LONDON – The Western Mustangs football program officially welcomed 29 new players into the family on Wednesday evening at an event unveiling the team’s 2015 recruiting class.
Along with the unveiling of Western’s newest players, the team also announced the hiring of Adrian Kaiser and Jean-Paul Circelli as their newest assistant coaches.
“We’re very happy with this year’s recruiting class. We feel we have addressed several areas of need with this year’s class,” said Mustangs head coach Greg Marshall. “We graduate a number of players along the defensive line, and we needed to improve our depth on the offensive line, we think we have addressed some of those needs on both sides of the line of scrimmage.”
“We’ve got a strong group of student-athletes coming in this year, but more importantly we have a great group of young men joining our team,” said Marshall. “We’ve done a good job of recruiting nationally again this year, but we also feel we’ve done a great job of recruiting quality players in our own backyard.”
This year’s recruiting class is made up of 14 players on the offensive side of the ball, 14 on defence, and one on special teams. The majority of this year’s class is from Ontario including seven players from London who will don the colours of their hometown Mustangs. Along with the 21 players from Ontario the Mustangs added three players from Quebec, two from Alberta, two from British Columbia, and one from Manitoba.
“Chris Marcus did a great job recruiting in Quebec again this year, and we’ve managed to bring in great players from BC, Alberta, and Manitoba,” said Mustangs recruiting coordinator Tom Flaxman. “We also feel we’ve done a good job in Ontario this year, landing players from across the province, including seven from right here in London.
“London is a hot bed for high school football, it’s recognized as one of the top regions in the country, and we feel with this year’s class we have landed some of the region’s top recruits. It’s important for us to do a great job in our own backyard and build relationships with the local high schools and youth programs.
Western’s 2015 recruits are certainly no strangers to success as 11 of the 29 recruits announced on Thursday were named as all-stars in their respective regions during the 2014 season, while eight have played on a provincial team, two have represented Canada in international competition, and six were listed on CanadaFootballChat.com [CFC] 100 rankings.
“We’re very excited about the class we have coming in this year,” said Flaxman. “We feel that we have addressed a number of our needs in this year’s recruiting class, that being said we still have a few potential blue chippers and transfers out there who have yet to make a decision.”
Along with 29 new players, the Mustangs also added two new members to the team’s coaching staff. Adrian Kaiser joins the program as linebackers coach, while Jean-Paul Circelli is the new coach for the offensive line.
A former Mustang player from 2005-10, Kaiser won three Yates Cups wearing the purple and white, converting from defensive end to linebacker and serving as a team captain in his final season. Now a teacher, Kaiser began his coaching career at Catholic Central High School, his alma matter, coaching linebackers and special teams as the Crusaders won two TVRA Championships. He has also coached with the H.B. Beal Raiders, and served as both the defensive backs coach and later defensive coordinator for the London Junior Mustangs, winning two provincial titles with the team.
Along with his experience as both a coach and player, Kaiser earned a pair of degrees from Western; a Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology, and a Bachelor of Education.
Circelli comes to the Mustangs after spending the 2014 season as offensive line coach and run game coordinator for the Concordia Stingers, who posted the program’s first winning season since 2008 with a 5-3 record. A London native and teacher at Catholic Central High School, Circelli played for Mustangs head coach Greg Marshall at McMaster, winning three Yates Cup with the Marauders, before embarking on a coaching career that’s seen him on a number of different coaching staffs, including winning two TVRA Championships in four seasons as the head coach at CCH. In 2013, Circelli took the reins of the London Junior Mustangs, leading the team to the OVFL Junior Varsity Championship the following year, and winning OVFL Junior Varsity Coach of the Year.
In addition to his playing and coaching experience, Circelli also has three university degrees to his credit, a Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology from McMaster, along with a Bachelor of Education and Master of Arts in Kinesiology with a specialization in coaching from Western.
The Mustangs kick off their 2015 schedule on August 30 on the road against the Windsor Lancers. Western’s first home game is the following week on September 7 as the Mustangs host the York Lions at TD Stadium. Western’s annual Homecoming Weekend contest is scheduled for September 26 against the Carleton Ravens.
Information on each member of the 2015 recruiting class is listed below.
WESTERN MUSTANGS 2015 RECRUITING CLASS:
Name: Ben Bergamin
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6’2
Weight: 175 lbs
Hometown: London, Ont.
Last Team: Central SS
Awards: TVRA Central Most Outstanding Player
CLICK HERE FOR CFC ARTICLE ON BEN BERGAMIN COMMITMENT
Name: Malik Besseghieur
Position: Slotback
Height: 5’11
Weight: 173 lbs
Hometown: Nanaimo, BC
Last Team: Nanaimo Islanders
CLICK HERE FOR CFC ARTICLE ON MALIK BESSEGHIEUR COMMITMENT
Name: Jordan Burrell
Position: Defensive Line
Height: 6’3
Weight: 260 lbs
Hometown: Cambridge, Ont.
Last Team: Cambridge Lions
Name: Tanner Cadwallader
Position: Slotback/Athlete
Height: 5’11
Weight: 190 lbs
Hometown: Georgetown, Ont.
Last Team: North Halton Crimson Tide & Christ the King Jaguars
CLICK HERE FOR CFC ARTICLE ON TANNER CADWALLADER COMMITMENT
Name: Nathan Christopher
Position: Defensive End
Height: 6’3
Weight: 220 lbs
Hometown: London, Ont.
Last Team: St. Thomas Aquinas
Name: Brett Ellerman
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6’4
Weight: 183 lbs
Hometown: Calgary, Alb.
Last Team: St. Francis Browns
Awards: CFC 100, Calgary All-Star – Division 1
CLICK HERE FOR CFC ARTICLE ON BRETT ELLERMAN COMMITMENT
Name: Cameron Fryer
Position: Offensive Line
Height: 6’1
Weight: 275 lbs
Hometown: Ajax, Ont.
Last Team: Andover Big Blue & St. Michaels Kerry Blues
Awards: Big Blue Iron Man ‘15, Kerry Blues Lineman MVP
Name: Dylan Giffen
Position: Offensive Line
Height: 6’9
Weight: 320 lbs
Hometown: Strathroy, Ont.
Last Team: London Jr. Mustangs & Strathroy Saints
Awards: CFC 100, Team Canada, Team Ontario
(Photo credit: Jerry Kim)
CLICK HERE FOR CFC ARTICLE ON DYLAN GIFFEN COMMITMENT
Name: Tyrone Hastings
Position: Defensive Line
Height: 6’1
Weight: 250 lbs
Hometown: Winnipeg, Man
Last Team: Oak Park Raiders.
Awards: Team Manitoba
CLICK HERE FOR CFC ARTICLE ON TYRONE HASTINGS COMMITMENT
Name: Aaron Heffernan
Position: Defensive Back
Height: 6’0
Weight: 180 lbs
Hometown: King City, Ont.
Last Team: King City SS
Name: Shakiym Hoyte
Position: Defensive Back & Outside Linebacker
Height: 5’10
Weight: 185 lbs
Hometown: Lennoxville, Que.
Last Team: Champlain-Lennoxvlle Cougars
Name: Kieran Janes
Position: Defensive End
Height: 6’3
Weight: 225 lbs
Hometown: Burnaby, BC
Last Team: St. Thomas More Knights
Awards: Varsity AA B.C. All-Star
Name: Kevin John
Position: Athlete
Height: 6’1
Weight: 185 lbs
Hometown: Mississauga, Ont.
Last Team: Mississauga Warriors & Joan of Arc Arc Angels
Name: Cedric Joseph
Position: Running Back
Height: 6’0
Weight: 190 lbs
Hometown: Pointe-Claire, Que.
Last Team: Champlain-Lennoxville Cougars
Awards: CFC 100, CEGEP Division 1 MVP
(Photo credit: Jerry Kim)
CLICK HERE FOR CFC ARTICLE ON CEDRIC JOSEPH COMMITMENT
Name: Anthony Joyal
Position: Running Back
Height: 6’0
Weight: 200 lbs
Hometown: Lennoxville, Que.
Last Team: Champlain-Lennoxville Cougars
Awards: CFC 100
CLICK HERE FOR CFC ARTICLE ON ANTHONY JOYAL COMMITMENT
Name: Marc Liegghio
Position: Kicker/Punter
Height: 5’8
Weight: 185 lbs
Hometown: Unionville, Ont.
Last Team: Newmarket Bucs & Bill Crothers SS
Awards: YRAA All-Star
Name: Lucas Maclellan
Position: Defensive Line
Height: 6’5
Weight: 265 lbs
Hometown: Georgetown, Ont.
Last Team: North Halton Crimson Tide & Christ the King Jaguars
Awards: Team Ontario
Name: Zach Maclellan
Position: Defensive Line
Height: 6’5
Weight: 270 lbs
Hometown: Georgetown, Ont.
Last Team: North Halton Crimson Tide & Christ the King Jaguars
Awards: Team Ontario
Name: Jacob Misk
Position: Slotback
Height: 5’11
Weight: 200 lbs
Hometown: London, Ont.
Last Team: Lucas Vikings
Awards: 2014 OFSAA Champion, TVRA Tier A All-Star
CLICK HERE FOR CFC ARTICLE ON JACOB MISK COMMITMENT
Name: Nick Pinelli
Position: Offensive Line
Height: 6’6
Weight: 345 lbs
Hometown: London, Ont.
Last Team: Lucas Vikings
Awards: CFC 100, 2014 OFSAA Champion, TVRA Tier A All-Star
CLICK HERE FOR CFC ARTICLE ON NICK PINELLI COMMITMENT
Name: Josh Pinnock
Position: Offensive Line
Height: 6’4
Weight: 315 lbs
Hometown: Ajax, Ont.
Last Team: Canada Prep & Pickering Dolphins
CLICK HERE FOR CFC ARTICLE ON JOSH PINNOCK COMMITMENT
Name: Lane Raposo
Position: Offensive Line
Height: 6’5
Weight: 250 lbs
Hometown: Calgary, Alb.
Last Team: Notre Dame Pride
Awards: Calgary All-Star – Division 1, Alberta Lineman of the Year, CFC #1 Ranked High School Team [#CFC50]
Name: Mo Sarikahya
Position: Defensive Line
Height: 6’4
Weight: 280 lbs
Hometown: London, Ont.
Last Team: South Lions
CLICK HERE FOR CFC ARTICLE ON MOHAMMED SARIKAHYA COMMITMENT
Name: Eli Sacco
Position: Linebacker
Height: 5’11
Weight: 215 lbs
Hometown: St. Catharines, Ont.
Last Team: Niagara Spears & Sir Winston Churchill
CLICK HERE FOR CFC ARTICLE ON ELI SACCO COMMITMENT
Name: Fraser Sopik
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6’0
Weight: 205 lbs
Hometown: Aurora, Ont.
Last Team: St. Andrews Saints
Awards: Team Ontario, Two-time OVFL All-Star
CLICK HERE FOR CFC ARTICLE ON FRASER SOPIK COMMITMENT
Name: Mitchell Stadnyk
Position: Defensive Line
Height: 6’3
Weight: 255 lbs
Hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
Last Team: St. Mary’s Knights & Sault Sabercats
Awards: CFC 100, Team Canada, OVFL DL of the Year 2014
CLICK HERE FOR CFC ARTICLE ON MITCHELL STADNYK COMMITMENT
Name: Trevel Thomas-Wright
Position: Defensive Back
Height: 5’10
Weight: 180 lbs
Hometown: Etobicoke, Ont.
Last Team: Etobicoke Rams
Awards: Team Ontario, Two-time OVFL All-Star
CLICK HERE FOR CFC ARTICLE ON TREVEL THOMAS-WRIGHT COMMITMENT
Name: Mark Vita
Position: Defensive Back
Height: 5’11
Weight: 175 lbs
Hometown: London, Ont.
Last Team: South Lions
Awards: TVRA Tier A All-Star
Name: Jack Vernon
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6’2
Weight: 190 lbs
Hometown: Toronto, Ont.
Last Team:
(Source: Tony Von Richter, Western Mustangs Sports Information)
Lead Photo credit: Jerry Kim
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