BURLINGTON, Ont. – Ontario University Athletics (OUA) announced the OUA Football All-Stars today, with 16 Western Mustangs players earning either first or second team honours.
The Mustangs relied heavier on the run than they did a season ago and with first-team all-star running back Alex Taylor in the backfield, who can really blame them. Taylor carried the load this season for Western and led the league with 10 touchdowns, while averaging 123.4 yards per game, the second highest mark in the conference.
Coming off a season in which he averaged 72 yards per game to go along with five touchdowns, Mustangs receiver George Johnson is an OUA first-team all-star for a second time in his career. This is the second consecutive all-star nod for Johnson after he was named a second-team selection in 2015.
Western fullback Tom Marshall is an OUA first-team all-star for a second-consecutive year after he had 12 receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown.
A major reason for the Mustangs success on offence this season was the strong play of their offensive line which is made up of four OUA all-stars. Centre Matt Van Praet, guard Gregoire Bouchard and offensive tackle Sean Jamieson will represent Western on the first team, while David Brown has been named to the second-team.
On the defensive side of the football, Western was led by fifth-year senior, defensive tackle Rupert Butcher. Butcher has been named to the first-team for a second straight season after he recorded 16 tackles, 2.5 sacks and five tackles for a loss.
In his third season in the league, linebacker Jean-Gabriel Poulin is an OUA all-star for the first time in his career. In eight games this season for Western, the St. Nicolas, Que. native finished second on the Mustangs with 39.5 total tackles to go along with a fumble recovery and an interception.
Nick Vanin is also an OUA all-star for the first time in his career after the SAM linebacker ranked fifth on the Mustangs with 27 tackles.
Playing in his fifth and final season for the hometown Mustangs, Malcolm Brown is an OUA first-team all-star for the first time in his career. Brown, who was named to the second-team a season ago, led Western with five fumble recoveries and a pair of interceptions.
Mustangs free safety Jesse McNair is an OUA first-team all-star for a second straight year after he recorded 26.5 tackles and finished tied for the team lead with four pass breakups.
Western defensive end John Biewald and cornerback Simon Bahru will represent the Mustangs defence on the second-team.
For his efforts on special teams, rush/cover Fraser Sopik has been named an OUA first-team all-star, while Mustangs rookie kicker Marc Liegghio has been made a second-team selection.
The full OUA release is available here.
FIRST TEAM
Pos. - Athlete - University - Year - Hometown - Program
Offence
QB - Derek Wendel - Ottawa - 5 - Belleville, Ont. - Philosophy
RB - Alex Taylor - Western - 3 - Winnipeg, Man. - Kinesiology
FB - Tom Marshall - Western - 5 - London, Ont. - Social Science
REC - Danny Vandervoort - McMaster - 4 - Barrie, Ont. - Sociology
REC – Mitchell Baines - Ottawa - 5 - Ottawa, Ont. - Social Science and Criminology
REC – George Johnson - Western - 5 - London, Ont. - King's College
REC - Nathaniel Behar - Carleton - 4 - London, Ont. - Communications
C - Matt Van Praet - Western - 5 - London, Ont. - Kinesiology
T - Sean Jamieson - Western - 5 - Winnipeg, Man. - Kinesiology
T - Kwabena Asare - Carleton - 5 - Brampton, Ont. - Communication
G - Zach Intzandt - McMaster - 5 - London, Ont. - Justice, Political Philosophy & Law
G – Gregoire Bouchard - Western - 2 – Chicoutimi, Que. – King's College
Defence
DT - Rupert Butcher - Western - 5 - London, Ont. - Huron College
DT - Jalen Price - Laurier - 4 - Hamilton, Ont. - Environmental Studies
DE - Kwaku Boateng - Laurier - 4 - Milton, Ont. - Business
DE - Mike Kashak - McMaster - 5 - Courtice, Ont. - Labour Studies & Political Science
LB - Nakas Onyeka - Laurier - 4 - Brampton, Ont. - Communications Studies
LB - Jean-Gabriel Poulin - Western - 3 – St. Nicolas, - Que. King's College
SAM - Nick Vanin - Western - 3 - London, Ont. - Medical Sciences
FS - Jesse McNair - Western - 4 - London, Ont. - BMOS
HB - Malcolm Thompson - Laurier - 3 - Windsor, Ont. - Sociology
HB - Malcolm Brown - Western - 5 - London, Ont. - King's College
CB - Godfrey Onyeka - Laurier - 2 - Brampton, Ont. - Health Sciences
CB - Robbie Yochim - McMaster - 2 - Kelowna, BC - Social Sciences
Special Teams
P - TJ Morton - Toronto - 4 - Elkton, Md. - Communications
K - Adam Preocanin - McMaster - 1 - Burlington, Ont. - Humanities
RET - Tunde Adeleke - Carleton - 4 - Ottawa, Ont. - Economics
RUSH - Fraser Sopik - Western - 2 - Aurora, Ont. - King's College
RUSH - Job Reinhart - Guelph - 2 - Guelph, Ont. - Landscape Architecture
SECOND TEAM
Offence
QB - Jesse Mills - Carleton - 5 - Halifax, NS. - Communication
RB - Jayde Rowe - Carleton - 4 - Scarborough, Ont. - History
FB - Stefano Napolitano - Carleton - 4 - Stittsville, Ont. - Criminology
REC - Dan Petermann - McMaster - 3 - Stoney Creek, Ont. - Humanities
REC - Kyle Van Wynsberghe - Carleton - 4 - Delhi, Ont. - Criminology
REC - Colton Hunchak - York - 2 - Calgary, Alta. Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
REC - Rahul Madan - Toronto - 5 - Scarborough, Ont. - Kinesiology
C – Jamie Lalonde - Laurier - 4 - Hamilton, Ont. - Sociology
T – Randy Beardy - Windsor - 5 – Sarnia, Ont. - Psychology
T – David Brown - Western - 3 - London, Ont. - Science
G - Andrew Pickett - Guelph - 3 - Kitchener, Ont. - Human Kinetics
G - KC Bakker - Carleton - 3 - London, Ont. - Criminology
Defence
DT - Emmanuel Adusei - Carleton - 4 - London, Ont. - Law
DT - Hassan Barry - McMaster - 3 - St. George, Ont. - Political Science
DE - John Biewald - Western - 5 - Ottawa, Ont. - Social Science
DE - Zac Sauer - Queen's - 4 - Ayr, Ont. - History
LB - Leon Cenerini - Carleton - 4 - La Salle, Man. - Criminology
LB - Kene Onyeka - Carleton - 3 - Brampton, Ont. - Mechanical Engineering
SAM - Jackson Bennett - Ottawa - 2 - Ottawa, Ont. - Geography
FS - Wesley Mann – Queen's - 3 - Almonte, Ont. - Arts
HB - Tunde Adeleke - Carleton - 4 - Ottawa, Ont. - Economics
HB - Nick Parisotto - Guelph - 3 - Guelph, Ont. Leadership and Organizational Management
CB - Nathaniel Hamlin -Carleton - 3 - Ottawa, Ont. - Communications
CB - Simon Bahru - Western - 5 - London, Ont. - Nursing
Special Teams
P - Michael Domagala - Carleton - 4 - St. Catharines, Ont. - Criminology & Criminal Justice
K - Lewis Ward - Ottawa - 4 - Kingston, Ont. - Social Science
K - Marc Liegghio - Western - 1 - Woodbridge, Ont. - King's College
RET - Kurleigh Gittens Jr. - Laurier - 2 - Ottawa, Ont. - Sociology
RUSH - Dominic Ciraco - Queen's - 1 - Burlington, Ont. - Commerce
