MontrealAlouettes.com
MONTREAL – The Canadian Football League announced today the East Division’s nominees for the year-end Most Outstanding Player awards. A pair of Alouettes will be up for a trio of awards with linebacker Shea Emry representing the East as both defensive and Canadian player of the year and offensive tackle Josh Bourke getting the nod as the division’s top offensive lineman.
MOST OUSTANDING DEFENSIVE AND CANADIAN PLAYER: SHEA EMRY
Montreal’s standout linebacker Shea Emry earns his first nomination as both the East Division’s Most Outstanding Defensive and Canadian Player following a season filled with personal bests.
The Richmond, BC native has now tallied a team-high and career best 87 defensive tackles this season, including seven sacks, leaving him in fifth in the CFL in both categories respectively. Emry almost never stepped off the field in 2012, starting not only on defence, but also playing full time on special teams, where he tallied seven tackles, good for seventh place on the team.
The team’s defensive ace also scored his first career CFL touchdown in 2012, returning an interception 46 yards in a win over Toronto in Week 16, which helped the Alouettes clinch a home playoff game. The 26-year-old is the Alouettes’ only defensive player to score a major this season.
He was named the league’s Canadian Player of the Week on two occasions this season.
MOST OUTSTANDING LINEMAN: JOSH BOURKE
Josh Bourke earns his second consecutive nomination as the East Division’s Most Outstanding Lineman. Bourke plays an integral part on the Alouettes’ offensive line which allowed just 30 sacks, tied for fewest in the league this season. The 30-year-old also helped the Alouettes offense rank first in passing yards and touchdowns scored in the CFL.
All season long, the Windsor, ON native helped his teammates on the offensive line give Anthony Calvillo plenty of time to find open receivers en route to finishing the regular season second in the CFL in passing yards and touchdown passes.
With injuries in the Alouettes’ backfield, Bourke and his line helped Brandon Whitaker, Victor Anderson and Chris Jennings cumulate a total of 1,282 yards on the ground, which would be second best in the CFL if attributed to a single running back. The offensive tackle is the reigning CFL Most Outstanding Lineman and will be looking to win the award for a second consecutive season.
The East and West Player Award winners were selected by 70 voters, including members of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) and CFL head coaches. The 2012 CFL Player Awards will be handed out on Thursday, November 22 at Koerner Hall in downtown Toronto during the 100th Grey Cup week.
