2012 Atlantic University Sport (AUS) football all-stars announced

HALIFAX- Atlantic University Sport is pleased to announce the 2012 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 11 all-star positions while the Saint Mary’s Huskies (3-5, 1-0 playoffs) took home eight of the available positions.

The Mount Allison Mounties (3-5, 0-1 playoffs) were represented at five positions while three members of the StFX X-Men (2-6) were honoured.

Leading the list of Axemen named to the squad is fifth-year quarterback Kyle Graves of Barrie, Ont., who was named the conference’s top pivot as well as the top punter for the second year in a row. Graves, the 2011 AUS most outstanding player, led the league in passing yards (2,012), passing TD’s (14) and punting average (40.3 yards per punt). Kyle also rushed the ball 28 times for 167 yards on the ground and two touchdowns.

Acadia receivers Michael Squires and Taylor Renaud are also AUS all-stars for the second year in a row. This season, the duo each broke the previous school record for receptions in a single season (48 by Grant Davy, 1994) and in the process became the first players from the same team to catch 50 or more passes in a single season. Squires led the league with 53 receptions in eight games played, while Renaud had 51 in seven outings.

Offensive linemen Colin Murray, Tyler Honeywood and Wade Conrad were the other Axemen from the offensive side of the ball to be selected.

Acadia defensive linemen Kirby Fletcher and linebacker Drew Morris were also recognized for their respective seasons. Fletcher, a third-year student from Grimshaw, Alta., recorded 3.0 sacks and 22.5 tackles this season, including a team-high 8.5 tackles for a loss. Morris led the Axemen defence with 48.5 tackles, including 5.5 and in week five he returned an interception 106 yards for a score in a 41-14 win over StFX.

Axemen defensive backs Cameron Wade (Moncton, N.B.) and Brett Backman round out the contingent of Axemen selected. Wade, a first team all-Canadian in 2011, had a career-high 30.5 tackles this season, including a sack. Backman, a third year player from Tantallon, N.S. added a career-high 35.5 tackles for the Acadia defence.

Running back Melvin Abankwah, defensive end Rob Jubenville and AUS leading scorer Brett Lauther of Saint Mary’s were among the players from the second place Huskies honoured.

Abankwah, a second-year tailback from Etobicoke, Ont., led the Huskies rushing attack with 632 yards (2nd in AUS) and led the conference in all-purpose yards with 1,017. Jubenville, a native of Oshawa, Ont., led the conference in sacks once again this season with 9.5 and in the process became the AUS career sacks leader with 27.0. Rob also recorded 38.5 tackles in 2012 and ranks 16th all-time in AUS career tackles.

Lauther, a third-year place kicker from Truro, N.S., accounted for 73 of SMU’s 189 points this year and he led the conference in scoring for the second consecutive season. His 16 field goals made in 2012 were one shy of his career-high of 17 set in 2011, and rank fifth in AUS single-season history.

Other Huskies chosen include sophomore cornerback Kayin Marchand-Wright, safety Neil King, linebacker Jonathan Langa and offensive linemen Guillaume Gagnier and Matt Albright. Marchand-Wright, an all-Canadian in 2011, had 20.0 tackles this season and returned an interception 70 yards for his first career touchdown in a Week 4 win over StFX. King, also a 2009 and 2011 AUS all-star, finished with 39.0 tackles and a sack this season.

Mount Allison’s five selections include running back Jordan Botel, defensive linemen Jacob LeBlanc and Ryan Downe, and Donovan Saunders who was honoured at his cornerback position and was also selected as the top kick returner in the conference.

Botel, a native of Prince George, B.C., led the conference in rushing with 878 yards and seven touchdowns and his 197 rushing attempts this season are the second-most in a single season in AUS history. His 878 yards on the ground are the most by any Mount Allison player in a single season since 1998 when former Hec Crighton Trophy recipient Eric Lapointe rushed for 1,515 yards.

Downe, in his fifth and final season, finishes his career as the Mounties’ all-time leader in sacks with 21.0. He recorded 5.0 sacks this year and led all defensive linemen in the conference with 39.5 tackles. LeBlanc, the 2011 AUS rookie of the year, had 35.5 tackles in his sophomore season, third among defensive linemen behind Downe and Jubenville.

Saunders, a second-year player from Hamilton, Ont., had two interceptions and 15.0 tackles on defence and led the conference in punt return average with 12.4 yards per return. He also returned a punt 83 yards for a touchdown in a Week 7 win over StFX.

Middle linebacker Brett Hubbeard (Peterborough, Ont.) and receivers Jordan Catterall and Devon Bailey were the three X-Men chosen to this year’s all-star squad. Hubbeard, also an all-star in 2011, led the league in tackles this season with 59.5.

Catterall had a team-high 30 receptions for 520 yards and three TD’s for the X-Men in 2012, while Bailey caught 28 passes for 331 yards in six games played. Catterall was also named an AUS all-star in 2011, while Bailey is being honoured for the first time.

2012 ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY SPORT ALL-STARS:

DEFENCE:

Defensive Tackle: Jacob Leblanc, Mount Allison (2nd year – Halifax, N.S.)
Defensive Tackle: Kirby Fletcher, Acadia (3rd year – Grimshaw, Alta.)
Defensive End: Rob Jubenville, Saint Mary’s (4th year – Oshawa, Ont.)
Defensive End: Ryan Downe, Mount Allison (5th year – New Maryland, N.B.)
Linebacker: Brett Hubbeard, StFX (3rd year – Peterborough, Ont.)
Linebacker: Drew Morris, Acadia (2nd year – Ottawa, Ont.)
Linebacker: Jonathan Langa, Saint Mary’s (1st year – Toronto, Ont.)
Safety: Neil King, Saint Mary’s (5th year – Edmonton, Alta.)
Defensive Back: Cameron Wade, Acadia (4th year – Moncton, N.B.)
Defensive Back: Brett Backman, Acadia (3rd year – Tantallon, N.S.)
Cornerback: Kayin Marchand-Wright, Saint Mary’s (2nd year – Montreal, Que.)
Cornerback: Donovan Saunders, Mount Allison (2nd year – Hamilton, Ont.)

OFFENCE:

Centre: Tyler Honeywood , Acadia (5th year – Oro-Medonte, Ont.)
Guard: Colin Murray, Acadia (4th year – London, Ont.)
Guard: Guillaume Gagnier, Saint Mary’s (4th year – Laval, Que.)
Tackle: Matt Albright, Saint Mary’s (3rd year – Dartmouth, N.S.)
Tackle: Wade Conrad, Acadia (5th year – Barrie, Ont.)
Inside Receiver: Michael Squires, Acadia (5th year – Halifax, N.S.)
Inside Receiver: Jordan Catterall, StFX (3rd year – Oakville, Ont.)
Wide Receiver: Taylor Renaud, Acadia (4th year – Winnipeg, Man.)
Wide Receiver: Devon Bailey, StFX (3rd year – Mississauga, Ont.)
Running Backs: Jordan Botel, Mount Allison (1st year – Prince George, B.C..)
Running Backs: Melvin Abankwah, Saint Mary’s (2nd year – Etobicoke, Ont.)
Quarterback: Kyle Graves, Acadia (5th year – Barrie, Ont.)

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Punter: Kyle Graves, Acadia (5th year – Barrie, Ont.)
Place Kicker: Brett Lauther, Saint Mary’s (3rd year – Truro, N.S.)
Kick Returner: Donovan Saunders, Mount Allison (2nd year – Hamilton, Ont.)

Note: The Atlantic University Sport major award winners who will become finalists for the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) football awards will be announced Thursday, November 8th, 2012.

The 2012 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 (3-5, 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.AUStv.ca.

The winner will advance to the Uteck Bowl, hosted this year by the RSEQ conference champions (either the Laval Rouge et Or or Sherbrooke Vert et Or), Saturday, November 17th at 2:00pm (AST).