2011 AUS fooball all-stars announced

Source: AUS Communication

HALIFAX, N.S. - Atlantic University Sport is pleased to announce the 2011 football all-stars as selected by the conference's four head coaches following regular season play.

The first place and CIS No. 9-ranked Acadia Axemen (7-1) lead the list of all-conference selections announced today, claiming a total of 12 all-star positions while the Saint Mary’s Huskies (6-2, 1-0 playoffs) took home eight of the available positions. The StFX X-Men (2-6, 0-1 playoffs) had four players selected while three members of the Mount Allison Mounties (0-8) were honoured.

Leading the list of Axemen named to the squad is fourth-year quarterback Kyle Graves of Barrie, Ont., who was named the top pivot as well as the top punter in the Atlantic conference. Graves, who is an all-star for the first time in his career, led the league in passing yards (1,856), passing TD's (17) and punting average (36.7 yards per punt). He also caught a touchdown pass this season and rushed the ball 32 times for 179 yards on the ground and another major.

Acadia receivers Michael Squires and Taylor Renaud, running back Zack Skibin along with offensive linemen Colin Murray, Tyler Honeywood and Travis Miller were the other Axemen from the offensive side of the ball to be selected.

Squires, a native of Halifax, N.S., caught 31 passes for 432 yards in 2011 and led the Atlantic conference in receiving touchdowns with seven, while Renaud added a league-leading 653 yards on 30 receptions. Skibin, a second-year player from Edmonton, Alta., led the Axemen in rushing with 75 attempts and 470 yards this season.

Acadia defensive linemen Jake Thomas and John Wilson and linebacker Tom Labenski were also recognized for their respective seasons. Thomas, a fourth-year student from Douglas, N.B., registered a career-high 9.0 sacks and his 14.0 tackles for a loss led the AUS conference. Wilson had 24.5 tackles this season, including 7.0 for a loss, while Labenski, an all-star previously in 2008 and 2010, led the Axemen with 44.0 tackles this season.

Third-year defensive back Cameron Wade (Moncton, N.B.) rounds out the contingent of Axemen selected. Wade had a career-high 35.0 tackles this season, one interception and led the conference with four forced fumbles.

Running back Craig Leger, defensive end Rob Jubenville, CIS leading scorer Brett Lauther and reigning AUS most outstanding player Jahmeek Taylor of Saint Mary's were among the players from the Huskies honoured.

Leger, a fifth-year tailback from Salmon River, N.S., led the conference in rushing with 786 yards and wraps up his career with 2,590 rushing yards, ranking him third in school history and sixth all-time on the AUS list. Jubenville, in his fourth year out of Oshawa, Ont., led the conference with 10.0 sacks and a team-high 47.0 tackles this season. His 17.5 career sacks are also the most in school history.

Lauther's 91 points led in the nation in scoring in 2011 and his 17 field goals made this season rank fourth all-time in AUS single-season history. Taylor, a fourth-year player from Mississauga, Ont., is the top special teams player for the second year in a row after leading the conference in all-purpose yards with 151.6 per game. His 1,666 career punt return yards rank third all-time in AUS history.

Other Huskies chosen include rookie cornerback Kayin Marchand-Wright, safety Neil King, wide receiver Ryan Tremblay and offensive lineman Guillaume Gagnier. Marchand-Wright had an AUS-leading six interceptions this year, tying the SMU single-season record. King, also a 2009 all-star, finished with 24.0 sacks this season and Tremblay was SMU's top receiver with a team-leading 22 receptions for 465 yards and four touchdowns.

StFX's four selections are all first-time all-stars and include receiver Jordan Catterall, cornerback Raye Hartmann, linebacker Brett Hubbeard and offensive tackle Colin Wicks. Catterall had a team-leading 432 yards receiving and three receiving TD's this season, while Hubbeard led the squad with 44.0 tackles, 9.0 of which were for a loss. Hartmann, a second year player from Mississauga, registered an interception and 14.5 tackles in six regular season games.

Fifth-year linebacker Luke Ekoh (Toronto, Ont.), fourth-year defensive back Matt Kenny (Moncton, N.B.) and rookie defensive lineman Jacob LeBlanc (Halifax, N.S.) were the three Mounties chosen to this year’s all-star squad. All three players are AUS all-stars for the first time.

Ekoh registered 43.0 tackles in 2011 and added a sack and a forced fumble in eight games played, while Kenny had 29.5 tackles and two interceptions. LeBlanc had an impressive first year with the Mounties, picking up 30.5 tackles, 9.0 of which were for a loss and finishing fourth among the AUS sack leaders with 5.0. Jacob also recovered two fumbles and was credited with a pass break-up from his defensive tackle position.

2011 ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY SPORT ALL-STARS:

OFFENCE:

Centre: Travis Miller, Acadia (5th year - Grand Prairie, Alta.)
Guard: Guillaume Gagnier, Saint Mary's (3rd year - Laval, Que.)
Guard: Colin Murray, Acadia (3rd year - London, Ont.)
Tackle: Tyler Honeywood, Acadia (4th year - Oro-Medonte, Ont.)
Tackle: Colin Wicks, StFX (4th year - Fletcher's Lake, N.S.)
Inside Receiver: Michael Squires, Acadia 4th year - Halifax, N.S.)
Inside Receiver: Jordan Catterall, StFX (2nd year - Oakville, Ont.)
Wide Receiver: Taylor Renaud, Acadia (3rd year - Winnipeg, Man.)
Wide Receiver: Ryan Tremblay, Saint Mary's (4th year - London, Ont.)
Running Back: Craig Leger, Saint Mary's (5th year - Salmon River, N.S.)
Running Back: Zack Skibin, Acadia (2nd year - Edmonton, Alta.)
Quarterback: Kyle Graves, Acadia (4th year - Barrie, Ont.)

DEFENCE:

Defensive Tackle: Jake Thomas, Acadia (4th year - Douglas, N.B.)
Defensive Tackle: Jacob LeBlanc, Mount Allison (1st year - Halifax, N.S.)
Defensive End: Rob Jubenville, Saint Mary's (4th year - Oshawa, Ont.)
Defensive End: John Wilson, Acadia (4th year - Hamilton, Ont.)
Linebacker: Tom Labenski, Acadia (5th year - Oakville, Ont.)
Linebacker: Brett Hubbeard, StFX (2nd year - Peterborough, Ont.)
Linebacker: Luke Ekoh, Mount Allison (5th year - Toronto, Ont.)
Safety: Neil King, Saint Mary's (3rd year - Sherwood Park, Alta.)
Defensive Back: Cameron Wade, Acadia (3rd year - Moncton, N.B.)
Defensive Back: Matt Kenny, Mount Allison (4th year - Moncton, N.B.)
Cornerback: Kayin Marchand-Wright, Saint Mary's (1st year - Montreal, Que.)
Cornerback: Raye Hartmann, StFX (2nd year - Mississauga, Ont.)

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Punter: Kyle Graves, Acadia (4th year - Barrie, Ont.)
Place Kicker: Brett Lauther, Saint Mary's (2nd year - Truro, N.S.)
Special Teams Player / Returner: Jahmeek Taylor, Saint Mary's (4th year - Mississauga, Ont.)

The 2011 Subway AUS Loney Bowl takes place this Saturday at Raymond Field on the campus of Acadia University in Wolfville, N.S. The Acadia Axemen (7-1) host the Saint Mary's Huskies (6-2, 1-0 playoffs) to battle for the Jewett Trophy, Saturday afternoon at 1:00pm live on EastLink Television. The game will also be available live on the internet via webcast at www.sportstream.ca.

The winner will advance to the Uteck Bowl, hosted this year in Moncton, N.B., to take on the 2011 OUA champions (Either the Western Mustangs or the McMaster Marauders), Friday, November 18th at 7:30pm.

Tickets for the 2011 Subway AUS Loney Bowl are on sale now at the Acadia University Box Office at 902-542-5500 or by visiting http://sports.acadiau.ca/subway-loney-bowl-2011.html.

Uteck Bowl tickets are also on sale and are available by contacting the Moncton Coliseum Box Office at 506-857-4100 or by visiting www.tickets.moncton.ca.

Note: The 2011 AUS football major award winners will be announced Thursday, November 10th.

-AUS-