Calgary’s Fabien, McMaster’s Sewell to play in today’s Shrine Game

OTTAWA (CIS) – Offensive linemen Kirby Fabien from the University of Calgary and Matt Sewell from McMaster University have been selected to represent CIS football in the 88^th edition of the prestigious East-West Shrine Game today at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.  It will be broadcasted on the NFL Network.

 

Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET, live on NFL Network. The game will also be streamed online at www.shrinegame.com.

The Shrine Game has been played annually since 1925 to raise funds for Shriners Hospitals for Children and to raise awareness about the expert orthopedic, burn, spinal cord injury rehabilitation, as well as cleft lip and palate care, available at no charge to patients and families through the 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Since 1985, CIS has been represented annually by two players at the event which features over 100 all-stars from US universities, with the exception of 1985 (1), 2008 (4) and 2012 (3).

The impressive list of past CIS standouts invited to the Shrine Game includes current NFL defensive linemen Israel Idonije of the Chicago Bears and Akiem Hicks of the New Orleans Saints, who starred at the University of Manitoba and University of Regina, respectively; former NFLers Mike Schad (Queen’s), Randy Chevrier (McGill), Dan Federkeil (Calgary) and Samuel Giguère (Sherbrooke); as well as Hec Crighton Trophy winners Don Blair (Calgary), Kojo Aidoo (McMaster), Jesse Lumsden (McMaster) and Andy Fantuz (Western Ontario).

Highlighting the list of NFL greats who have participated in the event are Tom Brady, Brett Favre, John Elway, Gale Sayers, Dick Butkus, Kellen Winslow and Larry Csonka. A total of 69 Shrine Game alumni have gone on to become NFL Hall of Famers.

A native of Calgary, Fabien will be the 11^th Dino to suit up in the Shrine Game, most among CIS schools.

In 2012, in his fourth university season, the 6-foot-6, 295-pound senior was named an all-Canadian for the third time – including first-team nods each of the past two years – after he helped the Dinos capture an unprecedented fifth consecutive Canada West title. He was a key part of an offensive unit that led the country in points, total yards and passing yards per game, while finishing third in rushing.

Fabien was selected in the first round, seventh overall, in the 2012 CFL Canadian Draft by the B.C. Lions.

Sewell, who hails from Milton, Ont., will be the third Marauder to make the trip down south for the annual showcase.

This past season, his fourth with McMaster, the 6-foot-8, 335-pound tackle was voted to the second all-Canadian squad for the second straight campaign and helped the Marauders repeat as OUA champions and return to the Vanier Cup final, a year after they claimed the first national title in program history. Thanks in large part to his stellar play, Mac’s offence topped the Ontario conference and ranked second in the country in points, total yards and passing yards per contest.

Sewell was the top-ranked CIS player, second overall, on the latest CFL Scouting Bureau prospect list (December 12) for the league’s 2013 Canadian Draft.

In St. Petersburg, Sewell (East) and Fabien (West) will get a chance to play for a pair of high-profile coaches.

The East team will be led by Jerry Glanville, whose coaching career in the NCAA and NFL spanned over five decades. The 71-year-old got his start at Western Kentucky in 1967 and landed his first job in the professional ranks with the Detroit Lions in 1974. He would remain in the NFL until 1993, including head coaching stints with Houston (1986-1989) and Atlanta (1990-1993). After 12 years away from the sidelines, Glanville returned to the NCAA for two seasons as defensive coordinator at Hawaii (2005-2006) and three campaigns as head coach with Portland State (2007-2009).

Leeman Bennett will be in charge of the West troops. The 74-year-old served as a head coach in the NFL for eight seasons, including six with Atlanta (1977-1982) and two with Tampa Bay (1985-1986). Bennett made his coaching debut back in 1961 as an assistant with Kentucky and remained in the NCAA until 1970, when he joined the NFL’s St. Louis Cardinals as their offensive backs coach. He was also an assistant with Detroit and the Los Angeles Rams before taking the helm of the Falcons in 1977.

 

For all the information on the 2013 East-West Shrine Game: www.shrinegame.com

 

Western CIS players in the East-West Shrine Game

 

Year     Player                                          Pos.     Ht.       Wt.      University           Head Coach

 

2013     Kirby Fabien                                OL       6-6       295      Calgary                Blake Nill

2012     Ben Heenan                                  OL       6-4       310      Saskatchewan      Brian Towriss

2012     Akiem Hicks                                DL       6-5       300      Regina                  Frank McCrystal

2011     Anthony Parker                            SB        6-2       215      Calgary                Blake Nill

2010     Jordan Sisco                                 SB        6-1       212      Regina                  Frank McCrystal

2009     Simeon Rottier                              OL       6-6       286      Alberta                 Jerry Friesen

2008     Dylan Barker                                S          6-4       200      Saskatchewan      Brian Towriss

2008     Brendon LaBatte                          OL       6-4       320      Regina                  Frank McCrystal

2007     Jordan Rempel                             OL       6-6       310      Saskatchewan      Brian Towriss

2006     Daniel Federkeil                           DL       6-7       285      Calgary                Tony Fasano

2005     Nick Johansson                            DL       6-2       275      UBC                     Lou DesLauriers

2004     Ibrahim Khan                               OL       6-4       305      Simon Fraser        Chris Beaton

2003     Israel Idonije                                DL       6-7       285      Manitoba              Brian Dobie

2002     Jason Clermont                             IR        6-1       236      Regina                  Frank McCrystal

2001     Carlo Panaro                                 OL       6-2       281      Alberta                 Tom Wilkinson

2000     Kevin Lefsrud                              OL       6-4       285      Saskatchewan      Brian Towriss

1999     Scott Flory                                    OL       6-4       290      Saskatchewan      Brian Towriss

1998     Bob Beveridge                              OL       6-6       308      UBC                     Casey Smith

1997     Ben Fairbrother                            OL       6-4       305      Calgary                Tony Fasano

1996     Don Blair                                      WR      6-4       280      Calgary                Peter Connellan

1995     Rohn Meyer                                 OL       6-4       280      Calgary                Peter Connellan

1994     Travis Serke                                 OL       6-3       290      Saskatchewan      Brian Towriss

1993     Chris Konrad                                DL       6-3       235      Calgary                Peter Connellan

1992     Jason Rauhaus                              DL       6-1       240      Manitoba              Scott Spurgeon

1991     Mike Pavelec                                OL       6-6       280      Calgary                Peter Connellan

1990     Mark Singer                                  LB       6-0       221      Alberta                 Jim Donlevy

1989     Brent Korte                                   DL       6-1       225      Alberta                 Jim Donlevy

1988     Craig Watson                                OL       6-2       250      Calgary                Peter Connellan

1987     Leo Groenewegen                        OL       6-4       260      UBC                     Frank Smith

1986     Kent Warnock                              DL       6-7       265      Calgary                Peter Connellan

1985     Tom Spoletini                               OL       6-2       270      Calgary               Peter Connellan

 

Eastern CIS players in the East-West Shrine Game

 

Year     Player                                          Pos.     Ht.       Wt.      University           Head Coach

 

2013     Matt Sewell                                   OL       6-8       335      McMaster             Stefan Ptaszek

2012     Arnaud Gascon-Nadon                 DL       6-3       250      Laval                    Glen Constantin

2011     Matthew O’Donnell                      OL       6-10     340      Queen’s               Pat Sheahan

2010     Matt Morencie                              OL       6-3       290      Windsor               Mike Morencie

2009     Étienne Légaré                              DL       6-4       265      Laval                    Glen Constantin

2008     Éric Maranda                                LB       6-2       228      Laval                    Glen Constantin

2008     Samuel Giguère                            WR      6-0       215      Sherbrooke          André Bolduc

2007     Chris Best                                     OL       6-4       320      Waterloo              Marshall Bingeman       

2006     Andy Fantuz                                 WR      6-4       220      Western                Larry Haylor

2005     Jesse Lumsden                             RB       6-2       226      McMaster             Marcello Campanaro

2004     Carl Gourgues                              OL       6-1       290      Laval                    Glen Constantin

2003     Adam MacDonald                        LB       5-11     215      StFX                     Dennis McPhee

2002     Kojo Aidoo                                  RB       5-11     235      McMaster             Greg Marshall

2001     Randy Chevrier                            DL       6-4       295      McGill                  Charlie Baillie

2000     Kojo Millington                            DL       6-3       245      Wilfrid Laurier     Rick Zmich

1999     Cameron Legault                          DL       6-3       245      Carleton               Donn Smith

1998     Dave Miller-Johnston                   P/K      6-1       180      Concordia            Pat Sheahan

1997     Mark Farraway                             DL       6-5       260      StFX                     John Stevens

1996     Harry Van Hofwegen                   DL       6-4       252      Carleton               Donn Smith

1995     Matthieu Quiviger                         OL       6-5       282      McGill                  Charlie Baillie

1994     Val St. Germain                            OL       6-4       290      McGill                  Charlie Baillie

1993     Mike O’Shea                                LB       6-3       225      Guelph                 Dan McNally

1992     Chris Morris                                 OL       6-6       285      Toronto                Bob Laycoe

1991     Paul Vajda                                    OL       6-2       265      Concordia            Pat Sheahan

1990     Chris Gioskos                               OL       6-3       275      Ottawa                 Jim Daley

1989     Leroy Blugh                                 LB       6-2       230      Bishop’s               Ian Breck

1988     Pierre Vercheval                           OL       6-2       272      Western                Larry Haylor

1987     Louie Godry                                 OL       6-1       240      Guelph                 Dan McNally

1986     Mike Schad                                   OL       6-5       294      Queen’s               Doug Hargreaves

 

Breakdown of CIS players in the East-West Shrine Game (including 2013)

By position

Offensive line       30

Defensive line      15

Receivers                6

Linebackers            5

Running backs        2

Safeties                   1

Kickers                   1

TOTAL:               60

 

By university

Calgary                 11

Saskatchewan         6

Alberta                    4

Laval                      4

Regina                    4

McGill                    3

UBC                       3

McMaster                3

Carleton                  2

Concordia               2

Guelph                    2

Manitoba                2

Queen’s                  2

StFX                       2

Western                  2

Bishop’s                 1

Ottawa                    1

Sherbrooke             1

Simon Fraser           1

Toronto                   1

Waterloo                 1

Wilfrid Laurier        1

Windsor                  1