Groulx deserves the Hec Crighton Trophy

A quarter-back fourth year Benoit Groulx, of Laval University, is the best player in CIS football for the 2008 season.

Groulx is the first representative of the Rouge et Or to win the Hec Crighton Trophy since the program prolific joined CIS in 1996. The athlete from Montreal is also the first recipient from the conference in Quebec since Phil Côté quarter Gee-Gees Ottawa in 1999 and only the second in history from a university in Quebec after the ball carrier Fleiszer Dave McGill, who was the third winner of Crighton Trophy in 1969.

The other major award-winning unveiled Thursday evening at the banquet of the Canadian stars taking place at the Convention Center in Hamilton are linebacker Thain Carter (Nanaimo, BC) Queen's, who won the Presidents' Trophy as best defensive player, the defensive blocker Légaré Etienne (St-Raymond, Que.), also from Red and Gold, who was presented with the trophy JP Metras as the best player line, the linebacker Jordan Verdone (Sault Ste . Marie, Ont.) Waterloo, winner of Peter Gorman as a rookie par excellence, then the quarter-back David Hamilton (Mississauga, Ont.) Toronto, who received the Russ Jackson Award, which recognizes excellence in sports, education and community involvement.

The winners of the Frank Tindall trophy, awarded to the coach of the year CIS, and the price Gino Fracas, reward a volunteer assistant coach, will be unveiled Friday morning at the lunch the coach of the year, which also held at the Convention Center.

The Mustangs of Western Ontario (10-1) and the Rouge et Or Laval (11-0) will compete Saturday at 14h at Ivor Wynne at the 2008 Desjardins Vanier Cup. The final football SIC will be televised live on The Score and RDS, while SSN Canada will meet on the web.