view . fall 2008
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THREE HEC CRIGHTON WINNERS
HEADLINE ALL-TIME LANCER FOOTBALL TEAM
STEER GOES PRO IN GERMANY
Three Hec Crighton Trophy winners
headlined the Lancer Football All-Time
Team, which was announced on September
12 at the team’s 40th anniversary reception.
“We are really pleased to be able
to honour the tradition of the Lancer
football program with the voting for our
40th anniversary team,” said Head
Coach Mike Morencie.
Among the 29 players, 18 were CIS
All-Canadians during their careers and six
played in the Canadian Football League.
At quarterback, Hec Crighton winners
Andy Parici and Scott Mallender made
the all-time team. Each captured the Hec
Crighton Trophy as the Canadian University
Football Player of the Year.
Parici led the 1969 Lancer team to
the Canadian championship and won the
Hec Crighton Trophy as Canada’s Most
Outstanding Player in 1972.
Mallender won the Hec Crighton Trophy
in 1979 and threw for more than 5,000 yards
and 38 touchdowns during his career.
At running back, the top two rushers in
Lancer football history, Daryl Stephenson and
Craig Mallender were voted on to the team.
Daryl Stephenson was the only current
Lancer player on the all-time team and is
the program’s leading rusher. Stephenson,
who won the Hec Crighton Trophy in
2006, became the CIS all-time leading
rusher on September 13, 2008, with a
total of 4,740 yards.
On the offensive line, all five honourees
were CIS All-Canadians. Earning spots on
the roster were Chris Church, Dan Comiskey,
Dan Gyetvai, Gerald Hlady and Jim Lynn.
At receiver was Arjei Franklin, the
program’s all-time leader in receiving yards
and Bruce Walker, a CIS All-Canadian in
1978. Rounding out the position were Rob
Cecile, and Mike Urban.
The defensive line included John
Lancer Football’s three Hec Crighton Trophy
winners Scott Mallender (left), Andy Parici, and
Daryl Stephenson
Celestino, Nick Lavalle, Moe Cousineau
and Randy Essery. Celestino was a CIS
All-Canadian, while Lavalle was a two-time
CIS All-Canadian, and Moe Cousineau was
an OUA All-Star.
At linebacker, four CIS All-Canadians
highlighted the group of five on the all-time
team: Damian Porter, Gary Howell, Gino
Castellan and Mike O’Neil, along with
Rob McIntyre.
Defensive backs included Jimmy
Aspropotamitis, Don Hollerhead, Joe
Brannagan and Greg Wood. Aspropotamitis
was a CIS First Team All-Canadian in 1990,
while Hollerhead and Brannagan were
named OUA All-Stars.
On special teams, Scott Essery was
punter, Dave Pegg, kicker, and Arjei Franklin,
the return man. Essery punted for over
10,000 yards throughout his career while
Pegg holds the Lancer record for longest
field goal at 53 yards and the most field
goals in a single game, with five.
Franklin is the only member of the
all-time team to be voted to two positions for
having returned more career punts than any
other Lancer in history, with 190, as well as
holding the Lancer record for most kickoff
return yards in a career, with 1,039 yards.
Ryan Steer, last year’s CIS assist leader,
has signed a pro contract to play basketball
in Germany.
Steer signed to play for Wurzburg in
Germany’s Pro B Basketball League. “I’m
really excited to get an opportunity to play
professionally in Europe,” said Steer, who
was an OUA First-Team All-Star last season.
“I want to go as far as I can in basketball
while I still have the opportunity.”
Originally, Ryan had planned to sign
with a pro team in Bristol, England, before
a stronger offer came in from the
Wurzburg team.
“They liked my defensive toughness and
my ability to penetrate and pick up assists,”
added Steer. “They told me they are
looking for me to control the game and
play solid defense.”
In addition to being the leading assist
man in Canada at 7.43 assists per game,
Steer also averaged 15.5 points last season,
proving he can also score and knock down
the three–pointers.
“We’re really excited for Ryan to get an
opportunity to play professionally in Europe,”
said Lancer Coach Chris Oliver. “He had an
outstanding career here at the University of
Windsor and we wish him all the best
in Germany.”
At left, former Lancer point guard and OUA
All-Star Ryan Steer BHK ’07, BEd ’08
