2008 Atlantic University Sport Football All-Stars Announced
November 5, 2008 (HALIFAX, NS) - Atlantic University Sport is pleased to announce the 2008 football offensive and defensive all-star teams as selected by the conference's four head coaches following regular season play.
The first place Saint Mary's Huskies (7-1) and second place StFX X-Men (4-4) each took home a total of nine all-star positions, while the Mount Allison Mounties (2-6) had six and the Acadia Axemen (1-7) had three players chosen. Five Huskies were named offensive all-stars while five X-Men were selected to the defensive squad.
Saint Mary's defensive back Jeff Zelinski and Acadia receiver Matt Carter are each
being honoured for the fourth consecutive season while Mount Allison's Gary Ross and
offensive lineman Thomas Elinesky of the Huskies are now three-time all-stars.
Ross, who led the
conference in receiving and all-purpose yards in just seven games this year, has now been
selected as an all-star receiver and the special teams player of the year in each of his
three seasons in the league. His 47 receptions in 2008 were a new Mount Allison school
record and one shy of the Atlantic conference record of 48 in a single season.
SMU's Justin Palardy was also a double selection, taking home the place-kicker and
punter all-star spots. Justin made 14-of-17 field goal attempts this season, converted all
28 PAT kicks and averaged 39.0 yards per punt, including a league-best 12 that were downed
inside the opponents 20-yard line. In just three seasons with the Huskies, Palardy has
already established a new school record for FG's made in a career with 42, passing former
Saint Mary's place kickers Dana Segin and Mark Dalla Riva this season. He is currently
fourth all-time in the conference.
Running backs James
Green of StFX and Allistair Blair of Saint Mary's along with Mount Allison QB Kelly Hughes
finished 1-2-3 in rushing this year and were all named to the offensive squad. Playing in
only six games due to injury, Green averaged 135.7 rushing yards per game and scored seven
TD's, while Blair ran for 568 yards in his seven outings. Hughes led the conference with
1,870 yards passing and rushed for another 616 yards on the ground and 2 TD's.
In just his third season, Kelly became the Mount Allison all-time leader in passing
yardage this year, and now owns every Mounties single-game, single-season and career
passing record.
2008 Offensive All-Star Team:
OL (C): Steve Patrick, Acadia (5th year - St. Catherine's, ON)
OL (G): Thomas Elinesky, Saint Mary's (5th year - Halifax, NS)
OL (G): Christian Oberegger, StFX (3rd year - Mississauga, ON)
OL (T): Steve Myddelton, StFX (4th year - Barrie, ON)
OL (T): Bryan Jordan, Saint Mary's (5th year - London, ON)
QB: Kelly Hughes, Mount Allison (3rd year - Brampton, ON)
RB: James Green, StFX (4th year - Halifax, NS)
RB: Allistair Blair, Saint Mary's (4th year - North York, ON)
IR: Gary Ross, Mount Allison (3rd year - Windsor, ON)
IR: Matt Carter, Acadia (4th year - Kelowna, BC)
WR: Akeem Foster, StFX (2nd year - Ajax, ON)
WR: Adam Molnar, Mount Allison (3rd year - Beamsville, ON)
Punter: Justin Palardy, Saint Mary's (3rd year - Truro, NS)
Place Kicker: Justin Palardy, Saint Mary's (3rd year - Truro, NS)
Special Teams: Gary Ross, Mount Allison (3rd year - Windsor, ON)
The Atlantic
conference's defensive all-star team consists of the league's top three leaders in
tackles, the top three players in interceptions and three of the top four sack leaders
following regular season play. The StFX X-Men grabbed five spots and the Saint Mary's
Huskies took home four positions on the 2008 defensive team.
Mount Allison's Callan Exeter was selected after he smashed the conference's record for
tackles in a single season with 77.5 this year. The previous record was 62.5 by StFX's Rob
Steiner in 1999. Exeter also added three interceptions this season, second only to fellow
all-star Jeff Zelinski of the Saint Mary's Huskies who picked off five passes in 2008,
including a 71-yard return for a touchdown.
StFX's Henoc
Muamba, Tommy Lynch and David Skillen were all ranked in the top four in tackles by
linebackers and were each named to this year's all-star team. Skillen finished second in
sacks with 4.0 and led the conference in tackles for a loss with 10.5 in just seven games.
Muamba also picked up three interceptions this season, the most of any linebacker in the
conference.
Mount Allison's Scott Sheffer and SMU's Dan Schutte finished first and second
respectively in tackles among defensive linemen and were also honoured. Both Sheffer and
Schutte were selected as 2007 all-stars as well.
The five StFX players selected to this year's defensive squad are all first-time
all-stars. Acadia's Tom Labenski, who finished second in the conference in total tackles
this season with 42.5, was the only player from the Axemen named to this year's squad.
2008 Defensive All-Star Team:
DT: Dan Schutte, Saint Mary's (2nd year - Red Deer, AB)
DT: Scott Scheffer, Mount Allison (5th year - Bedford, NS)
DE: David Skillen, StFX (4th year - Fredericton, NB)
DE: Karl McCartney, Saint Mary's (2nd year - Bahamas)
LB: Henoc Muamba, StFX (2nd year - Kinshasa, Congo)
LB: Tom Labenski, Acadia (2nd year - Oakville, ON)
LB: Tom Lynch, StFX (2nd year - Mallorytown, ON)
Free Safety: Callan Exeter, Mount Allison (2nd year - Ajax, ON)
DB: Nick Riva, StFX (3rd year - Lasalle, ON)
DB: Joel Lipinski, Saint Mary's (4th year - Regina, SK)
CB: Jeff Zelinski, Saint Mary's (4th year - Mission, BC)
CB: Kwasi Nkansah, StFX (4th year - Oakville, ON)
The 2008 Subway Atlantic University Sport Championship, The Loney Bowl, is taking place
this weekend in Halifax, NS. The Saint Mary's Huskies (7-1) host the StFX X-Men (5-4)
to battle for the Jewett Trophy, Saturday afternoon at 1:00pm (EastLink). The winner will
advance to the Mitchell Bowl the following weekend in Ontario to face either the
Western Mustangs or the Ottawa Gee-Gee's.
Note: The major award winners will be announced on Thursday, November 6th.
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