York Lions officially introduce 44 recruits of 2012 class

The York University Lions football program officially welcomed its class of 2012 at a special recruit event that was held prior to the squad’s Red & White Scrimmage to wrap up its spring camp.

The class includes 44 soon-to-be York student-athletes who will play for the varsity football team and continue their studies at York University. This group represents the second recruiting class for head coach Warren Craney and his staff, and follows the tremendous first class from 2011.

“We believe we’ve brought in a class that is comparable to last year’s outstanding group,” said Craney. “When we went looking for student-athletes for our 2012 class we wanted to be more explosive on offence and more physical on defence, and I think we’ve accomplished that. Our future is very bright and I am looking forward to seeing all of these young men in red and white next season.”

Last year’s class contributed significantly to Craney’s first win as a head coach, a 20-18 overtime victory over the Waterloo Warriors on the road in Week 3.

The new-look Lions will be back in action in mid-August when training camp begins for the 2012 season. The squad’s first game is on Labour Day Monday (Sept. 3) on the road in Kingston, Ont., against the Queen’s Gaels. The Lions will play their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 8 against the Ottawa Gee-Gees.

2012 YORK LIONS FOOTBALL RECRUITS

RB Adam Adeboboye, 5’9, 170 lbs., Northern Secondary School

LB Kellen Aiken, 6’1, 245 lbs., Vanier College / Laurier Golden Hawks

DB Treyvon Ashman, 5’10, 180 lbs., Chaminade College School / Etobicoke Eagles

OL Preston Baird, 6’0, 275 lbs., Markham District High School / Markham Raiders
• Member of the under-17 Ontario team

REC Daniel Bennett, 5’10, 170 lbs., Sir John A. MacDonald Collegiate Institute
• GTA all-star

LB Jordan Boswell, 5’10, 220 lbs., St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School / Brampton Bulldogs

DB Javier Buckley, 5’8, 160 lbs., St. Marcellinus Secondary School
• GTA all-star

DB Leon Budhram, 5’11, 175 lbs., Brampton Bulldogs

DB Darryn Butcher, 5’10, 180 lbs., Niagara College / Niagara Spears

DB Rishard Campbell, 5’9, 160 lbs., Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School
• Won ROPSAA championship with Notre Dame C.S.S.

DL Jason Christie, 6’3, 290 lbs., Guelph Gryphons / Twin City Predators

DL Stephen Cordle, 6’4, 230 lbs., Resurrection Catholic Secondary School
• Earned all-star honours in high school as defensive end

REC Bryce Crawford, 6’2, 210 lbs., Holy Trinity Catholic High School / John Abbott College

DL Jesse DePetrillo, 6’2, 285 lbs., Sir James Dunn Collegiate and Vocational School / Sault Ste. Marie Sabercats
• Earned 2009 most valuable lineman award
• Was an OVFL all-star in 2008

REC Ryan Dunaway, 6’4, 215 lbs., Aldershot School / Northeastern High School (Indiana)
• GHR all-star

OL Grant Ellis, 6’0, 290 lbs., Haliburton Highlands Secondary School / Toronto Thunder
• Two-time GTA all-star
• OVFL champion in 2011 with the Toronto Thunder

RB Chivon Gallagher, 5’7, 180 lbs., Donald A. Wilson Secondary School
• YRAA all-star
• Won Metro Bowl championship and was named the game MVP in 2011
• OVFL champion in 2011 with the Toronto Thunder

DL William Harding, 6’4, 240 lbs., Lockerby Composite School / Sudbury Gladiators

OL Hrair Janian, 6’6, 330 lbs., Sir John A. MacDonald Collegiate Institute
• Also a standout basketball player who received league all-star honours

OL Chris Kolankowski, 6’2, 250 lbs., Michael Power St. Joseph Catholic Secondary School / Etobicoke Eagles

K / P Ryan Lambert, 5’9, 180 lbs., Blessed Trinity Secondary School / Burlington Braves
• One of the top kickers in the CJFL in points, distance and percentage
• GHR all-star

LB Michael Lawlor, 6’3, 220 lbs., Michael Power St. Joseph Catholic Secondary School / Etobicoke Eagles

OL Matt Magee, 6’6, 310 lbs., Crestwood Secondary School
• Won 2010 National Capitol Bowl

DL Broderick Martin, 6’5, 270 lbs., Chaminade College School / Etobicoke Eagles

REC Alex Mashadi, 6’0, 170 lbs., Northern Secondary School

RB Ryan Ofei, 5’9, 180 lbs., Bishop Reding Secondary School
• League all-star in high school

LB Chayse Oliver, 6’1, 195 lbs., Banting Memorial High School
• GTA all-star

LB Connor Pritty, 6’2, 190 lbs., Markham District High School / Guelph Gryphons
• GTA all-star
• Won Metro Bowl championship

QB Tyler Pritty, 6’1, 195 lbs., Markham District High School / Concordia Stingers
• Only player in history to win three Metro Bowl championships
• Earned Metro Bowl MVP honours at quarterback

FB / TE Jake Radford, 6’3, 255 lbs., Paul Dwyer Catholic High School
• GTA all-star

LB Rob Ramsay, 6’3, 250 lbs., Sault Ste. Marie Sabercats / Victoria Rebels
• 2011 Northern Football Conference all-star linebacker
• Two-time local high school league MVP (2008, 2009)

REC David Risko, 6’3, 215 lbs., Westhill High School / Okanagan Sun / Jamestown College
• Brings experience from Jamestown College in North Dakota
• Has a 40-inch vertical, can bench 225 lbs. 10 times, 4.4 speed in the 40

LB Michael Runowski, 6’2, 225 lbs., Lester B. Pearson High School
• GHR all-star
• Incredible student-athlete who enters with a 93% average and has been admitted into the Schulich School of Business

REC Andrew Schultz, 6’2, 195 lbs., Cathedral High School / Hamilton Ironmen
• GHR all-star
• OVFL all-star with the Hamilton Ironmen

DB Josh Small, 5’9, 170 lbs., Pickering High School / Pickering Dolphins
• GTA all-star
• Top-ranked cornerback in the GTA

FB Nathan Smith, 6’1, 235 lbs., Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School / Brampton Bears
• Member of the under-17 Ontario team

RB Daniel Sourtzis, 5’8, 180 lbs., St. Marcellinus Secondary School / Concordia Stingers

DB Chris States, 5’10, 185 lbs., St. Edmund Campion Secondary School / Brampton Bulldogs
• High school all-star
• OVFL all-star
• Led the OVFL with six interceptions in 2010
• Holds the OVFL record for most blocked kicks in a season, with five

DB Donovan Tolliver, 6’1, 210 lbs., St. Joan of Arc Catholic High School / StFX X-Men

DL Najeeb Wahab, 6’2, 270 lbs., Dr. G.W. Williams Secondary School

LB Shaquiel Wiles-Mark, 6’0, 215 lbs., St. Joan of Arc Catholic High School
• High school all-star

DB Joseph Willard, 5’8, 175 lbs., David and Mary Thomson Collegiate Institute / Toronto Thunder
• Team captain and league all-star in high school
• OVFL champion in 2011 with the Toronto Thunder
• Member of the under-17 Ontario team

QB Brooks Wilson, 6’4, 215 lbs., Birchmount High School

OL Andrew Younis, 6’8, 325 lbs., Rideau High School / Ottawa Sooners