FRC – CIS football players of the week (#3): Heather, DeSouza, Wells honoured

OTTAWA (CIS) – Bishop’s quarterback Jordan Heather, Toronto linebacker Wilkerson DeSouza and Manitoba defensive back Grayson Wells are the Canadian Interuniversity Sport football players of the week for the period ending Sept. 18, 2011.

The selection was made by a committee comprised of members of Football Reporters of Canada (FRC).

Heather, a third-year history major from Oromocto, N.B., was honoured on offence after he threw for a career-high 459 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in a 36-23 victory at Mount Allison, last Saturday. The 6-foot, 200-pound junior made the most of his first CIS game in his home province – and only his third career start – completing 26 of 41 passes and coming one yard short of the team’s 20-year-old single-game record for most passing yards. The Gaiters (1-2) go for a second win in a row on Saturday afternoon when they host No. 4-ranked Montreal (2-1) in their annual Homecoming Game (1 p.m., live on Radio-Canada).

Receivers Taylor Renaud of Acadia, Giovanni Aprile of Queen’s and Chris Dobko of Calgary were also up for the award.

DeSouza, a fourth-year humanities student from Mississauga, Ont., took home the weekly honour on defence thanks to his team-high 11 solo tackles and a key fumble recovery in a 21-12 home win over Guelph, which marked the Varsity Blues’ first success against the Gryphons since 1995. With Toronto holding on a to a 14-7 lead early in the third quarter, the 5-foot-11, 227-pound senior forced a fumble deep in his own territory and recovered the ball himself at the one-yard line to prevent Guelph from tying the game. The Blues visit Ottawa on Saturday in a battle of 2-1 teams.

Linebackers Tom Labenski of Acadia, Max Caron of Concordia and Thomas Hall of Manitoba were also nominated.

Wells, a second-year education student from Lloydminster, Alta., was the choice on special teams thanks to his game-changing touchdown in a 26-16 upset of then-No. 4 Saskatchewan, in Winnipeg. With the Bisons trailing 16-12, Manitoba’s Brendon Bowman opened the fourth quarter with a 64-yard punt that went off returner Jerit Lambert’s hands and dribbled into the Huskies’ end zone. Wells hustled downfield and jumped on the loose ball for the score and a 19-16 lead that his team wouldn’t relinquish. The No. 10 Bisons (2-1) visit No. 9 UBC (2-1) on Saturday.

Kick returners Damone Williams of St. Francis Xavier, Nathan Taylor of Concordia and Gionanni Aprile of Queen’s were also up for the distinction.

Photo credit Lindsay Nemeih, Toronto Athletics

Offensive nominees:
AUS: Taylor Renaud, receiver, Acadia
RSEQ: Jordan Heather, quarterback, Bishop’s (recipient)
OUA: Giovanni Aprile, receiver, Queen’s
CWUAA: Chris Dobko, receiver, Calgary

Defensive nominees:
AUS: Tom Labenski, linebacker, Acadia
RSEQ: Max Caron, linebacker, Concordia
OUA: Wilkerson DeSouza, linebacker, Toronto (recipient)
CWUAA: Thomas Hall, linebacker, Manitoba

Special team nominees:
AUS: Damone Williams, returner, St. Francis Xavier
RSEQ: Nathan Taylor, returner, Concordia
OUA: Giovanni Aprile, returner, Queen’s
CWUAA: Grayson Wells, cover, Manitoba (recipient)

CIS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (all times LOCAL)

September 23
19:00 ET No. 5 Sherbrooke (2-1) at Concordia (2-1), SSN webcast
19:00 MT No. 7 Saskatchewan (2-1) at No. 3 Calgary (3-0), CanadaWest.tv webcast

September 24
13:00 AT No. 8 Saint Mary’s (1-1) at Mount Allison (0-2) (in Moncton, N.B.)
13:00 ET Windsor (2-1) at Waterloo (0-3), SSN webcast
13:00 ET Queen’s (1-2) at York (1-2), SSN webcast
13:00 ET No. 6 McMaster (2-1) at Guelph (1-2), The Score
13:00 ET No. 2 Western (3-0) at Laurier (1-2), WLU webcast
13:00 ET Toronto (2-1) at Ottawa (2-1), SSN webcast
13:00 ET No. 4 Montreal (2-1) at Bishop’s (1-2), Radio-Canada
13:00 MT Regina (0-3) at Alberta (0-3), CanadaWest.tv webcast
14:00 PT No. 10 Manitoba (2-1) at No. 9 UBC (2-1), CanadaWest.tv webcast
19:00 AT StFX (0-2) at Acadia (2-0), EastLink

September 25
13:00 ET McGill (0-3) at No. 1 Laval (3-0)

About Football Reporters of Canada – University Division
The Football Reporters of Canada – University Division represents journalists and broadcasters in every region of the country covering CIS Football. Since 1958 the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) have 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.

The 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 the FRC also help to choose builders, players and media members for induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.