BURLINGTON, Ont. – The Guelph Gryphons football program was well-represented this week, as Ontario University Athletics unveiled its list of all-stars and major award winners for the 2022 OUA football season. Three Gryphons were named 2022 OUA First Team All-Stars, with cornerback Harrison Bagayogo, defensive end
Scott Murray and receiver
Vyshonne Janusas all earning OUA First Team honours. The Gryphons were also represented among the OUA major award winners, with first-year running back,
Isaiah Smith, named the recipient of the Norm Marshall Award as the OUA Rookie of the Year in 2022. Smith becomes just the fourth Gryphon football player ever, and first since 2006, to be named the conference's top rookie.
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Gryphon Football - 2022 OUA All-Stars & Major Award Winners
OUA Major Award Winners
#26
Isaiah Smith (OUA Rookie of the Year)
OUA First Team All-Stars
#11
Vyshonne Janusas (REC)
#9
Scott Murray (DE)
#29
Siriman Harrison Bagayogo (CB)
OUA All-Rookie Team
#26
Isaiah Smith (RB)
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2022 OUA Football Major Award Winners
Most Valuable Player:Â Keon Edwards, Western
Outstanding Stand-Up Defensive Player (President's Award):Â Daniel Valente, Western
Lineman of the Year (J.P. Metras Award):Â Silas Hubert, Queen's
Rookie of the Year (Norm Marshall Award):Â Isaiah Smith, Guelph
Russ Jackson Award Nominee:Â Alex Cheng, McMaster
Coach of the Year (David 'Tuffy' Knight Award):Â Greg Marshall, Western
Volunteer Coach of the Year:Â Mike Circelli, Windsor
Ken Green Officials Award of Merit:Â Ben Chapdelaine
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Isaiah Smith -Â OUA Rookie of the Year (Norm Marshall Award)
Isaiah Smith becomes just the fourth Gryphon football player to be named the recipient of the OUA's Norm Marshall Award as the conference's Rookie of the Year, joining Nick FitzGibbon (2006), Chuck Sims (1988), and John Lowe (1978). For Smith, a first-year student-athlete from Burlington, Ontario, the conference-wide honour comes following an exceptional 2022 season.Â
At just 19-years-old,
Isaiah Smith quickly established himself as one of the most reliable ball carriers in the OUA. The 6-0, 213 lbs running back finished the 2022 season 8th in the OUA in both total rushing yards (495) and rushing yards per game (70.7). The bio-medical science major also finished in the Top 10 in rushes (85) and yards per carry (5.8). Throughout the 2022 season, Smith showcased tremendous speed and power out of the backfield, eclipsing the 100-yard mark on three separate occasions, highlighted by his 120-yard, 2 touchdown performance against the Windsor Lancers in just his second game of OUA action. Smith would showcase his physical presence again against the Waterloo Warriors in Week 3 when he found the endzone on a 9-yard go-ahead touchdown run to seal a 41-35 victory. Prior to arriving at the University of Guelph this season,
Isaiah Smith attended Aldershot School in Burlington (grade 7-12). On the football field, Isaiah made a name for himself while participating in the 7v7 'MVP Football Academy' followed by a standout 2021 season in the CJFL where he suited up for the Hamilton Hurricanes.
Isaiah Smith will now be put forward as the OUA's nominee for U SPORTS Rookie of the Year, which will be announced during the U SPORTS All-Canadian banquet on Thursday, November 24 in London (leading up to the 2022 Vanier Cup, set to be played on Saturday, November 26). Only once in Gryphon football history has a Gryphon football player won national Rookie of the Year honours, with John Lowe taking home the Peter Gorman Trophy back in 1978.Â
Gryphon Football Players Named Recipients OUA Rookie of the Year (Norm Marshall Award)
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| 2022 |
Isaiah Smith |
| 2006Â Â |
Nick FitzGibbon |
| 1988 |
Chuck Sims |
| 1978 |
John Lowe |
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OUA First Team All-Stars
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Three Gryphons have earned the title of OUA First Team All-Stars in 2022, with
Vyshonne Janusas being recognized as the lone offensive player from the Gryphs squad.
The second year Windsor native earns his first All-Star nod in his young career after leading the Gryphons in the air throughout 2022. As a 6-foot-1 210 lbs receiver, Janusas was routinely the number one target of Gryphon quarterbacks, finishing 6th in the OUA in yards per catch (14.3), 7th in yards per game (61.1), and 10th in total yards (428). The criminal justice and public policy major's season was highlighted by an 8-catch, 160-yard, two touchdown performance against the Waterloo Warriors in Week 3 of the season.
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On the defensive side of the ball the Gryphons front seven was led by third-year linebacker,
Scott Murray. Murray, a real estate major from Mississauga, was a force on the Gryphon defensive line, finding his way into opposing backfields for a conference-leading 11 tackles-for-a-loss and 6 sacks (tied for 3rd in the OUA). The 6-foot-2, 230 lbs edge rusher's totals were also good enough for 3rd and 7th in the nation, respectively.
Murray's dominant season started with an exceptional performance against the No. 1-ranked Western Mustangs where he tallied 2.5 sacks and 2 tackles-for-a-loss in a game where the Gryphons held the Mustangs to just 155 yards in the air.
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Lined up behind Murray in the Gryphons secondary was fellow 2022 OUA First Team All-Star,
Siriman Harrison Bagayogo. Bagayogo is recognized as an all-star after another season of demonstrating why he is one of the top shutdown defenders in the nation. The 6-foot-3, 195 lbs defensive back from Bois-des-Filion, Quebec, collected 13.5 total tackles and a pair of interceptions, including one for a touchdown, to help him earn all-star status for the second time in his collegiate career. He adds this year's all-star performance to an already impressive resume that also includes a 2021 U SPORTS All-Canadian nod.
For more information on the rest of the 2022 OUA football all-stars and major award winners,
visit oua.ca.
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2022 OUA Football First Team All-Stars
Offence
QB - Evan Hillock, Western
RB - Keon Edwards, Western
RB - JP Cimankinda, Ottawa
REC - Savaughn Magnaye-Jones, Western
REC - Ethan Jordan, Wilfrid Laurier
REC - Richard Burton, Queen's
REC - Vyshonne Janusas, Guelph
C - Elliot Beamer, Western
G - Phillip Grohovac, Western
G - Evan Floren, Queen's
T - Zach Fry, Western
T - Jas Khaira, Queen's
Defence
DT - Darien Newell, Queen's
DT - Malcolm Hinds, Western
DE - Silas Hubert, Queen's
DE - Scott Murray, Guelph
LB - James Peter, Ottawa
LB - Ife Onyemenam, Wilfrid Laurier
SAM - Eman Gyan-Aboagye, Ottawa
FS - Daniel Valente, Western
HB - Ashton Miller-Melancon,Queen's
HB - Rob Panabaker, Western
CB - Siriman Harrison Bagayogo, Guelph
CB - Kevin Victome, Ottawa
Special Teams
P - Dustin Hodge, Wilfrid Laurier
K - Tyler Mullan, Queen's
RET - Alfred Olay, York
RUSH - Jack Hinsperger, Waterloo
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2022 OUA Football Second Team All-Stars
Offence
QB - Andreas Dueck, McMaster
RB - Quentin Scott, Wilfrid Laurier
RB - Edouard Wanadi, Western
REC - Kaseem Ferdinand, Carleton
REC - Daniel Oladejo, Ottawa
REC - Gordon Lam, Waterloo
REC - Raidan Thorne, Wilfrid Laurier
C - Ryan Berta, Queen's
G - Zach Benson, Windsor
G - Tristan Fortin, Ottawa
T - Erik Anderson, Western
T - Cooper Hamilton, Wilfrid Laurier
Deffence
DT - Muftah Ageli, Windsor
DT - Mitch Price, McMaster
DE - Bruce Mass, Western
DE - Jason Janvier Messier, York
LB - Riley MacLeod, Western
LB - Matt Dean, York
SAM - Jordan Veltri, Wilfrid Laurier
FS - Nico McCarthy, Wilfrid Laurier
HB - Patrick Burke Jr., Wilfrid Laurier
HB - Eric Cumberbatch, Ottawa
CB - Demtrius Masuka, McMaster
CB - Ricard Adduboffour, Western
Special Teams
P - Dante Mastrogius, Toronto
K - Campbell Fair, Ottawa
RET - Luka Stoikos, Toronto
RUSH - Raheem Balogun Jr., Queen's
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2022 OUA Football All-Rookie Team
Noah Fahry, T, Carleton
Isaiah Smith, RB, Guelph
Jawaun Smith, RB, McMaster
Charles Asselin, RET, Ottawa
Tyler Mullan, K, Queen's
Sam Henke, K, Toronto
Diego Arenas, DB, Waterloo
Jordan Beland, DE, Western
Darion Basic-Hadden, RB, Wilfrid Laurier
Brady Lidster, K, Windsor
Melchis Ilunga, RB, York
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