HAMILTON, ONT -- Quarterback Anthony Robichaud rushed for one touchdown and completed 18 of 23 passing attempts for 228 yards and a pair of TDs as the East cruised to a 37-0 victory in the 2023 U SPORTS East-West Bowl, a propects game sponsored by the Canadian Football League, at McMaster University's Ron Joyce Field, Saturday.

The unofficial game stats, which are somewhat misleading due to software and data-entry glitches, are available online here.

It was the East's first win since 2015, halting a five-game losing streak in the annual affair, and its seventh win overall since the event began in 2003.

The East featured three McGill players in the lineup, namely receiver William Langlais of Chicoutimi, Que., defensive lineman Nassib Hassouna, Jr., of Verdun, Que., and offensive lineman Michael Vlahogiannis from the Town of Mt. Royal, Que. Vlahogiannis started at centre and made a key block on the first touchdown, just 5:25 into the first quarter on a one-yard plunge by Robichaud.

The East also came up big on defence and earned a safety to extend the lead to 9-0 early in the second quarter. They added two rouges, a pair of rushing touchdowns by Chris John (Windsor Lancers), an 11-yard TD catch by Isaiah Okoli (SMU Huskies) and a 43-yard TD reception by Liam Stewart (SMU Huskies).

Team East scored in each quarter of the contest, leading 7-0 after the opening stanza, 17-0 at halftime and 23-0 after three. Virtually every statistical category was dominated by the East, which totaled 399 yards of net offence, compared to 157 by the West. The two teams combined for just seven penalties.

The East was guided by bench boss Dave "Tuffy" Knight, a three-time winner of the Frank Tindall Trophy as the top university football coach in the nation.  On the West sideline was veteran Gary Jeffries, who began his coaching career in 1972 with the Laurier Golden Hawks after play­ing stints for both Guelph and Laurier.

The week leading up to the East-West Bowl featured four days of practices, combine testing and a Level 1 officiating course for the two teams. On the sidelines, U SPORTS and community coaches alike had the opportunity to learn from some of the top minds in Canadian university football at the second annual East-West Bowl Coaches Clinic.

Watch the replay on the McMaster YouTube channel.

2023 EAST-WEST BOWL ROSTERS (updated)

EAST TEAM
.
No., Name, Pos, Ht., Wt., University
0, Alexandre-Karl Boudreau, DB, 5'10, 185, Sherbrooke
1, Brandyn Martin, DB, 6'0, 204, STFX
2, Keegan Vanek, DB, 5'10, 196, Queen's
3, Daniel Bell, DB, 6'2, 215, Mount Allison
4, Eric Cumberbatch, DB, 6'3, 185, Ottawa
5, Julien Poirier-McKiggan, REC, 5'10, 185, Acadia
6, Malik Yusuf, LB, 6'0, 200, Carleton
8, Paul-Antoine Ouellette, REC, 6'4, 240, Montreal
9, Thomas Bolduc, QB, 6'3, 205, Laval
10, Liam Stewart, REC, 6'0, 205, SMU
11, Kevin Morin, REC, 6'0, 175, Sherbrooke
12, Frédérik Antoine, REC, 6'1, 215, Laval
13, Isaiah Okoli, LB, 6'1, 220, SMU
14, Alfred Olay, REC, 5'8, 165, York
15, Manny Beals, DB, 5'11, 188, Acadia
17, Anthony Robichaud, QB, 6'3, 195, Sherbrooke
22, Vincent Blanchard, K/P, 6'1, 194, Laval
24, Louis Lavaud, DB, 6'0, 183, Carleton
25, David Chaloux, RB, 5'10, 190, Bishop's
31, Ahmadou Boubacar, DB, 6'2, 190, Concordia
44, Zach Philion, LB, 6'2, 220, Concordia
51, Jay Turnsek, LB, 5'10, 198, STFX
54, Ramsey Derbas, LB, 6'2, 215, Saskatchewan
55, Dennis Rossler, DE, 6'2, 240, Mount Allison
57, Nick Pilichos, OL, 6'4, 277, Acadia
58, Will Russell, DT, 6'3, 257, Acadia
59, Nassib Hassouna, DE, 6'1, 225, McGill
60, Darien Newell, DT, 6'2, 265, Queen's
61, Patrick Lavoie, OL, 6'5, 327, Carleton
62, Evan Anseeuw, OL, 6'4, 290, York
63, Michael Vlahogiannis, OL, 6'4, 300, McGill
64, Caleb Purdy, OL, 6'6, 275, SMU
69, Taylor Burns, OL, 6'4, 300, McMaster
70, Tristan Fortin, OL, 6'4, 275, Ottawa
71, Kristian Stewart, DE, 6'5, 230, Guelph
80, Anthony Paul-Hus, REC, 6'4, 225, Concordia
81, Nicholas Gendron, REC, 6'1, 195, Ottawa
82, Nykolas Pierre-Masse, REC, 5'10, 185, Bishop's
83, Jacob Patten, REC, 6'0, 170, McMaster
84, William Langlais, TE, 6'3, 206, McGill
91, Josh Campbell, DE, 6'2, 287, Guelph
94, Jason Janvier-Messier, DE, 6'3, 230, York
97, Nathan Brennan, DT, 6'3, 310, York

 
WEST TEAM

No., Name, Pos, Ht., Wt., University
0, Ben Hadley, K/P, 6'2, 193, STFX
1, AK Gassama, REC, 5'9, 155, Manitoba
2, Jackson Cooling, REC, 5'10, 182, McMaster
3, Evan Hillock, QB, 6'2, 205, Western
4, Ryan Baker, LB, 6'2, 220, UBC
5, DeEmetrius Masuka, DB, 6'2, 220, McMaster
6, Kevin Victome, DB, 6'0, 170, Ottawa
7, Kinsale Philip, QB, 6'0, 200, Toronto
8, Cody Barton, REC, 6'2, 215, Mount Allison
9, Kaine Stevenson, REC, 6'0, 203, Guelph
10, Ryan Collins, DB, 6'6, 225, Toronto
11, Nick Conway, DB, 5'10, 187, Manitoba
12, Ayo Ajayi, DB, 6'0, 185, Laurier
13, Cameron Mah, LB, 5'11, 215, Regina
14, Jackson Sombach, DB, 5'9, 195, Regina
15, Birhanu Yitna, REC, 6'0, -, Manitoba
16, Jonathan Giustini, DB, 6'0, 200, Alberta
17, Stephen Adamopoulos, DB, 6'4, 202, Manitoba
20, Matthew Peterson, RB, 5'10, 201, Alberta
21, Devonte Ballantyne, DB, 5'11, 190, McMaster
22, Justin Succar, REC, 5'9, 175, Waterloo
26, Craig Coleman, FB/TE, 6'3, 230, Western
29, Richard Aduboffour, DB, 6'3, 200, Western
31, Chris John, RB, 5'10, 225, Windsor
32, Tanner Nelmes, RB, 6'0, 213, Laurier
40, Mitchell Townsend, LB, 6'4, 235, UBC
47, Owen Hubert, DE, 6'4, 255, McMaster
49, Nick Wiebe, LB, 6'3, 240, Saskatchewan
53, Tyson Hergott, DE, 6'3, 255, Waterloo
54, Max Nixon, LB, 6'0, 220, Western
57, Luke Brubacher, DE, 6'6, 250, Laurier
58, Jaxon Morkin, OL, 6'3, 290, Windsor
60, Daniel Townsend, OL, 6'6, 375, Calgary
61, Cooper Hamilton, OL, 6'7, 285, Laurier
65, Anu Una, OL, 6'3, 300, Windsor
66, Ethan Kalra, OL, 6'3, 291, Waterloo
68, John Bosse, OL, 6'6, 320, Calgary
72, Keenan Dell, DT, 6'2, 290, Toronto
75, Daniel Shin, OL, 6'4, 270, Alberta
77, Alex Berwick, OL, 6'3, 325, Western
82, Nigel LeGood, REC, 6'1, 195, Toronto
87, Brad Hladik, FB/TE, 6'4, 235, UBC
88, D'Sean Mimbs, REC, 6'1, 180, Regina
90, Trevon Halstead, DT, 6'1, 275, Waterloo
91, George Idoko, DE, 6'3, 210, Saskatchewan
95, Mitch Price, DT, 6'1, 305, McMaster
99, Curtis Woodmansey, DT, 6'3, 291, Guelph

 
EAST-WEST BOWL RESULTS: 
2023 (at McMaster): East 37, West 11
2022 (at McMaster): West 11, East 8
2021: No game (due to COVID-19 pandemic)
2020: No game (due to COVID-19 pandemic)
2019 (at Carleton): West 35, East 17
2018 (at Laval): West 15, East 14
2017 (at Laval): West 37, East 13
2016 (at McGill): West 29, East 14
2015 (at McGill): East 29, West 21
2014 (at Western): East 19, West 12
2013 (at Western): West 18, East 17
2012 (at Western): East 24, West 16
2011 (at Western): East 34, West 27 (OT)
2010 (at Western): East 12, West 9?
2009 (at Western): West 16, East 7
2008 (at McMaster): East 25, West 12
2007 (at Laval): West 22, East 19 (OT)
2006 (at Laval): West 34, East 26 (OT)
2005 (at Laurier): West 34, East 16
2004 (at Laurier): West 21, East 12
2003 (at Laurier): West 10, East 5
 

SOURCE
U SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS
and
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012 (Tel.)
www.mcgillathletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca