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2009 OUA football major awards announced
HAMILTON, Ont. – Michael Faulds (Eden Mills, Ont.) had a
record-breaking football season in 2009. It is only fitting that he
is chosen as the 2009 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) most
valuable player.
The fifth-year Western Mustangs team captain was nothing short of
brilliant this past season while at the helm of the nation’s
top-ranked offence. For the second consecutive season, Faulds led
OUA and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) in passing, completing
201 attempts for a record 3,033 yards and 15 touchdowns. Faulds
became just the second quarterback in OUA and CIS history to pass
for more than 3,000 yards in a single season, surpassing former Hec
Crighton Trophy winner Tom Denison.
In the process Faulds also set the OUA and CIS career passing
record with 10,811 yards. He finishes his illustrious career
completing 761 pass attempts for 10,811 yards and 60 touchdowns.
Faulds is the 11 player in Western football history and the first
since Andy Fantuz in 2005 to be named OUA MVP.
The two-time Dalt White Trophy winner as Yates Cup most valuable
player is a nominee for this year’s Hec Crighton Award, to be
presented during Vanier Cup week in Quebec City. Faulds is the OUA
first-team all-star quarterback, with his Queen’s Gaels rival
Dan Brannagan (Burlington, Ont.) earning second-team status after
the pair went toe-to-toe in the all-time passing yards race.
Brannagan’s career ends with 10,714 passing yards.
Western teammate John Surla (Niagara Falls, Ont.) is the OUA
President’s Trophy winner as stand-up defensive player of the
year. The third-year defensive captain led the Mustangs defence
with 52 total tackles (36 solo and 32 assists). In addition, Surla
also recorded three interceptions and two sacks.
The heart and soul of the Mustang defence, Surla also played on
every special teams play and performed the team’s long
snapping duties. Surla is the fifth player from Western to be named
top defensive player and the first since Derek Krete in 1996. Surla
is a nominee for the CIS Presidents’ Trophy as the
nation’s top stand-up defensive player.
The J.P. Metras Award winner is Windsor Lancers centre Matt
Morencie (Windsor, Ont.). The 21st overall selection in last
May’s CFL draft returned to Windsor for his fifth and final
season in 2009. A career offensive tackle, Morencie made a huge
switch this season to the interior of the offensive line to take on
the role of centre. Morencie flourished in his new role that saw
him in charge of making all the calls and adjustments for the
offensive line.
A physical point-of-attack run blocker and a high quality pass
protector made Morencie one of the league’s most dominant
offensive linemen this once again this season. Morencie will look
to move onto the next level in 2010 as a member of the Hamilton
Tiger-Cats. This is only the third member of the Lancers to win the
J.P. Metras and the first since John Celestino in 1981. Morencie is
a nominee for the CIS J.P. Metras Trophy as top lineman in
Canada.
McMaster Marauders defensive back Cody Lynch (Stoney Creek, Ont.)
earns the Norm Marshall Trophy as OUA rookie of the year. Lynch
made a seamless transition into OUA action in 2009. The standout
playmaker in a young McMaster secondary started every game this
season for the Marauders at the boundary corner position. Lynch
finished the season with 22.5 tackles and led the team with three
interceptions.
Lynch was also the only player to score a defensive touchdown this
season for the Marauders. In addition to being a key member of the
defence, Lynch was also a significant contributor to the special
teams as the team’s top punt returner. Lynch is the fourth
Marauder since 1997 and the second in the last three years (Ryan
Chmielewski in 2007) to be named rookie of the year. Lynch is a
nominee for the Peter Gorman Trophy as top rookie in CIS.
Linebacker T.J. Leeper (London, Ont.) of the Queen’s Gaels is
OUA’s nominee for the Russ Jackson Award, presented annually
by CIS to the player who best exemplifies the attributes of
academic achievement, football skill and citizenship. Over the past
five seasons Leeper has distinguished himself as one of the most
intelligent players to ever play at Queen’s. A four-year
starter at linebacker, Leeper is a perennial academic all-Canadian
who has earned a reputation for being a physical tackler who is
always in the right position. In 2009 he led the OUA’s
top-ranked defence with 40 tackles (32 solo, 16 assisted), five
tackles for loss and one fumble re! covery.
While completing his degree in life sciences, Leeper has been a
committed community volunteer. Among his many endeavours, Leeper
has served as a peer tutor both at Queen’s and with several
local high schools. He volunteers with the Kingston General
Hospital working with terminally ill patients, and is a regular
visitor to the children’s ward. In addition, he has also been
a leading force in Queen’s Football Reading Heroes, a
community outreach program where members of the football team
maintain a significant presence i! n local elementary schools in an
effort to inspire grade school children to improve their literacy.
Upon completion of his degree, Leeper intends on entering medical
school. He is the third Queen’s player to be a nominee for
the Russ Jackson Award since 2002.
Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks head coach Gary Jeffries is the Dave
“Tuffy” Knight Award winner as OUA coach of the year,
presented by Centaur Products, Inc. In his seventh season as head
coach of the Golden Hawks, Jeffries led a young team to a 6-2
record and second place in the OUA. Highly regarded as a great
motivator, Jeffries’ Hawks have been one of the top programs
in the nation throughout his tenure. This is his fourth coach of
the year award following three straight from 2003-2005 when he was
the named the CIS coach of the year in 2003.
In 1973, he was hired at Laurier as an assistant football coach and
recreation director. From 1984 to 1988, Jeffries was also the
women’s basketball coach at Laurier. In 1989, he took a break
from football and coached the men’s basketball team until
1996. In 1994, Rick Zmich convinced Jeffries to return to the game
which he loves so much. Jeffries has coached 31 football seasons at
Laurier, including 19 as defensive coordinator. He was named the
interim head coach midway through the 2002 season as a result of a
labour dispute, and was named the full-time manager of football
operations and head coach in 2003.
Jeffries has coached in 19 Yates Cups including championship
victories in the 1978, 1987, 2004 and 2005 seasons. Since taking
over at the helm of the Hawks, the team has gone 57-13-0-1
including victories in two Yates Cups (2004, 2005), one Uteck Bowl
(2005), and one Vanier Cup (2005). Coach Jeffries has coached over
700 games in total for the university (both football and
basketball), and his passion for Wilfrid Laurier sport remains
undying. He is the OUA nominee for the Frank Tindall Trophy as CIS
coach of the year.
The OUA volunteer coach of the year is Ron Vanmoerkerke, who is in
his 11th year coaching with the Golden Hawks. He returned again to
the role of defensive coordinator, a position he has held since the
2003 season. Vanmoerkerke’s track record with Laurier is a
long and storied one; he played in the late 1980s and was on the
1987 Yates Cup championship team. In 1988, he received the WLU
Alumni Association academic and athletic achievement award. In
1989, he was named an OUA first-team all-star linebacker and team
MVP.
At present, Vanmoerkerke is a teacher and the department head of
social science at Eastwood Collegiate High School in Kitchener,
Ont. Prior to becoming the defensive coordinator! with the Hawks,
he was the head coach at Eastwood and Galt Collegiate.
The OUA officials award of merit goes to Ron MacVinnie. The
long-time Burlington, Ont. resident has been officiating in OUA for
10 years. He played minor football with the Burlington Braves,
helping coach the club in the late 1960s. He has also coached two
Burlington-based high school teams throughout the years. MacVinnie
became a football official in 1983 and is the current president of
the Lakeshore Football Officials Association.
2009 OUA FOOTBALL
MAJOR AWARD WINNERS
Most Valuable Player – Michael Faulds
(Western)
President’s Trophy (Stand-up Defensive Player of the
Year) – John Surla (Western)
J.P. Metras (Linemen of the Year) – Matt
Morencie (Windsor)
Norm Marshall (Rookie of the Year) – Cody
Lynch (McMaster)
Russ Jackson Nominee – T.J. Leeper
(Queen’s)
Dave “Tuffy” Knight Award (Coach of the
Year) – Gary Jeffries (Laurier)
Volunteer Coach of the Year – Ron Van
Moerkerke (Laurier)
Officials Award of Merit – Ron MacVinnie
– OUA –
