November 16, 2021
Newcomers make strong first impression in all facets of the game to earn all-rookie honours
Burlington, Ont. - Stepping onto the university gridiron for the first time can seem daunting for some, but for others, it simply marks the next step in their budding career. For 11 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) newcomers, they took on the challenge with open arms, and as a result of their phenomenal first-year efforts, have been named to the 2021 OUA all-rookies.
More than half of this season's selections come via the defensive side of the ball, and among those all-rookie recipients is the league leader in interceptions. Ashton Miller-Melancon, a Queen's defensive back, was a ball hawk for the undefeated Gaels this season, reeling in four of the opposition's pass attempts in his six regular season games. It was a sensational three-game stretch wherein the native of Montreal, Que. collected his four interceptions. Beginning with a pick against Guelph in Week 4, Miller-Melancon followed that up the following week with another two against Carleton. He would add his fourth of the season against Ottawa in their regular season finale that followed, capping off what was an OUA -leading performance for the first-year standout.
While he may not have secured as many interceptions as his fellow all-rookie, Guelph's Devynn Cromwell was a master at breaking up passes nonetheless. He led the OUA with a total of six pass breakups on the season, and along with his lone interception, he finished tied with teammate Anthony Moretuzzo for the conference lead in passes defended. The product of Toronto, Ont. majoring in psychology also chipped in with 16 total tackles (13 solo, 6 assisted), jumping right into a starring role for the stout Gryphons defence.
Another defensive newcomer, albeit one with plenty of ties to the university football scene, that wreaked havoc for opposing quarterbacks was James Hinsperger. The rookie linebacker from the Waterloo Warriors became the third Hinsperger brother to suit up for the black and gold and it didn't take long for him to follow in his siblings' footsteps. After breaking up a pass in Week 1, Hinsperger broke out in a big way in his encore outing. The OUA's defensive player of the week for Week 2 reeled in not one, but two interceptions in his first taste of the Battle of Waterloo, while also adding a team-leading five tackles in the game. He would go on to lead the team in tackles with nine the following game as part of what was a terrific foray into the university game for the Waterloo, Ont. native.
An individual who saw some of these fellow rookies firsthand was Western pivot Evan Hillock, and despite not stepping right into a starting role like some of his all-rookie contemporaries, he made the most of the opportunity when it was presented to him. After suffering a loss in their second game of the season, the Mustangs turned to the Hamilton, Ont. native for their Week 3 matchup and the move paid off. Hillock led the London squad to four straight wins down the stretch, collecting 246 yards per game in that span, as well as a 64.3% completion rate, and an OUA-best 175.6 efficiency.
The quick synergy Hillock found with his receiving corps made an immediate impact for the Yates Cup bound Mustangs, but it was a pair of pass-catchers beyond the purple and white that join the Western quarterback as all-rookie selections.
For Ottawa, Rodney Éstime came out of the gates on a mission, starting his university career with eight catches for 149 yards for an average of almost 19 yards per reception. He would finish the season with averages of five receptions and 70.5 yards per game, ranking sixth in the OUA in both categories. His 13.8 yards per catch and 359 total yards receiving also put the Montreal, Que. native in the top 10.
Another threat in the receiving game was McMaster's Jackson Cooling, who carved out a solid role in the Marauder aerial attack. He would finish fourth on the team with 15 receptions on the year, but made the most of those catches with an average of 17.7 yards on each. The Burlington, Ont. product would finish the year with 44.3 yards per game to go along with a pair of touchdowns, but his shining moment may have come via his special teams work. Cooling was one of just three players with a punt return for a touchdown this season - a feat that helped earn him OUA special teams player of the week honours - and ranked among the league leaders in punt return yardage with 329 in six games.
Special teams contributions were also the name of the game for Wilfrid Laurier's top rookie, who kicked his way to conference honours in his foray into the university game. Dawson Hodge (Coquitlam, B.C.) proved to be calm, cool, and collected when called upon this season, making 11 of his 12 field goals for an OUA-best 91.7% success rate. His total makes were good enough for fourth on the season as well, with his long on the season coming from 41 yards out. The near-automatic presence made Hodge a consistent presence on the Laurier scoreboard throughout the season, with the geography major averaging eight points per contest (48 total) for the purple and gold to put him in a tie for fifth across the entire OUA. Hodge also made his mark in the punting game, racking up the most punt yards in the province and ranking fourth with an average of 40.8 yards per punt.
When it comes to putting up points, a great deal of credit must go to those up front, and one of the best to enter the offensive lineman ranks this season suited up for the Toronto Varsity Blues. Joe McNulty shone for Toronto, and while his fellow offensive standouts may earn more of the headlines, the contributions of the 6'3", 265lb rookie cannot be understated, especially for a team that allowed the fourth-fewest sacks in the conference (11).
Lining up on the other side of the ball were even more fresh-faced phenoms, including Windsor's Demir Tagani. The Northville, Michigan native was a force to be reckoned with as soon as he stepped on the field in Week 1. His debut effort resulted in 5.5 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss, which were both signs of what was to come the rest of the way. His encore performance was his most impressive of the season, as he racked up his only 1.5 sacks on the year and saw 3.5 of his four takedowns result in a loss. When the dust settled on Tagani's terrific campaign, he saw a stat line that included 27 total tackles (16th in OUA), including 17 solo, as well a third-highest mark of 9.5 tackles for loss.
Defensive end Jason Janvier-Messier also got his post-secondary journey off on the right foot. With two solo and four assisted tackles, including his first career OUA sack, it was a debut to remember for the native of Beloeil, Que. He would match that four-tackle mark two other times during the season, while also adding another half sack and three tackles for a loss. His impact also extended beyond that in his team's final two contests, as he registered a trio of pass breakups to close out his impressive rookie campaign.
Rounding out the rookie recognition is a Ravens recruit that soared to a solid opening season on the gridiron. Nathan Clark, a defensive lineman from Kingsley, N.B., first found his footing in one of the biggest games on the university sport calendar, picking up a pair of assisted tackles in the Panda Game. He would chip in another three tackles in his following two games before capping of the regular season with his strongest outing to date (3.5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss).
The complete list of 2021 OUA football all-rookies is as follows:
All-Rookies
Nathan Clark, DL, Carleton
Devynn Cromwell, HB, Guelph
Jackson Cooling, REC, McMaster
Rodney Éstime, REC, Ottawa
Ashton Miller-Melancon, HB, Queen's
Joe McNulty, OL, Toronto
James Hinsperger, LB, Waterloo
Evan Hillock, QB, Western
Dawson Hodge, K/P, Wilfrid Laurier
Demir Tagani, DL, Windsor
Jason Janvier Messier, DE, York
More than half of this season's selections come via the defensive side of the ball, and among those all-rookie recipients is the league leader in interceptions. Ashton Miller-Melancon, a Queen's defensive back, was a ball hawk for the undefeated Gaels this season, reeling in four of the opposition's pass attempts in his six regular season games. It was a sensational three-game stretch wherein the native of Montreal, Que. collected his four interceptions. Beginning with a pick against Guelph in Week 4, Miller-Melancon followed that up the following week with another two against Carleton. He would add his fourth of the season against Ottawa in their regular season finale that followed, capping off what was an OUA -leading performance for the first-year standout.
While he may not have secured as many interceptions as his fellow all-rookie, Guelph's Devynn Cromwell was a master at breaking up passes nonetheless. He led the OUA with a total of six pass breakups on the season, and along with his lone interception, he finished tied with teammate Anthony Moretuzzo for the conference lead in passes defended. The product of Toronto, Ont. majoring in psychology also chipped in with 16 total tackles (13 solo, 6 assisted), jumping right into a starring role for the stout Gryphons defence.
Another defensive newcomer, albeit one with plenty of ties to the university football scene, that wreaked havoc for opposing quarterbacks was James Hinsperger. The rookie linebacker from the Waterloo Warriors became the third Hinsperger brother to suit up for the black and gold and it didn't take long for him to follow in his siblings' footsteps. After breaking up a pass in Week 1, Hinsperger broke out in a big way in his encore outing. The OUA's defensive player of the week for Week 2 reeled in not one, but two interceptions in his first taste of the Battle of Waterloo, while also adding a team-leading five tackles in the game. He would go on to lead the team in tackles with nine the following game as part of what was a terrific foray into the university game for the Waterloo, Ont. native.
An individual who saw some of these fellow rookies firsthand was Western pivot Evan Hillock, and despite not stepping right into a starting role like some of his all-rookie contemporaries, he made the most of the opportunity when it was presented to him. After suffering a loss in their second game of the season, the Mustangs turned to the Hamilton, Ont. native for their Week 3 matchup and the move paid off. Hillock led the London squad to four straight wins down the stretch, collecting 246 yards per game in that span, as well as a 64.3% completion rate, and an OUA-best 175.6 efficiency.
The quick synergy Hillock found with his receiving corps made an immediate impact for the Yates Cup bound Mustangs, but it was a pair of pass-catchers beyond the purple and white that join the Western quarterback as all-rookie selections.
For Ottawa, Rodney Éstime came out of the gates on a mission, starting his university career with eight catches for 149 yards for an average of almost 19 yards per reception. He would finish the season with averages of five receptions and 70.5 yards per game, ranking sixth in the OUA in both categories. His 13.8 yards per catch and 359 total yards receiving also put the Montreal, Que. native in the top 10.
Another threat in the receiving game was McMaster's Jackson Cooling, who carved out a solid role in the Marauder aerial attack. He would finish fourth on the team with 15 receptions on the year, but made the most of those catches with an average of 17.7 yards on each. The Burlington, Ont. product would finish the year with 44.3 yards per game to go along with a pair of touchdowns, but his shining moment may have come via his special teams work. Cooling was one of just three players with a punt return for a touchdown this season - a feat that helped earn him OUA special teams player of the week honours - and ranked among the league leaders in punt return yardage with 329 in six games.
Special teams contributions were also the name of the game for Wilfrid Laurier's top rookie, who kicked his way to conference honours in his foray into the university game. Dawson Hodge (Coquitlam, B.C.) proved to be calm, cool, and collected when called upon this season, making 11 of his 12 field goals for an OUA-best 91.7% success rate. His total makes were good enough for fourth on the season as well, with his long on the season coming from 41 yards out. The near-automatic presence made Hodge a consistent presence on the Laurier scoreboard throughout the season, with the geography major averaging eight points per contest (48 total) for the purple and gold to put him in a tie for fifth across the entire OUA. Hodge also made his mark in the punting game, racking up the most punt yards in the province and ranking fourth with an average of 40.8 yards per punt.
When it comes to putting up points, a great deal of credit must go to those up front, and one of the best to enter the offensive lineman ranks this season suited up for the Toronto Varsity Blues. Joe McNulty shone for Toronto, and while his fellow offensive standouts may earn more of the headlines, the contributions of the 6'3", 265lb rookie cannot be understated, especially for a team that allowed the fourth-fewest sacks in the conference (11).
Lining up on the other side of the ball were even more fresh-faced phenoms, including Windsor's Demir Tagani. The Northville, Michigan native was a force to be reckoned with as soon as he stepped on the field in Week 1. His debut effort resulted in 5.5 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss, which were both signs of what was to come the rest of the way. His encore performance was his most impressive of the season, as he racked up his only 1.5 sacks on the year and saw 3.5 of his four takedowns result in a loss. When the dust settled on Tagani's terrific campaign, he saw a stat line that included 27 total tackles (16th in OUA), including 17 solo, as well a third-highest mark of 9.5 tackles for loss.
Defensive end Jason Janvier-Messier also got his post-secondary journey off on the right foot. With two solo and four assisted tackles, including his first career OUA sack, it was a debut to remember for the native of Beloeil, Que. He would match that four-tackle mark two other times during the season, while also adding another half sack and three tackles for a loss. His impact also extended beyond that in his team's final two contests, as he registered a trio of pass breakups to close out his impressive rookie campaign.
Rounding out the rookie recognition is a Ravens recruit that soared to a solid opening season on the gridiron. Nathan Clark, a defensive lineman from Kingsley, N.B., first found his footing in one of the biggest games on the university sport calendar, picking up a pair of assisted tackles in the Panda Game. He would chip in another three tackles in his following two games before capping of the regular season with his strongest outing to date (3.5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss).
The complete list of 2021 OUA football all-rookies is as follows:
All-Rookies
Nathan Clark, DL, Carleton
Devynn Cromwell, HB, Guelph
Jackson Cooling, REC, McMaster
Rodney Éstime, REC, Ottawa
Ashton Miller-Melancon, HB, Queen's
Joe McNulty, OL, Toronto
James Hinsperger, LB, Waterloo
Evan Hillock, QB, Western
Dawson Hodge, K/P, Wilfrid Laurier
Demir Tagani, DL, Windsor
Jason Janvier Messier, DE, York
