FRC – CIS football players of the week (#1): Bolduc, Sabourin, Thompson honoured


OTTAWA (CIS) – Ottawa receiver Matthew Bolduc, Queen’s linebacker Sam Sabourin and McGill kick returner Jeff Thompson are the Canadian Interuniversity Sport football players of the week for the period ending Sept. 6, 2010.

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

Bolduc, a fifth-year social sciences major from Ottawa, was honoured on offence after he caught 15 balls for 275 yards and a pair of touchdowns in wins over Windsor and Western Ontario to help the No. 3-ranked Gee-Gees get off to a 2-0 start in OUA conference play. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound senior opened the campaign on Aug. 31 with four catches for 92 yards and Ottawa’s only two majors in a 23-14 road victory over the Lancers (1-1). He was even more dominant in the nation’s capital on Labour Day Monday, tallying a game-high 11 receptions for 183 yards as the Gee-Gees erased a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit to edge the No. 8 Mustangs (1-1) 20-19.

Sherbrooke receiver Alexandre Poirier and Alberta quarterback Julian Marchand were also up for the award.

Sabourin, a first-year physical education major from Stittsville, Ont., took home the weekly honour on defence after he set a single-game team record with 13 solo tackles in a 23-18 season-opening road loss to No. 6 McMaster (2-0). The 6-foot-1, 228-pound freshman also racked up two tackles for a loss, a sack, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup in his impressive debut with the defending Vanier Cup champion Gaels (0-1).

Concordia linebacker Max Caron and Regina defensive back Steve Famulak were also nominated.

Thompson, a third-year marketing student from St. Louis, Missouri, was the choice on special teams after he set a single-game school record with 144 yards on five kickoff returns – the second highest total in conference history – and added 37 yards on five punt returns in his Redmen debut, a 50-9 road loss to nationally top-ranked Laval (1-0). The 5-foot-9, 175-pound speedster transferred to McGill this season from Simon Fraser, where he led Canada West a year ago with 369 punt-return yards.

McMaster kicker Tyler Crapigna was also up for the distinction.

Offensive nominees:
AUS: Season starts on Sept. 11
QUFL: Alexandre Poirier, receiver, Sherbrooke
OUA: Matthew Bolduc, receiver, Ottawa (recipient)
CWUAA: Julian Marchand, quarterback, Alberta

Defensive nominees:
AUS: Season starts on Sept. 11
QUFL: Max Caron, linebacker, Concordia
OUA: Sam Sabourin, linebacker, Queen’s (recipient)
CWUAA: Steve Famulak, defensive back, Regina

Special team nominees:
AUS: Season starts on Sept. 11
QUFL: Jeff Thompson, kick returner, McGill (recipient)
OUA: Tyler Crapigna, kicker, McMaster
CWUAA: No nominee

CIS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (all times LOCAL)

Note: Complete webcast and radio schedules at [URL]http://english.cis-sic.ca/sports/fball/2010-11/schedule

September 10
19:00 UBC (0-1) at No. 2 Saskatchewan (1-0)
19:00 No. 9 Regina (1-0) at No. 5 Calgary (0-1)

September 11
13:00 Bishop’s (0-1) at McGill (0-1)
13:00 No. 7 Montreal (1-0) at No. 10 Concordia (1-0) (SRC)
13:00 No. 6 McMaster (2-0) at No. 8 Western (1-1) (The Score)
13:00 No. 3 Ottawa (2-0) at York (0-1)
14:00 No. 4 Saint Mary’s (0-0) at Acadia (0-0) (EastLink)
14:00 Alberta (1-0) at Manitoba (0-1) (Shaw)
14:30 StFX (0-0) at Mount Allison (0-0)
19:00 No. 1 Laval (1-0) at Sherbrooke (0-1)
19:00 Toronto (0-2) at Laurier (0-2)

September 12
13:00 Windsor (1-1) at Queen’s (0-1) (TVCogeco Local 13 – tape delayed)

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.

Advocating for football prospects one story at a time.

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