Calgary’s Fabien, McMaster’s Sewell invited to Shrine Game

Photo credit David Moll, Calgary & Rick Zazulak, McMaster

OTTAWA (CIS) – Offensive linemen Kirby Fabien from the University of Calgary and Matt Sewell from McMaster University have been selected to represent CIS football in the 88th edition of the prestigious East-West Shrine Game on Saturday, January 19, 2013 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET, live on NFL Network. The game will also be streamed online at www.shrinegame.com.

The Shrine Game has been played annually since 1925 to raise funds for Shriners Hospitals for Children and to raise awareness about the expert orthopedic, burn, spinal cord injury rehabilitation, as well as cleft lip and palate care, available at no charge to patients and families through the 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Since 1985, CIS has been represented annually by two players at the event which features over 100 all-stars from US universities, with the exception of 1985 (1), 2008 (4) and 2012 (3).

The impressive list of past CIS standouts invited to the Shrine Game includes current NFL defensive linemen Israel Idonije of the Chicago Bears and Akiem Hicks of the New Orleans Saints, who starred at the University of Manitoba and University of Regina, respectively; former NFLers Mike Schad (Queen’s), Randy Chevrier (McGill), Dan Federkeil (Calgary) and Samuel Giguère (Sherbrooke); as well as Hec Crighton Trophy winners Don Blair (Calgary), Kojo Aidoo (McMaster), Jesse Lumsden (McMaster) and Andy Fantuz (Western Ontario).

Highlighting the list of NFL greats who have participated in the event are Tom Brady, Brett Favre, John Elway, Gale Sayers, Dick Butkus, Kellen Winslow and Larry Csonka. A total of 69 Shrine Game alumni have gone on to become NFL Hall of Famers.

A native of Calgary, Fabien will be the 11th Dino to suit up in the Shrine Game, most among CIS schools.

In 2012, in his fourth university season, the 6-foot-6, 295-pound senior was named an all-Canadian for the third time – including first-team nods each of the past two years - after he helped the Dinos capture an unprecedented fifth consecutive Canada West title. He was a key part of an offensive unit that led the country in points, total yards and passing yards per game, while finishing third in rushing.

Fabien was selected in the first round, seventh overall, in the 2012 CFL Canadian Draft by the B.C. Lions.

Sewell, who hails from Milton, Ont., will be the third Marauder to make the trip down south for the annual showcase.

This past season, his fourth with McMaster, the 6-foot-8, 335-pound tackle was voted to the second all-Canadian squad for the second straight campaign and helped the Marauders repeat as OUA champions and return to the Vanier Cup final, a year after they claimed the first national title in program history. Thanks in large part to his stellar play, Mac’s offence topped the Ontario conference and ranked second in the country in points, total yards and passing yards per contest.

Sewell was the top-ranked CIS player, second overall, on the latest CFL Scouting Bureau prospect list (December 12) for the league’s 2013 Canadian Draft.

In St. Petersburg, Sewell (East) and Fabien (West) will get a chance to play for a pair of high-profile coaches.

The East team will be led by Jerry Glanville, whose coaching career in the NCAA and NFL spanned over five decades. The 71-year-old got his start at Western Kentucky in 1967 and landed his first job in the professional ranks with the Detroit Lions in 1974. He would remain in the NFL until 1993, including head coaching stints with Houston (1986-1989) and Atlanta (1990-1993). After 12 years away from the sidelines, Glanville returned to the NCAA for two seasons as defensive coordinator at Hawaii (2005-2006) and three campaigns as head coach with Portland State (2007-2009).

Leeman Bennett will be in charge of the West troops. The 74-year-old served as a head coach in the NFL for eight seasons, including six with Atlanta (1977-1982) and two with Tampa Bay (1985-1986). Bennett made his coaching debut back in 1961 as an assistant with Kentucky and remained in the NCAA until 1970, when he joined the NFL’s St. Louis Cardinals as their offensive backs coach. He was also an assistant with Detroit and the Los Angeles Rams before taking the helm of the Falcons in 1977.

For all the information on the 2013 East-West Shrine Game: www.shrinegame.com

Western CIS players in the East-West Shrine Game

Year - Player - Pos. - Ht. - Wt. - University - Head Coach
2013 Kirby Fabien OL 6-6 295 Calgary Blake Nill
2012 Ben Heenan OL 6-4 310 Saskatchewan Brian Towriss
2012 Akiem Hicks DL 6-5 300 Regina Frank McCrystal
2011 Anthony Parker SB 6-2 215 Calgary Blake Nill
2010 Jordan Sisco SB 6-1 212 Regina Frank McCrystal
2009 Simeon Rottier OL 6-6 286 Alberta Jerry Friesen
2008 Dylan Barker S 6-4 200 Saskatchewan Brian Towriss
2008 Brendon LaBatte OL 6-4 320 Regina Frank McCrystal
2007 Jordan Rempel OL 6-6 310 Saskatchewan Brian Towriss
2006 Daniel Federkeil DL 6-7 285 Calgary Tony Fasano
2005 Nick Johansson DL 6-2 275 UBC Lou DesLauriers
2004 Ibrahim Khan OL 6-4 305 Simon Fraser Chris Beaton
2003 Israel Idonije DL 6-7 285 Manitoba Brian Dobie
2002 Jason Clermont IR 6-1 236 Regina Frank McCrystal
2001 Carlo Panaro OL 6-2 281 Alberta Tom Wilkinson
2000 Kevin Lefsrud OL 6-4 285 Saskatchewan Brian Towriss
1999 Scott Flory OL 6-4 290 Saskatchewan Brian Towriss
1998 Bob Beveridge OL 6-6 308 UBC Casey Smith
1997 Ben Fairbrother OL 6-4 305 Calgary Tony Fasano
1996 Don Blair WR 6-4 280 Calgary Peter Connellan
1995 Rohn Meyer OL 6-4 280 Calgary Peter Connellan
1994 Travis Serke OL 6-3 290 Saskatchewan Brian Towriss
1993 Chris Konrad DL 6-3 235 Calgary Peter Connellan
1992 Jason Rauhaus DL 6-1 240 Manitoba Scott Spurgeon
1991 Mike Pavelec OL 6-6 280 Calgary Peter Connellan
1990 Mark Singer LB 6-0 221 Alberta Jim Donlevy
1989 Brent Korte DL 6-1 225 Alberta Jim Donlevy
1988 Craig Watson OL 6-2 250 Calgary Peter Connellan
1987 Leo Groenewegen OL 6-4 260 UBC Frank Smith
1986 Kent Warnock DL 6-7 265 Calgary Peter Connellan
1985 Tom Spoletini OL 6-2 270 Calgary Peter Connellan

Eastern CIS players in the East-West Shrine Game

Year - Player - Pos. - Ht. - Wt. - University - Head Coach
2013 Matt Sewell OL 6-8 335 McMaster Stefan Ptaszek
2012 Arnaud Gascon-Nadon DL 6-3 250 Laval Glen Constantin
2011 Matthew O’Donnell OL 6-10 340 Queen’s Pat Sheahan
2010 Matt Morencie OL 6-3 290 Windsor Mike Morencie
2009 Étienne Légaré DL 6-4 265 Laval Glen Constantin
2008 Éric Maranda LB 6-2 228 Laval Glen Constantin
2008 Samuel Giguère WR 6-0 215 Sherbrooke André Bolduc
2007 Chris Best OL 6-4 320 Waterloo Marshall Bingeman
2006 Andy Fantuz WR 6-4 220 Western Larry Haylor
2005 Jesse Lumsden RB 6-2 226 McMaster Marcello Campanaro
2004 Carl Gourgues OL 6-1 290 Laval Glen Constantin
2003 Adam MacDonald LB 5-11 215 StFX Dennis McPhee
2002 Kojo Aidoo RB 5-11 235 McMaster Greg Marshall
2001 Randy Chevrier DL 6-4 295 McGill Charlie Baillie
2000 Kojo Millington DL 6-3 245 Wilfrid Laurier Rick Zmich
1999 Cameron Legault DL 6-3 245 Carleton Donn Smith
1998 Dave Miller-Johnston P/K 6-1 180 Concordia Pat Sheahan
1997 Mark Farraway DL 6-5 260 StFX John Stevens
1996 Harry Van Hofwegen DL 6-4 252 Carleton Donn Smith
1995 Matthieu Quiviger OL 6-5 282 McGill Charlie Baillie
1994 Val St. Germain OL 6-4 290 McGill Charlie Baillie
1993 Mike O’Shea LB 6-3 225 Guelph Dan McNally
1992 Chris Morris OL 6-6 285 Toronto Bob Laycoe
1991 Paul Vajda OL 6-2 265 Concordia Pat Sheahan
1990 Chris Gioskos OL 6-3 275 Ottawa Jim Daley
1989 Leroy Blugh LB 6-2 230 Bishop’s Ian Breck
1988 Pierre Vercheval OL 6-2 272 Western Larry Haylor
1987 Louie Godry OL 6-1 240 Guelph Dan McNally
1986 Mike Schad OL 6-5 294 Queen’s Doug Hargreaves

Breakdown of CIS players in the East-West Shrine Game (including 2013)

By position

Offensive line 30
Defensive line 15
Receivers 6
Linebackers 5
Running backs 2
Safeties 1
Kickers 1
TOTAL: 60

By university

Calgary 11
Saskatchewan 6
Alberta 4
Laval 4
Regina 4
McGill 3
UBC 3
McMaster 3
Carleton 2
Concordia 2
Guelph 2
Manitoba 2
Queen’s 2
StFX 2
Western 2
Bishop’s 1
Ottawa 1
Sherbrooke 1
Simon Fraser 1
Toronto 1
Waterloo 1
Wilfrid Laurier 1
Windsor 1
TOTAL: 60

-CIS-