May 13, 2016

OTTAWA (Courtesy: Jeff Krever, CFL) – The draft is in the books but for Canadian Football League teams there’s no time to rest.

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

A new draft year has kicked off in Montreal with a week of events culminating in the 14^th annual CIS East-West Bowl on Saturday, May 14 at 1 p.m. ET at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium.

The prospects game will be hosted by McGill University for the second straight season, highlighting many of the country’s top draft-eligible players for the 2017 CFL Draft.

The contest will be streamed live on CIS-SIC.tv.

The 2016 edition included three days of practices which started on Wednesday, a combine for participating players and a CFL free-agent camp, as well as the traditional banquet.

The East squad is comprised – for the most part - of players from the AUS and RSEQ conferences, in addition to Carleton, Ottawa and Queen’s. The West contingent is made up of student-athletes from the Canada West conference and the remaining OUA universities.

For fans looking to get a sneak peek at the top prospects for next year’s CFL Draft, there’s no better place than the East-West Bowl. All four CIS standout selected in the first round of Tuesday night’s Draft participated in last year’s showcase, including Laval offensive lineman Philippe Gagnon (second overall), Acadia wide receiver Brian Jones (fourth) as well as two more Laval O-linemen, Charles Vaillancourt (fifth) and Jason Lauzon-Seguin (seventh).

Queen’s receiver Doug Corby meanwhile was selected in the sixth round by the Edmonton Eskimos, after last year dominating in the East-West Bowl with a record-setting three touchdown receptions and 131 yards through the air.

In all, 29 of the 53 CIS players picked in the 2016 CFL Draft participated in last year’s East-West Bowl, including six chosen in the first two rounds, four from the third round and six in the fourth round.

For the players, this is the time to start turning heads.

“It’s the first time scouts focus on the top CIS prospects in the 2017 CFL Draft class,” said CFL.ca insider Justin Dunk. “First impressions are always important.”

St. Francis Xavier pivot Dante Djan and Guelph quarterback James Roberts will lead the East while Manitoba’s 6-foot-5 gunslinger Theo Deezar will take control of the West offence along with McMaster pivot Asher Hastings.

Hastings, a Regina native, will be one to watch this weekend after averaging 323.3 yards per game last fall (fifth in the CIS) and leading the country with a CIS single-season record 31 TD passes.

Carleton’s Nathaniel Behar, McMaster’s Danny Vandervoort and Saskatchewan’s Mitch Hillis will likely be common targets on Saturday, especially Hillis -- the CIS leader in receptions with 66 in 2015 and ranked third in yards (1,052) and yards per game (131.5).

Also put Laval offensive lineman Jean-Simon Roy in the category of players to watch after a total of five Rouge et Or O-linemen were selected in the first round of the last two drafts, most recently Gagnon, Vaillancourt and Lauzon-Seguin. The 6-foot-3, 290-pounder, who tied for the lead in the bench press at Wednesday’s combine with 36 repetitions of 225 pounds, will be difficult to beat for anyone on the West side, including Laurier’s Kwaku Boateng, a 6-foot-2, 240-pound lineman who had four sacks and nine tackles for a loss in 2015, the latter good for ninth in the country.

Of all the players to watch, Dunk says don’t miss 6-foot-2, 300-pound Montreal defensive lineman Junior Luke. He didn’t dominate on the stat sheet by any means last fall with 7.5 tackles in eight league games but is an imposing figure on the D-line.

“He’s a big, athletic load on the defensive line,” said Dunk of the 2015 Mitchell Bowl MVP. “Agile for a 300-plus pounder. He can stuff the run and rush the passer at the CIS level.”

Returning to coach the East for a second straight season is Montreal Carabins bench boss and former Grey Cup-winning head coach Danny Maciocia, who led the East to a 29-21 win a year ago at Molson Stadium after guiding Montreal to the first CIS national championship in program history in 2014. Maciocia has coached the Carabins in back-to-back Vanier Cup appearances.

He’ll be opposed by Blake Nill, who will coach the West after directing the UBC Thunderbirds to their first Vanier Cup triumph since 1997, with a thrilling 26-23 win over Maciocia’s Carabins last fall in Quebec City.

The East has won the last two Bowl games and five of the past six. However, the West still leads the all-time series 7-6.

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     Matt McDougall                       Western            6-3       192       Belleville, Ont.            

REC     Blair McKay                             Waterloo          5-10     190       Waterford, Ont.                   

REC     Jean-Raphaël Moisan                Sherbrooke       6-1       200       St-Raymond, Que.

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       Andre Goguen                          Mount Allison  6-1       315       Moncton, N.B.

OL       Daniel Hayes                            Queen’s            6-4       335       Waterloo, Ont.             

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       Alex Cromer-Émond                 Montreal          5-8       205       Price, Que.

LB       Eric Gracioppo                          McGill              6-2       234       Montreal, Que.

LB       Keith Graham                           Carleton           6-0       210       Halifax, N.S.

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       Justin Holland                          StFX                6-1       190       Parksville, B.C.

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.

Originally selected but unable to participate:

REC     Moy Mc Donald                        McGill              5-11     178       Brossard, Que. 

LB        Frédéric Chagnon                     Montreal           6-4       240       Montreal, Que. 

DB       Alex Hovington                         Laval                6-0       180       Montreal, Que. 

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Danny Maciocia (Montreal)

Offensive Coordinator & Running Backs: Adamo Iadeluca (Montreal)

Defensive Coordinator & Defensive Backs: Fabrice Raymond (Montreal)

Special Teams Coordinator: Kevin Mackey (Bishop’s)

Quarterbacks: Alex Vertullo (Queen’s)

Receivers: Steve Snyder (St. Francis Xavier)

Offensive Line: Kyle Handy (Bishop’s)

Offensive Line: Alain Mainguy (McGill)

Defensive Line: Glen Constantin (Laval)

Linebackers: Mickey Donovan (Concordia)

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     Jonathan Mack                       McGill              6-0       208       St-Lambert, Que.

REC     Alex Morrison                          UBC                 6-4       220       Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.  

REC     Mitchell Picton                        Regina              6-3       200       Regina, Sask.

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       Jean-Christophe Labrecque       Montreal          6-0       290       Quebec City, Que.

OL       Braden Schram                        Calgary             6-5       290       Manning, Alta.

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       Connor McGough                     Calgary             6-2       251       Medicine Hat, Alta.

DL       Jalen Price                                Laurier             6-5       325       Hamilton, Ont.

LB       Brandon Calver                         Laurier             6-3       220       London, Ont.   

LB       Brittley Mokube                       Toronto             6-0       212       Brampton, Ont.           

LB       Nakas Onyeka                           Laurier           5-11     213       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       Samuel Drapeau                       Montreal          6-0       185       Montreal, Que.

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       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.   

Originally selected but unable to participate:

REC     Jacob Scarfone                          Guelph             6-1       200       London, Ont.

REC     Rashaun Simonise                     Calgary            6-5       190       Vancouver, B.C.

OL       Cody Speller                             McMaster         6-3       295       Caistor Centre, Ont.     

DL       Cory Robinson                          Calgary            6-3       260       Airdrie, Alta.    

DB       Jesse McNair                            Western            5-11     186       London, Ont.    

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Blake Nill (UBC)

Offensive Coordinator & Running Backs: Mark Surya (Wilfrid Laurier)

Defensive Coordinator: Dwayne Cameron (Wilfrid Laurier)

Special Teams Coordinator: Paul Orazietti (UBC)

Quarterbacks: Michael Faulds (Wilfrid Laurier)

Receivers: Mark McConkey (Regina)