CIS POW (5): Blaszko, Sampson & Davis

OTTAWA – Calgary receiver Brett Blaszko, Mount Allison defensive back Devante Sampson and UBC kick returner Marcus Davis are the CIS football players of the week for the period ending on Sept. 27, 2014.

Blaszko, a third-year arts student from Burlington, Ont., was honoured on offence thanks to his three touchdown catches in a thrilling 42-41 home win over nationally tenth-ranked Manitoba, last Friday. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound junior, who finished the game with a team-high seven receptions for 119 yards, registered 21 and 48-yard majors in the second quarter and a seven-yard TD in the third frame. At the midway point of the season, Blaszko leads CIS with six touchdown catches and ranks second in Canada West in receptions (27) and receiving yards (486).

Running backs Chris Reid of Mount Allison, Guillaume Bourassa of Laval and Chris Pezzetta of McMaster were also up for the award.

Sampson, a second-year sociology major from Mississauga, Ont., took home the weekly honour on defence thanks to his two interceptions in a 26-3 interlock victory over Bishop’s, Saturday in Sherbrooke, Que. The 5-foot-8, 162-pound sophomore had his first pick of the day late in the second quarter deep into his own territory to preserve a 13-3 lead, and returned his second interception on 46 yards to the Bishop’s five late in the third stanza, setting the table for a field goal and a comfortable 24-3 advantage. The reigning AUS champion Mounties currently sit atop the Atlantic conference standings with an unblemished 4-0 mark.

Concordia defensive tackle Shaquille Armstrong and Wilfrid Laurier defensive back Chris Ackie were also nominated.

Davis, a first-year arts student from Victoria, was the choice on special teams after he tallied 174 yards on seven returns (six punts and one kickoff) to guide the Thunderbirds to their first win of the season, a 49-13 domination of Alberta, Saturday in Vancouver. Late in the first quarter, the 5-foot-9, 176-pound freshman returned a punt on 98 yards all the way to the visitors’ one-yard line to set up a short field goal. He finished the contest with a spectacular 253 all-purpose yards.

Kickers Ryan Lambert of Mount Allison, Louis-Philippe Simoneau of Montreal and Ronnie Pfeffer of Wilfrid Laurier were the other nominees.

Offensive nominees:

AUS: Chris Reid, running back, Mount Allison

RSEQ: Guillaume Bourassa, running back, Laval

OUA: Chris Pezzetta, running back, McMaster

CWUAA: Brett Blaszko, receiver, Calgary (recipient)

Defensive nominees:

AUS: Devante Sampson, defensive back, Mount Allison (recipient)

RSEQ: Shaquille Armstrong, defensive tackle, Concordia

OUA: Chris Ackie, defensive back, Wilfrid Laurier

CWUAA: No nominee

Special team nominees:

AUS: Ryan Lambert, kicker, Mount Allison

RSEQ: Louis-Philippe Simoneau, kicker, Montreal

OUA: Ronnie Pfeffer, kicker, Wilfrid Laurier

CWUAA: Marcus Davis, returner, UBC (recipient)

CIS FOOTBALL WEEK 6 SCHEDULE (all times local)

October 4

13:00   Sherbrooke (2-2) at No. 5 Montreal (3-1) (Radio-Canada TV & ici.radio-canada.ca)

13:00   York (0-5) at Laurier (3-1) (OUA.TV)

13:00   No. 4 McMaster (5-0) at No. 3 Western (4-0) (Rogers TV London & Cable 14 & Rogers Sports + & OUA.TV)

13:00   No. 6 Guelph (3-1) at Windsor (4-0) (TVCogeco & OUA.TV)

13:00   Waterloo (0-5) at Ottawa (3-2) (OUA.TV)

13:00   Toronto (1-4) at Carleton (2-2) (OUA.TV)

14:00   Acadia (1-3) at StFX (2-2) (Eastlink TV & AUStv.ca)

14:00   No. 8 Mount Allison (4-0) at Saint Mary’s (0-4) (AUStv.ca)

14:00   Regina (1-3) at No. 2 Calgary (3-1) (CanadaWest.TV)

17:00   No. 10 Manitoba (2-2) at Alberta (2-2) (CanadaWest.TV)

19:00   UBC (1-3) at No. 7 Saskatchewan (3-1) (Shaw TV & CanadaWest.TV)

 

October 5

13:00   No. 9 Concordia (4-0) at No. 1 Laval (1-0) (ici.radio-canada.ca Quebec)

About Football Reporters of Canada

Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) represents journalists and broadcasters in every region of the country covering CIS Football. Since 1958, Football Reporters of Canada has 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. 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 FRC also help to choose builders, players and media members for induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

About the 50^th TELUS Vanier Cup

Canadian Interuniversity Sport will celebrate the 50^th TELUS Vanier Cup throughout its 2014 football season. For the first time in history, the championship game will be staged in Montreal – at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium – on Saturday, November 29, at 1 p.m. ET, live on Sportsnet and Radio-Canada.

Official TELUS Vanier Cup website (including ticket information) www.vaniercup.com