(L to R) Joel Houle, David Polynice, Ousmane Guindo

Men's Football 4/5/2017 3:26:00 PM Earl Zukerman

McGill football trio selected to East-West Bowl

(L to R) Joel Houle, David Polynice, Ousmane Guindo

MONTREAL – Three football players from McGill University have been selected to play in the U SPORTS East-West Bowl, which serves as the Canadian Football League prospects game, slated for May 13, 2017 in Quebec City. By coincidence, the weekend corresponds with the 143rd anniversary of the first ever game of North American style football, played between McGill and Harvard on May 14, 1874.

Selected from the Redmen are juniors Joel Houle of Chateauguay, Que., David Polynice of Montreal and Ousmane Guindo of Laval, Que.

The Laval Rouge et Or, who will host the week-long event featuring U SPORTS football players heading into their CFL draft year, last hosted the game in 2006 and 2007. The 15th annual event will be played at TELUS-UL Stadium with a 12:30 p.m. kickoff.

The 2017 edition, which kicks off on Monday, May 8, also includes four days of practices, a combine for participating players, a CFL free-agent camp, as well as the traditional East-West Bowl banquet. A detailed schedule is included below.

Houle, a 23-year-old physical and health education junior, is a versatile 6-foot-3, 234-pounder who was converted from quarterback last year to play both tight-end and left tackle. He is listed as a running back on the East-West roster. An Academic All-Canadian and member of the Principal's Student-athlete Honour Roll, he recently won the team's Fred Wigle Trophy as most sportsmanlike player and also merited a Jean Béliveau Award, a new athletic scholarship that recognizes outstanding student-athletes.

Polynice, a 5-foot-11, 190-pound defensive back studying public relations and marketing, was credited with three knockdowns, 16 solo tackles and 13 assisted tackles in eight regular season games last fall. On special teams, he returned a pair of kickoffs for 33 yards and had one punt return for 12 yards.

Guindo, who will be making his second appearance in the East-West Bowl, is a 5-foot-10, 217-pound defensive lineman studying human resources management. One of the team's co-captains, he registered 21 solo tackles and 17 assisted tackles in eight contests. He led the team with 5.5 quarterback sacks.

"We are absolutely thrilled to host the East-West Bowl week again, and our wish is that players, coaches, CFL personnel and fans make the most of it," said Laval head coach Glen Constantin. "It will be another great opportunity to showcase the top football players from coast to coast in a premium setting - a stadium that has been the venue to four national championship games and numerous outstanding contests, drawing year in, year out the biggest crowds in Canadian university football."

Prior to a two-year run at McGill in 2015 and 2016, the East-West Bowl had been held in London for six straight years (2009-2014), as well as in Hamilton (2008), and Waterloo (2003-2005).

For the most part, the East team for the prospects game is comprised of players from the AUS and RSEQ conferences as well as Carleton, Ottawa and Queen's, while the West contingent is made up of student-athletes from Canada West and the remaining OUA universities.

Last year, the West defeated the East 29-14 for their first win since 2013, extending their lead in the all-time series to 8-6.

No less than 16 standouts who will take the field on May 13 have been named All-Canadians since the start of their U SPORTS careers. Reigning Hec Crighton Trophy winner Noah Picton of the Regina Rams, along with Kyle Siemens of the Saskatchewan Huskies will quarterback the West team. Laval's Hugo Richard, who was named MVP of the 2016 Vanier Cup game and Nate Hobbs of Queen's will be under centre for the East side.

In his third season with Regina, Picton broke the U SPORTS record for passing yards with 3,186, while Richard threw for two touchdowns and rushed for the game-winning score to lead Laval to a 31-26 victory over Calgary, the team's ninth Vanier Cup title.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE (including ticket info): http://en.usports.ca/eastwestbowl/index

2017 U SPORTS EAST-WEST BOWL SCHEDULE:

Monday, May 8

18:00-18:30 Introduction meeting

20:00-21:30 Meetings

Tuesday, May 9

9:00-11:30 Combine for participating players (Telus Indoor)

14:00-16:00 Practice East & West (TELUS-UL Stadium)

18:45-20:30 Meetings

Wednesday, May 10

9:30-11:30 Practice East & West (TELUS-UL Stadium)

13:00-14:00 Meetings

15:00-17:00 Practice East & West (TELUS-UL Stadium)

19:15-20:45 Meetings

Thursday, May 11

9:30-11:30 Practice East & West (TELUS-UL Stadium)

13:00-14:00 Meetings

15:00-17:00 Practice East & West (TELUS-UL Stadium)

17:30 East-West Bowl banquet

19:15-20:45 Meetings

Friday, May 12

9:30-11:30 Practice East & West (TELUS-UL Stadium)

13:00-14:00 Meetings

15:00-16:00 Practice East (TELUS-UL Stadium)

16:00-17:00 Practice West (TELUS-UL Stadium)

Saturday, May 13

12:30-15:30 East-West Bowl Game (TELUS-UL Stadium)

TEAM ROSTERS

EAST TEAM

NAME	POS	UNIVERSITY
Nate Hobbs	QB	Queen's
Hugo Richard*	QB	Laval
Christopher Amoah	RB	Laval
Jordon Socholotiuk*	RB	StFX
Chris Reid*	RB	Mount Allison
Leonardo Mantuila	RB	Saint Mary's
Joel Houle	RB	McGill
Tanner Green	RB	Concordia
Benoît Gagnon-Brousseau	WR	Laval
Michael Nelson	WR	Bishop's
Régis Cibasu	WR	Montreal
Dashaun Smellie	SB	Bishop's
Bryce Vieira	SB	Ottawa
Tyrone Pierre	SB	Laval
Antony Dufour	SB	Laval
Matthew Ouellet De Carlo	OT	Bishop's
Keiler Cherry	OT	Acadia
Auguste Sylvestre	OT	Montreal
KC Bakker	OG	Carleton
Nolan McGreer	OG	Carleton
Jacob Czaja	OG	StFX
Marc-Antione Sévigny	C	Concordia
Zacary Alexis	CB	Montreal
Jason Shamatutu	CB	Queen's
David Polynice	CB	McGill
David Fortier	HB	Sherbrooke
Mandella Loggale	HB	Saint Mary's
Gabriel Ouellet	HB	Laval
Alexandre Renaud	HB	Concordia
Brandon Jennings*	SFTY	Acadia
Matthew Nettle	LB	Acadia
Nate Rostek	LB	Mount Allison
Mickael Côté	LB	Concordia
Kene Onyeka	LB	Carleton
Adam Kuntz	LB	StFX
Jackson Bennett	LB	Ottawa
Nelkas Kwemo	LB	Queen's
Sébastien Chénier-Dionne	LB	Sherbrooke
Ousmane Guindo	DE	McGill
Rémy Deschamp	DE	Sherbrooke
Jonathan Boissonneault-Glaou*	DE	Montreal
Tresor Buama-Mafuta	DT	Saint Mary's
Mathieu Breton	DT	Bishop's
Jeremy Rioux	DT	Carleton

*U SPORTS All-Canadian


WEST TEAM

NAME	POS	UNIVERSITY
Noah Picton*	QB	Regina
Kyle Siemens	QB	Saskatchewan
Atlee Simon	RB	Regina
Tyler Chow*	RB	Saskatchewan
Alex Taylor*	RB	Western
Mitch Kernick	RB	Waterloo
Dallas Boath	WR	Calgary
Tyler Ledwos	WR	Calgary
Noah Akharoh	WR	Windsor
Richmond Nketiah	SB	Waterloo
Will Watson	SB	UBC
Mitch O'Connor	SB	McMaster
Dan Petermann	SB	McMaster
Ryan Sceviour*	OT	Calgary
Ryan Breadner	OT	Saskatchewan
Mark Korte	OT	Alberta
Justin Lawrence	OG	Alberta
Dakoda Shepley	OG	UBC
Andrew Pickett	OG	Guelph
Darius Ciraco*	C	Calgary
Sam MacMillan	C	Toronto
Godfrey Onyeka*	CB	Wilfrid Laurier
Robbie Yochim*	CB	McMaster
Rees Paterson	CB	York
Lekan Idowu	HB	Windsor
Isaiah Guzylak-Messam	HB	Wilfrid Laurier
Jayden McKoy	HB	Manitoba
AJ Blackwell	HB	UBC
Nick Parisotto*	SFTY	Guelph
Houston Rennie	LB	Manitoba
Paul Kozachuk	LB	Toronto
Royce Metchie	LB	Guelph
Boston Rowe	LB	Calgary
Jean-Gabriel Poulin*	LB	Western
Daniel Nesbitt	LB	Regina
Micah Teitz*	LB	Calgary
Eric Mezzalira	LB	McMaster
Courtney Ellis	DE	Windsor
Matthew Skoko	DE	York
Rashari Henry	DE	Wilfrid Laurier
Matt Kozun	DT	Saskatchewan
Brett Wade	DT	Calgary
Hassan Barry	DT	McMaster
Eric Wicijowski	DT	Regina
Gabriel Ferraro*	K/P	Guelph

*U SPORTS All-Canadian