to provide leadership to a group that includes veterans Devante

Hobbs, Damone Williams and freshman Joey Riccottone from Hamilton.

If there’s an area of stability on the offence it’s on the offensive line. The team’s top lineman a year ago, Jordyn Moore, is back for his fourth season at guard. Also returning is Trevor King, who appeared in this year’s East West Bowl. He’ll move inside from left tackle to right guard. Chris Kolankowski is back at center, while Chris Smith looks to have recovered from ACL surgery and is slotted at right tackle. The player to watch

is Jamal Campbell. He’s been a defensive lineman during his OUA career, but he’ll move immediately to left tackle, something that CFL scouts have wanted to see all along.

James Tuck was a standout at defensive end for the Lions a year ago, but after being selected in the fourth round of the CFL draft in April, he made the Montreal Alouettes. The good news is that Cole Austen will be back for another season on the end. He started four games as a freshman, missing the other four due to injury. He’ll assume a greater leadership role this season. The other jobs are up for grabs, meaning the Lions may be a little younger on the d-line than they’d like to be.

There is some good news for the Lions in the linebacking corps. Hussein Hazime is back for a fourth season. He burst onto the OUA scene with a strong freshman season, but his play has leveled off since then. He also played in this year’s East West Bowl and the Lions are counting on him to have a big season. Outside linebacker Michael Runowski is also back for another campaign as is Emerson Morassutti.

Josh Small is back for another year in the secondary. He was second in the OUA with seven pass breakups, and grabbed one interception. This season will see him move to safety from the corner. The biggest reason for optimism among recruits is highly touted Rees Patterson from Edmonton. He ran a 4.57 electronically timed 40-yard dash and has a 40-inch vertical jump. He also has invaluable experience playing for the national team.

Nick Naylor will once again handle the punting and place-kicking duties. He hit 10 of his 14 FG attempts last year.


““I think we got caught up with expectations and maybe expected to be better than we were. That’s on me. We’ve gone back to getting these kids better prepared.””

– Coach Craney

BY: MIKE HOGAN


2013 Team leaDers


2013 Team leaDers

DEFENCETackles Tot Solo Ast J. Tuck 41.5 34 15H. Hazime 29 23 12 S. Boulazreg 26 25 2

Sacks Sack K. Aiken 5.5J. Tuck 4.5M. Livingston 2

Interceptions Int C. Pritty 5 S. Boulazreg 33 Players Tied 1

SPECIAL TEAMSKickoff Return Ret Yds Avg LngD. Williams 12 266 22.2 39A. Gordon 14 254 18.1 31J. Small 6 85 14.2 23

Punt Return Ret Yds Avg LngD. Williams 20 163 8.2 26J. Small 15 116 7.7 23

Kickoffs Att Yds Avg N. Naylor 33 1745 52.9

Punting Att Yds Avg N. Naylor 62 2278 36.7

Field Goals Att Made % LngN. Naylor 14 10 71% 37

OFFENCEPassing Comp Att Yds % TD IntM. Gibbon 136 232 1763 58.6% 10 7T. Hoover 9 17 80 52.9% 0 2

Rushing Att Yds Avg TD E. Brooks 101 701 6.9 4M. Gibbon 77 531 6.9 2M. Hovi 23 145 6.3 0

Receiving Rec Yds Avg TD W. Austin 30 460 15.3 3D. Williams 16 271 16.9 2R. Dunaway 13 181 13.9 2

York University Lions head coach Warren Craney was named the head coach of the Canadian U19 team for the 2014 and 2016 world championships. He led Canada to an undefeated mark in the round robin before a 40-17 loss to the United States in the final, returning home with a silver medal. He provided OUA Uncovered with a first-hand account of his experience.

Being selected as head coach of the junior national team was pretty close to a dream come true for me! I’ve been involved with the Team Canada program since 2004 and officially on staff in 2007, 2009 and 2012 as the defensive coordinator. Being involved with the program is not something you can do forever, it’s very time consuming and can wreak havoc on your personal life and your own program and recruiting – although it certainly has its benefits! I’ve always wanted to be a head coach at the national level, and to be the defensive coordinator three times first, it feels like it has come full circle to eventually leave the program on top.

The program has come a long way when it comes to selecting the team. One of the best things Football Canada did this time around was select the coaching staff a year out, which enabled us to start looking at potential candidates early. We travelled to the Canada Cup in 2013, hosted regional combines in every province and brought 120 kids to Texas in February for a mini training camp and two friendlies against the United States. We used those games as a basis for selection and picked the team in February so the kids and coaches had plenty of time to get organized for the tournament in July.

In addition to myself, fellow OUA coach Kamau Peterson was on the staff as the receivers coach, as well as Guelph’s defensive coordinator Kevin McNeil, who was Canada’s linebackers coach.

When I first heard that the 2014 tournament would be held in Kuwait, my initial reaction was, “I wish they told me before they hired me where the tournament was going to be!” But I think I was narrow-minded in saying that. I got to go to Kuwait twice, once for the technical meeting and then again for the tournament, and it is a gorgeous country and lot more Westernized than people give it credit for. Being there really opened my eyes for how different cultures live on a day-to day-basis.

Before we got to Kuwait with the team, we held a training camp in Milan, Italy. The goal there was to acclimatize the players to the time change, and we tried to keep them on a North American timeline. We slept in later in the morning and went to bed later, and adjusted the meal times to when they would normally eat at home. We also gave them an opportunity to run around a bit in Milan and see the sights and the culture, and it was a lot of fun.

The biggest adjustment in Kuwait is that it was hot! We tried not to go out during the day because it was borderline unbearable. Because of the heat, the games were held late at night, with kickoff at either 8 p.m. or 11 p.m., and that was difficult to adjust to at first. It was also tough playing four games in 12 days. As good as we were early; we caught the injury bug and had some key guys go down before the gold medal game.

Even though we didn’t win, this was one of the best teams I’ve ever been associated with. We had the talent to win but ran up against a strong U.S. team. We’ve never dominated the round robin offensively and defensively the way we did this time. In past tournaments, it’s been a struggle as the games have gone on as some of these countries play good football, but at this tournament we coasted through the round robin. In some ways I wish we had a tougher games leading into the final!

A pretty cool experience was playing against Kuwait. It was the first live football game they ever played, and being involved in the

genesis of their football was pretty cool. One of the greatest messages we got through to our kids was about respecting the game and respecting them. The score was bad, but it was very difficult to keep it that low and I know the fans and the Kuwaiti team appreciated what we did.

Being in Kuwait was an amazing experience for everyone involved. We were there to win a football tournament first and foremost, but we tried to immerse the kids as much as we could in Kuwaiti culture. We brought them to the Souq, which is the largest outdoor market in the Middle East, and set them free for three hours. We also visited the Kuwaiti Towers and swam in the Arabic Gulf.

I’ve been a head coach for a while, but leading the national team was a new experience and I learned a lot. There were unique challenges that come with playing overseas, such as not being able to replace some broken equipment and losing our luggage for three days and having to practice without it. One of the greatest things the experience taught me was to adapt and overcome any environment. We hit a lot of speed bumps along the way but we didn’t slow down, and that prepared me to be a better coach both at York and with Team Canada in 2016.

The best part about participating in international football is the friendships made with people from around the world, and the realization that football isn’t a North American game anymore; it is a world game now. Some countries are getting pretty good and spending a lot of money to develop the sport, and it’s pretty amazing to be part of that growth.

Canada vs. Kuwait W 91-0Canada vs. France W 56-0Canada vs. Austria W 36-7Canada vs. United States L 40-17*

* Gold medal game

CaNaDa, CraNeY aND fOOTball iN KUwaiTBY: Warren Craney and alyson fisher


BY: WARREN CRANEY AND ALYSON FISHER

The sport is called football. Not men’s football, just football. While it is male dominated, it is not male exclusive. This is a common misconception for females who want to play the sport. There previously have not been any outlets for women to play tackle football exclusively against other women in Ontario, until now. With successful leagues throughout Canada, it is time that women in Ontario have a league of their own. Starting in 2015, women will have this opportunity to play in a full contact, elite level football program.

Welcome to the football scene in Ontario, the Central Canada Women’s Football League (CCWFL). The CCWFL is Ontario’s only Football Canada and Ontario Football Alliance sanctioned women’s tackle league. Founded in 2014 and starting play in 2015, the CCWFL looks to challenge gender norms and empower women using the sport of tackle football. As a sport that was previously not available for women to play, outside of high school, the CCWFL grants this accessibility to participation for athletes throughout Ontario. With established leagues in the Maritimes, Western Canada and teams in Montreal, there is no better time for Ontario to capitalize on the growth and development of this sport. The CCWFL is the final piece to the puzzle that is women’s tackle football in Canada.

Playing style, equipment, uniforms, teams will all be equal to that of men’s leagues. The CCWFL showcases women’s athleticism and football abilities without forcing them to showcase their bodies. The CCWFL is proud to be able to offer this league to women who have never had the chance to follow their dreams and play tackle football in a

league whose values are rooted in competition and fairness.

The CCWFL will have four teams in its inaugural season in cities all throughout the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). With centers all around the GTA, the CCWFL will finally showcase this province’s untapped potential. The four teams will play out of Hamilton, Mississauga, Scarborough, and Markham, respectively. These franchises’ nicknames will be the Hamilton Knights, Mississauga Monarchs, Scarborough Stingers, and the Markham Rays. With complete uniforms, these teams will have a similar look and style as any other team in any other league, male or female, and will even have the flair to make an even greater visual impact.

The CCWFL is currently seeking players, coaches and volunteers to be a part of Ontario history by introducing the exciting sport of women’s tackle football to the province. For the athletes, no previous football experience is necessary. If you’ve played soccer, it likely means you’re quick and agile, so you would make a great running back. If you’ve played baseball or softball, it likely means you have a strong throwing arm, making you a good quarterback. If you’ve played rugby, it means you like to hit and would be great on defense. The sport of football allows participation by all, no matter one’s size, height, weight or any other physical features.

Look out Ontario, the CCWFL and women’s tackle football is here.

example of what a student-athlete should represent from the field, to the classroom, to the side of anyone in need of help.

CeNTral CaNaDa wOmeN’s fOOTball leagUe


Comments, Questions or Ideas Please Contact: Matthew Walker1119 Fennel Ave. East, Suite 230

Hamilton, ON, L8T 1S2Phone: 905-870-9773

Fax: 905-574-2840E-mail: [email protected]

2014 OUA Uncovered Football Preview

Documents

Transcript of 2014 OUA Uncovered Football Preview