Ottawa Gee-Gees announce recruiting class that spans coast to coast

A fresh crop of Gee-Gees have been selected from football programs across the country, and the 2012 uOttawa football roster is beginning to take shape.

One thing which is immediately apparent is the number of players from Canada’s western provinces. Three B.C. players, two Albertans and seven Manitobans are featured on the list of commits, representing a shift in focus for the recruiting trail.

“The goal was to expand our recruiting to the Western provinces – it’s been probably ten years since the last time there were a significant amount of guys coming from out west,” acknowledges head coach Jean-Philippe Asselin.

Even with the expanded area of focus, the team once again welcomes numerous local talents from Ottawa and Gatineau. Hometown players suiting up next year include defensive linemen Rashid Timbella (Ottawa Junior Riders) and Gabe Bergeron (St. Matthew’s), and receivers Scott Watson (St. Mark’s) and Jordan Finn (St. Joseph’s), as well as several players from the CEGEP de l’Outaouais Gryphons (Marc-Antoine Laurin, Maxime Saumare, and Vincent Campbell).

A number of other current teammates will be heading to Ottawa together. Ty Cranston, McKenzie Cook and Rhys Hanson join quarterback prospect Theo Deezar from Winnipeg’s St. Paul’s High School, while the Hamilton, Ont. area is represented by a trio of players from Cardinal Newman High School: Sammy Rupcic, Lucas Mancini, and Mark Barkovich will reunite in garnet and grey.

Nearby Kingston is sending one of its top players up the 416. Linebacker Josh Hill has the Ottawa coaching staff excited about his combination of size, speed, and a penchant for heavy hitting. “He has very quick feet and he’s CIS ready right now – I can’t wait to see what he’ll be like in year four,” said assistant coach Luigi Costanzo, one of Ottawa’s primary recruiters.

In addition, two CIS transfer students will don the Ottawa uniform this season. Corbin Mawell, originally from Kanata, joins the D-line via McGill while 6-foot receiver Tristan Bailey, another Ottawa native, comes over from the Bishop’s Gaiters.

The team has added a second quarterback recruit in the form of Edmonton’s Zach Lesko. “He committed after Theo Deezar did and that makes us very stable at the quarterback position right now – it’s very good for the future,” explains Asselin.

The team is still actively recruiting at the offensive lineman position, but Coach Asselin feels confident about how the group has come together. “A lot of these guys are going to see significant field time in their first season. This is the best class we’ve seen in a while.”

Returning players will see the field during Spring Camp which runs April 23-27, while the recruits will join the team for the August camp to prepare for the 2012 season.

The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees Football Program is proud to announce the commitment of:

Ottawa (27)

Scott Watson 6’4″ 200 – REC – St. Mark’s (Ottawa) SIGNED [click here for story]
Tyler McLaren – REC – St. Peter’s / Toronto Wildcats (Peterborough)SIGNED
Estalien Rouzier – DB – Montmorency CEGEP (Montreal) SIGNED
Gabriel Bergeron – DL – St. Matthew’s (Ottawa) SIGNED
Mark Ferraro – REC – Vanier (Kirkland, QC) SIGNED
Theo Deezar – QB – St. Paul’s / Team Manitoba (Winnipeg) SIGNED [click here for story]
Zac Lesko 6’3″ 180 – QB – Austin O’Brien (Edmonton) SIGNED [click here for video]
Sammy Rupcic – REC/DB – Cardinal Newman (Stoney Creek, ON) SIGNED
Tanner Storoshenko – LB – Abbotsford Panthers (Abbotsford, BC) SIGNED
Domenic Bellardini – LB/K – Bishop Tonnos / Ironmen (Mount Hope, ON) SIGNED
Vincent Campbell – REC – Cégep de l’Outaouais Griffons (Lachute, QC) SIGNED [click here for story]
Rashid Timbilla 6’3″ – LB – Myers Riders / John McCrae (Ottawa) SIGNED
Matt Barkovich 6′ 240 – FB – Cardinal Newman / Hamilton Ironmen (Hamilton, ON) SIGNED
Aidan Golding 5’11 190 – LB – St. Thomas More (Burnaby, BC)SIGNED
Kline Chorney 6’3 280 – OL – Miles Mac / Team Manitoba (Winnipeg) SIGNED
McKenzie Cook – DL – St. Pauls / Team Manitoba (Winnipeg) SIGNED
Ty Cranston – DB – St. Pauls (Winnipeg) SIGNED
Nicholas Dallmiar 6’3 200 – DL – Oak Park (Winnipeg) SIGNED
Tyler Declare – LB – W J Mouat (Abbotsford, BC) SIGNED
Jon Ellingson – LB – Langley Rams / North Surrey (Surrey, BC) SIGNED
Kevin Hanson – LB – Parkland (Spruce Grove, AB) SIGNED
Josh Hill – LB – Frontenac (Kingston, ON) SIGNED
Colton Smith 6”1 205 – RB – Miles Mac / Team Manitoba (Winnipeg) SIGNED
Jordan Sutcliffe – RB – Algonquin (North Bay, ON) SIGNED
Jonathan Wilkinson – RB – North Bay Bulldogs (North Bary, ON) SIGNED
Jordan Finn 6’1 195- REC – St. Joseph / Myers Riders (Ottawa) SIGNED

Samuel Boudreault 5’10-217 – LB – Condors du Cégep Beauce-Appalaches Verbal