FIVE MORE RECRUITS COMMIT TO BLUES FOOTBALL

The Varsity Blues football program is pleased to announce five additional recruits that have signed letters of intent and have committed to play football and pursue an education at the University of Toronto in the fall of 2010.

“All five student-athletes have committed to the development of our football team as well as their development at the University of Toronto,” said Varsity Blues head coach Greg DeLaval. “They are great additions and fit right in with our football program and I intend to give them the best opportunity to succeed here at U of T.”

Toronto native Jesse Herman has committed to the Blue and White. The 6-foot-2 quarterback was named the Michael Power St. Joseph Catholic Secondary School’s most valuable player for the past three seasons and will pursue a degree in humanities starting this fall.

With three weeks completed, Herman is currently the highest rated passer in the Ontario Varsity Football League (OVFL). A member of the Etobicoke Eagles, Herman threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns in week 2 and was named the OVFL offensive player of the week for his efforts.

Gregory Easterbrook of Odessa, Ont., comes to the Blues from the Ernestown Secondary School Eagles, where he led his team to a Kingston Area Secondary Schools Athletic Association (KASSAA) silver medal in 2006. Also an all-star goaltender for the boy’s hockey team, Easterbrook was the first male recipient of the Amherstview Lions Club citizenship award in 2009-10.

Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School student Ryan Phillips is a versatile player who will look to crack the Blues roster at safety this season. The 6-foot-1 Oshawa, Ont., native was named Dwyer’s most valuable player in 2009 and will add depth wherever needed in 2010. Phillips will begin his studies in economic management in September.

Also joining the Blues roster this season is defensive end Owynn Lahnalampi and offensive lineman Connor Hanak.

A 2009 Sudbury District Secondary Schools’ Athletic Association (SDSSAA) second team all-star, Lahnalampi was also named the Chelmsford Valley District Composite School’s lineman of the year in 2010. The Onaping, Ont., native is no stranger to CIS football as his cousin, Carson Dowds, is a defensive tackle for the Saint Mary’s Huskies.

Hanak (Mississauga, Ont.) stands at 6-foot-3 and will also be pursuing a degree in humanities in the fall. The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School graduate played with the Mississauga Warriors in 2009 under Blues national recruiting coordinator Greg Gary.

Students who sign a letter of intent and commit to Varsity Blues intercollegiate teams will be eligible to play at the University of Toronto provided they are academically admissible and have applied through the normal process with the Ontario Universities Application Centre.

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