CIS Conference players of the week: OUA, Canada West, RSEQ, AUS

A year after ripping up the field for 194 yards on 22 carries against UBC in the 2011 edition of the Canada West title game, Lumbala had a career-best performance with 251 yards as the Dinos came from behind in the second half to capture their fifth consecutive conference championship with a 38-14 win over the Regina Rams Saturday afternoon at McMahon Stadium.

He picked up those 251 yards on 22 carries, but it was a quartet of lengthy second-half runs that set the tone for the Dinos. Not long after the Rams had taken a 14-11 lead, Lumbala rumbled down the sidelines for 53 yards to set up a one-yard TD plunge by Eric Dzwilewski that gave the Dinos the lead for good. Near the end of the third quarter, he picked up 48 yards on one rush to set up a Johnny Mark 21-yard field goal.

He added another 48-yarder early in the fourth, setting up another field goal. And his final burst went downfield for 51 yards and he appeared to get the ball inside the pylon for a touchdown – but he was ruled out of bounds on the one-yard line, setting up another one-yard Dzwilewski plunge into the end zone. On those four carries, he averaged 50 yards for 200 of his 251 on the day.

Lumbala and the Dinos head east to face the McMaster Marauders in Saturday’s CIS Mitchell Bowl, with a trip to the Vanier Cup on the line.

DEFENCE: #23 Wyatt Getty, Calgary

Dinos safety Wyatt Getty made the most of his final home game in Saturday’s 76th Hardy Cup at McMahon Stadium.

In addition to a tackling performance with six solos, Getty had two of the biggest plays of the game. His interception of Mark Mueller that he brought back 47 yards in the fourth quarter was one of them, as it snuffed out the last remaining hope for the Rams and led to the final nail in the coffin, Eric Dzwilewski’s final touchdown. But it was a first-half play that was really crucial.

With the Rams driving inside the red zone, Mueller handed the ball off to Michael Kiapway on the five-yard line. Calgary linebacker Jordan Verdone managed to pry the football loose just short of the goal line, and the ball dribbled loose in the end zone. Getty pounced on the loose pigskin to reserve the Calgary lead at a time when a Rams touchdown would have completely changed the complexion of the game.

Getty and the Dinos defence will face their toughest challenge of the season next Saturday when they face the No. 1 McMaster Marauders in the Mitchell Bowl for a trip to the Vanier Cup.

SPECIAL TEAMS: #33 Johnny Mark, Calgary

Dinos kicker Johnny Mark had another characteristic day in Saturday’s Hardy Cup, accounting for 18 of the Dinos’ 38 points in a 38-14 win over Regina.

Mark was a perfect five-for-five on field goal tries, just the sixth time in school history that a kicker has made at least five field goals in a game and one off his personal mark of six set earlier this season. He split the uprights from 13, 25, 21, 21, and 24 yards to remain perfect in the playoffs.

Punting, Mark had a good day as well with a 41-yard average, out-kicking Regina’s Chris Bodnar, the conference’s all-star punter.

A native of Peterborough, Ont., Mark will be heading closer to home next week as the Dinos take on No. 1 McMaster in the Mitchell Bowl at Ron Joyce Stadium in Hamilton.

ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY SPORT FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Week Ending November 11, 2012

Offensive Player of the Week
Thomas Troop
Running Back
Acadia University
6’0”, 208 lbs.
Alliston, Ont.

Running back Thomas Troop of the CIS No. 9-ranked Acadia Axemen is the Atlantic University Sport Offensive Player of the Week for the week ending November 11th, 2012.

Troop, a 6-foot-0 freshman from Alliston, Ont., had 28 carries for a game-high 181 yards this past weekend, including a long run of 42 yards in Acadia’s 17-9 win over Saint Mary’s in the 2012 Subway AUS Loney Bowl at Raymond Field in Wolfville.

Thomas, named the AUS rookie of the year earlier in the week, posted 421 yards rushing on 63 carries in just five regular season games, averaging 84.2 yards per game, including 6.7 yards per carry and one touchdown. His 6.7 yards per attempt ranked fourth in the conference.

The Axemen now travel to Laval to face the Rouge et Or in Saturday’s Uteck Bowl.

Defensive Player of the Week
Jesse St. James
Defensive Line
Acadia University
6’2”, 252 lbs.
Pincourt, Que.

Acadia defensive lineman Jesse St. James is the Atlantic University Sport Defensive Player of the Week for the week ending November 11th, 2012.

St. James, a second-year student-athlete from Pincourt, Que., Hamilton, Ont., recorded 7.0 tackles this past weekend, including 5.5 tackles for a loss, two sacks and a fumble recovery in a in a 17-9 win over the Saint Mary’s Huskies in the Subway AUS Loney Bowl played at Raymond Field.

Jesse recorded 18.0 tackles and finished tied for tenth in AUS sacks this season with 2.5.

The Axemen (8-1), will travel to Laval to face the No. 2-ranked Laval Rouge et Or (10-1) this Saturday in the 2012 Uteck Bowl. Game time is 1:00pm EST.

Special Teams Player of the Week
Suleiman Semalulu
Acadia University
5’9”, 175 lbs.
Gatineau, Que.

Acadia kick returner Suleiman Semalulu is the Atlantic University Sport Special Teams Player of the Week.

Semalulu, a first-year defensive back from Gatineau, Que., had five punt returns for 73 yards this past weekend, including a long return of 24 yards in Acadia’s 17-9 win over the Saint Mary’s.

Suleiman had 144 punt return yards this year in regular season play, an average of 5.8 yards per return, ranking him sixth in the conference.

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