CIS football: Rosters announced for 14th annual East-West Bowl

OTTAWA (CIS) – Canadian Interuniversity Sport announced Wednesday the rosters for the 14th annual East-West Bowl, which will take place at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium in Montreal on Saturday, May 14 at 1 p.m., live on CIS-SIC.tv.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE (including ticket info): http://english.cis-sic.ca/eastwestbowl 

For the second straight year, McGill University will host the week-long event featuring – for the most part – CIS players heading into their Canadian Football League draft year.

In addition to the prospects game, the 2016 edition, which kicks off on Tuesday, May 10, includes three days of practices, a combine for participating players, a CFL free-agent camp, as well as the traditional East-West Bowl banquet. A detailed schedule is included below.

“I’m looking forward to working with the finest coaches and student-athletes in Canadian university football,” said Blake Nill, the head coach of the reigning Vanier Cup champion UBC Thunderbirds who will be at the helm of the West team, marking his sixth all-time selection as sideline boss at the East-West Bowl. “It’s an important part of showcasing our game and I’m positive this year’s edition of the East-West Bowl will live up to expectations and the high standards set by the event in previous years.”

“It will be a pleasure to once again coach young student-athletes who have the potential to play football at the next level,” said Danny Maciocia, who guided the Montreal Carabins to their second straight Vanier Cup appearance last November and who will lead the East squad for the second consecutive year. “We will give them the tools to showcase their talent in front of CFL coaches and scouts. But on top of that, we want them to enjoy a memorable experience both on and off the field, with players from across the country.”

For the most part, the East team is comprised of players from the AUS and RSEQ conferences as well as Carleton, Ottawa and Queen’s, while the West contingent is made up of student-athletes from Canada West and the remaining OUA universities.

No less than 15 standouts who will take the field on May 14 have been named all-Canadians since the start of their CIS career. The list includes receiver Nate Behar of Carleton, defensive linemen Sam Narkaj of Concordia and Adam Melanson of Acadia, and defensive backs Devante Sampson of Mount Allison and Alex Hovington of Laval for the East, as well as receivers Rashaun Simonise of Calgary, Danny Vandervoort of McMaster and Mitch Hillis of Saskatchewan, offensive lineman Braden Schram of Calgary, defensive lineman Kwaku Boateng of Wilfrid Laurier, defensive backs Adam Laurensse of Calgary, Robert Woodson of Calgary, Jesse McNair of Western and Tunde Adeleke of Carleton, and kicker Félix Ménard-Brière of Montreal for the West.

St. Francis Xavier’s Dante Djan and Guelph’s James Roberts will quarterback the East prospects at Molson Stadium, while Manitoba’s Theo Deezar and McMaster’s Asher Hastings will be under centre for the West.

In his first campaign as the Marauders starting pivot last fall, Hastings set a single-season CIS record with 31 touchdown passes, including 11 to Vandervoort, who tied Simonise for the nation’s lead in TD receptions.

The East has won the last two East-West Bowl contests and five of the last six, including a 29-21 decision last May at Molson Stadium. However, the West still leads the all-time series 7-6.

NOTES: A few players might be added to the rosters in the coming weeks… The complete coaching staffs will be announced shortly… May 14th marks the 142nd anniversary of the first intercollegiate football game of North American style football, when McGill played at Harvard in 1874… Before moving to Montreal last spring, the East-West Bowl had been held in London (2009-2014), Hamilton (2008), Quebec City (2006-2007) and Waterloo (2003-2005)… Of the 44 CIS players selected in the 2015 CFL Canadian Draft, 32 were past East-West Bowl participants, including all seven CIS standouts taken in the first round… Past East-West Bowl participants also include Hec Crighton Trophy winners Kyle Quinlan (McMaster), Billy Greene (UBC), Brad Sinopoli (Ottawa), Benoit Groulx (Laval), Daryl Stephenson (Windsor), Andy Fantuz (Western), Jesse Lumsden (McMaster) and Tommy Denison (Queen’s), as well as current or former NFL players Stefan Charles (Regina), Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (McGill), David Foucault (Montreal), Jon Ryan (Regina), Dan Federkeil (Calgary), Samuel Giguère (Sherbrooke), Cory Greenwood (Concordia), Vaughn Martin (Western) and Henoc Muamba (StFX).

2016 EAST-WEST BOWL SCHEDULE:

Tuesday, May 10
19:00-20:00 First meeting
20:00-22:00 Team meeting

Wednesday, May 11
10:00-13:00 Combine for participating players (Bell Sports Complex – Brossard)
16:00-18:00 Practice 1 (Molson Stadium)
18:00-22:00 CFL Free-Agent Camp (Molson Stadium)
20:00-22:00 Meetings

Thursday, May 12
10:00-12:00 Practice 2 (Molson Stadium)
15:30-17:30 Practice 3 (Molson Stadium)
18:00-19:30 Meetings

Friday, May 13
10:00-12:00 Practice 4 (Molson Stadium)
16:00-18:00 Practice 5 (Molson Stadium)
19:00-22:00 Banquet (Douglas Hall – McGill)

Saturday, May 14
13:00-16:00 East-West Bowl Game (Molson Stadium)

EAST-WEST BOWL RESULTS:

2015 (at McGill): East 29, West 21
2014 (at Western): East 19, West 12
2013 (at Western): West 18, East 17
2012 (at Western): East 24, West 16
2011 (at Western): East 34, West 27 (OT)
2010 (at Western): East 12, West 9
2009 (at Western): West 16, East 7
2008 (at McMaster): East 25, West 12
2007 (at Laval): West 22, East 19 (OT)
2006 (at Laval): West 34, East 26 (OT)
2005 (at Laurier): West 34, East 16
2004 (at Laurier): West 21, East 12
2003 (at Laurier): West 10, East 5

2016 EAST-WEST BOWL ROSTERS

EAST TEAM

Pos. – Name -University – HT – WT – Hometown

Offence

QB Dante Djan StFX 6-4 230 Calgary, Alta.
QB James Roberts Guelph 6-0 185 Cambridge, Ont.
RB Antony Auclair Laval 6-6 254 Notre-Dame-des-Pins, Que.
RB Jamall Hyman-Hamilton Bishop’s 6-0 205 Toronto, Ont.
RB Jonah Pataki Queen’s 6-0 205 Wallaceburg, Ont.
RB Sean Thomas-Erlington Montreal 5-9 210 Montreal, Que.
RB Oumar Touré Sherbrooke 6-4 235 Montreal, Que.
REC Nate Behar Carleton 6-0 200 London, Ont.
REC Dakota Brush Mount Allison 6-4 230 Brantford, Ont.
REC Ryan Dunaway York 6-5 210 Burlington, Ont.
REC Keon Hughes StFX 6-3 220 Mississauga, Ont.
REC Félix Lechasseur Laval 6-3 190 Quebec City, Que.
REC Moy Mc Donald McGill 5-11 178 Brossard, Que.
REC Matt McDougall Western 6-3 192 Belleville, Ont.
REC Blair McKay Waterloo 5-10 190 Waterford, Ont.
OL Kwabena Asare Carleton 6-8 270 Brampton, Ont.
OL Antoine Demers Sherbrooke 6-3 290 Repentigny, Que.
OL Marc Glaude Montreal 6-2 310 Beaconsfield, Que.
OL Daniel Hayes Queen’s 6-4 335 Waterloo, Ont.
OL Andre Goguen Mount Allison 6-1 315 Moncton, N.B.
OL Marcus MacIsaac Saint Mary’s 6-3 275 Elmsdale, N.S.
OL Jean-Simon Roy Laval 6-3 290 Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury, Que.
OL Qadr Spooner McGill 6-3 295 Brossard, Que.

Defence

DL Émile Charron-Ligez Montreal 6-2 265 Montreal, Que.
DL Edward Godin Laval 6-2 250 Quebec City, Que.
DL Junior Luke Montreal 6-2 300 Montreal, Que.
DL Adam Melanson Acadia 6-2 290 Kentville, N.S.
DL Sam Narkaj Concordia 6-1 295 Toronto, Ont.
DL Kay Okafor StFX 6-4 265 Enugu, Nigeria
DL Zac Sauer Queen’s 6-3 231 Ayr, Ont.
LB Leon Cenerini Carleton 5-10 220 La Salle, Man.
LB Frédéric Chagnon Montreal 6-4 240 Montreal, Que.
LB Alex Cromer-Émond Montreal 5-8 205 Price, Que.
LB Eric Gracioppo McGill 6-2 234 Montreal, Que.
LB Étienne Morin Bishop’s 5-9 200 Saint-Ludger, Que.
DB Ty Cranston Ottawa 6-3 205 Winnipeg, Man.
DB Nathaniel Hamlin Carleton 6-1 205 Ottawa, Ont.
DB Harland Hastings Acadia 5-11 185 Calgary, Alta.
DB Alex Hovington Laval 6-0 180 Montreal, Que.
DB Kevin Myrthil Saint Mary’s 5-9 185 Montreal, Que.
DB Andreas Robinson Saint Mary’s 6-0 175 Dartmouth, N.S.
DB Devante Sampson Mount Allison 5-8 170 Mississauga, Ont.
DB Anthony Tanguay Sherbrooke 5-11 180 Saint-Georges, Que.
DB Charles-William Tremblay McGill 5-9 206 Quebec City, Que.

Special Teams

K Lewis Ward Ottawa 5-7 175 Kingston, Ont.

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Danny Maciocia (Montreal)
Assistant coaches: TBD

WEST TEAM

Pos. – Name – University – HT – WT – Hometown

Offence

QB Theo Deezar Manitoba 6-5 230 Winnipeg, Man.
QB Asher Hastings McMaster 6-4 218 Regina, Sask.
RB Johnny Augustine Guelph 5-10 210 Welland, Ont.
RB Alex Christie Manitoba 5-9 195 Thorold, Ont.
RB Ed Ilnicki Alberta 5-10 215 Spruce Grove, Alta.
RB Stefano Napolitano Carleton 6-1 255 Stittsville, Ont.
REC Tylor Henry Alberta 5-11 184 Camrose, Alta.
REC Mitch Hillis Saskatchewan 6-0 185 Saskatoon, Sask.
REC Alex Morrison UBC 6-4 220 Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
REC Mitchell Picton Regina 6-3 200 Regina, Sask.
REC Rashaun Simonise Calgary 6-5 190 Vancouver, B.C.
REC Adam Sinclair Western 5-11 197 London, Ont.
REC Danny Vandervoort McMaster 6-2 200 Barrie, Ont.
REC Aundrey Webster Alberta 5-10 185 Edmonton, Alta.
OL Brett Boersma Windsor 6-5 310 Camlachie, Ont.
OL Matt Degelman Regina 6-3 265 Regina, Sask.
OL Jordan Filippelli Calgary 6-5 310 Sherwood Park, Alta.
OL Geoff Gray Manitoba 6-6 310 Winnipeg, Man.
OL Evan Johnson Saskatchewan 6-4 265 Regina, Sask.
OL Braden Schram Calgary 6-5 290 Manning, Alta.
OL Cody Speller McMaster 6-3 295 Caistor Centre, Ont.
OL Danny Sprukulis Toronto 6-5 315 Oakville, Ont.

Defence

DL Kwaku Boateng Laurier 6-2 240 Milton, Ont.
DL Fabion Foote McMaster 6-2 290 North York, Ont.
DL Evan Foster Manitoba 6-1 240 Chilliwack, B.C.
DL Mark Mackie McMaster 6-2 262 London, Ont.
DL Jalen Price Laurier 6-5 325 Hamilton, Ont.
DL Cory Robinson Calgary 6-3 260 Airdrie, Alta.
LB Brandon Calver Laurier 6-3 220 London, Ont.
LB Brittley Mokube Toronto 6-0 212 Brampton, Ont.
LB Nakas Onyeka Laurier 6-1 217 Brampton, Ont.
LB Nikita Starchenko York 6-4 230 Whitby, Ont.
LB Michael Stefanovic Regina 5-10 210 Moose Jaw, Sask.
LB Marcel Ugoh Windsor 6-2 200 Brampton, Ont.
LB Corey Williams Toronto 6-2 232 Mississauga, Ont.
DB Tunde Adeleke Carleton 5-10 190 Ottawa, Ont.
DB Orion Edwards Guelph 5-9 182 Newmarket, Ont.
DB Matt Gayer Windsor 5-9 190 Leamington, Ont.
DB Richard Gillespie Toronto 5-9 190 Whitby, Ont.
DB Jordan Hoover Waterloo 6-2 190 Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
DB Adam Laurensse Calgary 6-1 185 Sherwood Park, Alta.
DB Jesse McNair Western 5-11 186 London, Ont.
DB Kevin Wiens UBC 6-1 200 Mission, B.C.
DB Robert Woodson Calgary 5-11 181 Calgary, Alta.

Special Teams

K Félix Ménard-Brière Montreal 5-10 180 Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Que.

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Blake Nill (UBC)
Assistant coaches: TBA

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