FRC - CIS football players of the week (#12): LaFrance honoured
OTTAWA (CIS) – Manitoba running back Kienan LaFrance, McMaster defensive back Joey Cupido and Montreal kicker Louis-Philippe Simoneau are the CIS football players of the week for the period ending on Nov. 15, 2014.
LaFrance, a fourth-year science student from Winnipeg, was honoured on offence after he led the unranked Bisons (6-4) to a 27-15 road win over No. 4 Calgary in Saturday's Hardy Cup final, a result that put an end to the Dinos' six-year Canada West championship streak. The 5-foot-10, 205-pound senior rushed for 155 yards and one touchdown on 30 carries as Manitoba managed to keep the ball for almost 36 minutes. The Bisons, the last Canada West team to win the Vanier Cup in 2007, visit No. 2 Montreal (9-1) in the Uteck Bowl Saturday at 12:30 p.m. EST (Sportsnet 360, Radio-Canada & CIS-SIC.tv).
Montreal receiver Philip Enchill and McMaster running back Chris Pezzetta were also up for the award.
Cupido, a fifth-year science student from Hamilton, took home the weekly honour on defence after helped the third-ranked Marauders (9-1) shut down Guelph's offence in Saturday's 20-15 Yates Cup victory in Hamilton. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound standout had two interceptions in the win, including one in his own end zone, as well as 3.5 tackle and a key pass breakup on the Gryphons' final drive of the contest. Cupido, who now has a mind-boggling 14 interceptions in 14 career playoff games, will try to add to his total on Saturday when McMaster hosts No. 6 Mount Allison (9-0) in the ArcelorMittal Dofasco Mitchell Bowl at 4 p.m. EST (Sportsnet 360 & CIS-SIC.tv).
Montreal linebacker Byron Archambault and Manitoba safety Tyler Fong were also nominated.
Simoneau, a first-year industrial relations student from La Présentation, Que., was the choice on special teams thanks to his four field goals, including the game-winner in overtime, in the Carabins' 12-9 upset of 11-time defending Dunsmore Cup champion Laval, Saturday in Quebec City. The 6-foot-1, 240-pound freshman was good from 35, 22 and 19 yards out in regulation time and added the biggest kick in U of M history in extra time, a 22-yarder on his team's first drive of the shootout session. The second-ranked Carabins play in their first-ever national semifinal on Saturday, hoping to clinch a spot in the 50th TELUS Vanier Cup in their own backyard, at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, on Nov. 29.
Kickers Tyler Crapigna of McMaster and Zach Regert of Manitoba were the other nominees.
Offensive nominees:
AUS: No game scheduled
RSEQ: Philip Enchill, receiver, Montreal
OUA: Chris Pezzetta, running back, McMaster
CWUAA: Kienan LaFrance, running back, Manitoba (recipient)
Defensive nominees:
AUS: No game scheduled
RSEQ: Byron Archambault, linebacker, Montreal
OUA: Joey Cupido, defensive back, McMaster (recipient)
CWUAA: Tyler Fong, safety, Manitoba
Special team nominees:
AUS: No game scheduled
RSEQ: Louis-Philippe Simoneau, kicker, Montreal (recipient)
OUA: Tyler Crapigna, kicker, McMaster
CWUAA: Zach Regert, punter, Manitoba
CIS FOOTBALL WEEK 13 & 14 SCHEDULE (all times local)
NOTE1: Click HERE for the complete 2014 regular season results
NOTE 2: Click HERE for the playoff schedule & results
November 22 (Uteck Bowl & ArcelorMittal Dofasco Mitchell Bowl)
12:30 Manitoba (6-4) at No. 2 Montreal (9-1) (Sportsnet 360, Radio-Canada & CIS-SIC.tv)
16:00 No. 6 Mount Allison (9-0) at No. 3 McMaster (9-1) (Sportsnet 360 & CIS-SIC.tv)
November 29 (50th TELUS Vanier Cup)
13:00 Molson Stadium, Montreal (Sportsnet, Sportsnet 360, Radio-Canada & CIS-SIC.tv)
About Football Reporters of Canada
Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) represents journalists and broadcasters in every region of the country covering CIS Football. Since 1958, Football Reporters of Canada has been an organization of media members who have covered the Canadian Football League, serving to select the league's outstanding players, coach-of-the-year and all-star teams through voting conducted by its members. In 2009, the FRC amalgamated with the University Football Reporters of Canada (UFRC) to give the organization greater scope in its affiliation with amateur and college football. FRC also works with the CFL and CIS to establish guidelines and working conditions for the men and women who report on the game. Selected members of FRC also help to choose builders, players and media members for induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
About the 50th TELUS Vanier Cup
Canadian Interuniversity Sport will celebrate the 50th TELUS Vanier Cup throughout its 2014 football season. For the first time in history, the championship game will be staged in Montreal - at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium - on Saturday, November 29, at 1 p.m. ET, live on Sportsnet and Radio-Canada.
Official TELUS Vanier Cup website (including ticket information) www.vaniercup.com
About Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada. Every year, over 11,500 student-athletes and 700 coaches from 56 universities and four regional associations vie for 21 national championships in 12 different sports. CIS also provides high performance international opportunities for Canadian student-athletes at Winter and Summer Universiades, as well as numerous world university championships. For further information, visit www.cis-sic.ca or follow us on:
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