Football Canada adds 30 players to U19 national team for International Bowl
Canada takes on U.S. at 2016 International Bowl Series, Jan. 31 – Feb. 5 in Arlington, Texas
Photo credit: Ron Jenkins/USA Football
Football Canada announces the addition of 30 players to the under-19 national team which will compete in the 2016 International Bowl Series on January 31 against the U.S. national team at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Amongst the first wave of roster additions is a wealth of International Bowl experience as 14 players return to the national team from a year ago including 11 graduating players from Canada’s 2015 U18 squad. Amongst the 11 returnees, set to make their third consecutive International Bowl appearance, are SAMUEL LEFEBVRE, PAYTON HALL and GREG HUTCHINS who participated in both the 2014 and 2015 events on the U18 national team.
York receiver COLTON HUNCHAK is also preparing to make his third consecutive International Bowl appearance after participating in the 2014 event as a member of the U18 national team, returning to Texas the following year on Canada’s U19 squad. The 2015 OUA all-rookie team receiver is currently the only returning member of Canada’s silver medal winning entry at the 2014 IFAF U19 World Championship in Kuwait.
The 2016 International Bowl also marks the second-straight year that JACOB JANKE (York Lions), LOWHYA LAKO (Windsor Lancers), and SPENCER ROY (Calgary Dinos) take on the U.S., as members of Canada’s U19 national team.
Canada’s U19 national team will be coached at the International Bowl by the Junior National Team coaching staff for a second consecutive year.
Canada’s under-18 national team will also be taking part in the 2016 International Bowl with games on January 31 against the U.S. U19 Selects followed by the U.S. U18 national team on February 3. Canada’s under-18 national team was selected from participants of the 2015 under-18 national tackle football championship, the Football Canada Cup, which took place July 13-19, in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec.
Canada’s U18 and U19 national team programs represent a pool of identified players in preparation for the 2016 worlds. Based on player’s performances at this year’s International Bowl, a roster of 45 players will be selected to represent their country at the 2016 IFAF U19 World Championship in China.
The International Bowl, held to coincide with NCAA’s National Signing Day, was established in 2010 as an annual Team USA versus the World game until it transitioned into its current format in 2014.
More information is available at www.footballcanada.com or www.InternationalBowl.com.
Canada’s U19 national team, 2016 International Bowl
| Name / Nom | Pos. | Team in 2015 – Commitment /Équipe en 2015 – engagement | Hometown / Ville natale |
| Giordy Belfiore | QB/QA | Canada Prep | St. Catharines, Ont. / Vancouver, BC |
| Dimitri Morand | QB/QA | Cégep St-Jean-sur-Richelieu | Gatineau, Qué. |
| Adam Machart | RB/DO | Saskatoon Hilltops (CJFL) | Saskatoon, Sask. |
| Dynell Pierre | RB/DO | Cégep Vieux Montréal | Montréal, Qué. |
| Julien Bourassa | WR/RÉ | Cégep Vieux Montréal | Laval, Qué. |
| Colton Hunchak ** | WR/RÉ | York | Calgary, Alta. |
| Jacob Janke * ** | WR/RÉ | York | Edmonton, Alta. |
| Chris Osei-Kusi | WR/RÉ | Queen’s | Brampton, Ont. |
| François Rocheleau * | WR/RÉ | André-Grasset | Saint-Basile-le-Grand, Qué. |
| Drew Desjarlais | OL/LO | Windsor | Belle River, Ont. |
| Jesse Gibbon | OL/LO | Waterloo | Hamilton, Ont. |
| Liam Jensen | OL/LO | Regina | Watrous, Sask. |
| Skye King | OL, DL /LO, LD | Calgary Colts (CJFL) | Calgary, Alta. |
| Samuel Lefebvre * | OL/LO | Cégep Levis-Lauzon | Saint-Lambert-de-Lauzon, Qué. |
| Pier-Olivier Lestage | OL/LO | Cégep St-Jean-sur-Richelieu | Saint-Eustache, Qué. |
| Philippe Robitaille | OL/LO | Cégep Levis-Lauzon | Montréal, Qué. |
| Spencer Roy ** | OL/LO | Calgary | Calgary, Alta. |
| Isyah Obas-Cahuaza | OL/LO | Vanier | Saint-Laurent, Qué. |
| Zack Williams * | OL/LO | Manitoba | Winnipeg, Man. |
| Jack Cassar | LB/SEC | Canada Prep | Mississauga, Ont. |
| Lowhya Lako ** | LB/SEC | Windsor | Windsor, Ont. |
| Kean Harelimana * | LB/SEC | Vanier | Laval, Qué. |
| Deshawn Stevens * | LB/SEC | Kent School (CT) | Toronto, Ont. |
| Eric Thakurdeen * | LB/SEC | Saskatchewan | Saskatoon, Sask. |
| Ben Whiting * | LB/SEC | Saskatchewan | Saskatoon, Sask. |
| Nathan Cherry | DL/LD | Aden Bowman – Saskatchewan | Saskatoon, Sask. |
| Payton Hall * | DB/DD | Saskatchewan | Caronport, Sask. |
| Ted Kubongo | DB/DD | Notre Dame (Calgary) | Calgary, Alta. |
| Elijah Hamilton * | DB/DD | Guelph | Brampton, Ont. |
| Greg Hutchins * | K/B | N. Mexico St. – transf. UBC | Bedford, NS/N.-É. |
| * | Alumni of 2015 U18 national team at International Bowl |
| ** | Alumni of 2015 U19 national team at International Bowl |
