The McMaster Marauder football team will have twenty nine new additions this fall and many of them will already be very familiar with the Marauder Football family.
A third of this year’s recruiting class should feel right at home having decided to remain in Hamilton to play their University football. St. Thomas More and Bishop Ryan add the most local players to the Marauder roster in 2014. Santino Gallo and Paul Connor join the Marauders from the Thomas More Knights as do teammates Stefan Olivieri and Nino Pugliese from the Bishop Ryan Celtics. Defensive back Steve McNicoll brings additional speed to the Marauder secondary having also had a successful track and field career at St. Jean de Brebeuf.
“Hamilton minor and high school football are competitive with grass roots football anywhere in the nation. The Marauders are extremely excited that so many talented city student athletes have decided to study close to home,” commented Head Coach Stefan Ptaszek.”
The second largest pocket of talent in this year’s class comes from the London area, which isn’t a huge surprise considering five of the athletes coming out of the forest city have been mentored by McMaster alumni.
St. Thomas Aquinas CSS products Matt DeCicco, Jacob Helm, and Hunter Tilden were all coached by former Marauder defensive back Kwame Aidoo. Teammates Cameron Geddes and Rico Palcich, from Catholic Central are also joining the Marauders after playing for former McMaster offensive lineman, J-P Circelli.
Another London-area standout is St. Joseph’s Esaie Mboko; the 2013 Bob Gooder Award recipient for most outstanding player in Thames Valley Regional Athletics.
“A positive student athlete experience at McMaster is a critical piece to consistently attracting the best football players in the country,” explains Ptaszek. “Our success identifying and recruiting student athletes in the London area is a direct result of our London alumni getting immersed in London football and speaking highly of their McMaster experience.”
Quarterback Asher Hastings is the lone out-of-province addition to the Maroon roster. Hastings committed to McMaster back in April. He led the Regina Thunder to the 2013 Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) national championship, was named the MVP of the championship game and he was also the 2013 recipient of the Wally Buono Award, presented annually to the most outstanding player in the Canadian junior ranks.
The remainder of the recruiting class stretches from Windsor to Sudbury and points in between.
“This is a terrific class. We are so pleased that McMaster continues to attract the best and brightest both locally and from the surrounding areas. A class such as this will ensure our football program remains among the elite in the nation as we move forward,” commented Marauder Recruiting Coordinator, Frank Gesztesi.
The 2014 football season gets underway when training camp begins Monday, August 18th. The Marauders kick off the regular season on September 1st when they host the Guelph Gryphons at Ron Joyce Stadium.
MCMASTER 2014 RECRUITING CLASS
| NAME | POS | HOMETOWN | HIGH SCHOOL |
| Elrick Allison | DL | Hamilton | Westdale |
| Blake Armstrong | DL | Mississauga | Lorne Park |
| Hassan Barry | DL | Kitchener | Eastwood |
| Tyler Boucher | DB | Hamilton | Cathedral |
| Paul Connor | OL | Hamilton | St. Thomas More |
| Matt DeCicco | WR | London | St. Thomas Aquinas |
| Bobby Frame | K | Hamilton | Newman |
| Santino Gallo | LB | Hamilton | St. Thomas More |
| Cameron Geddes | ATH | London | Catholic Central |
| Asher Hastings | QB | Regina | Martin |
| Jacob Helm | OL | London | St. Thomas Aquinas |
| Brady Lavigne | DB | Sudbury | Lo-Ellen |
| Steve Malcolm | LB | Hamilton | Bishop Tonnos |
| Esaie Mboko | SB | St. Thomas | St. Joseph’s |
| Steve McNicoll | DB | Hamilton | Brebeuf |
| Brandon Neill | WR | Mississauga | Mount Carmel |
| Tavis Nicoll | LB | Orangeville | Robert F Hall |
| Stefan Olivieri | WR | Hamilton | Bishop Ryan |
| Liam Oudman-Debek | OL | Oakville | St. Thomas Aquinas |
| Rico Palcich | OL | London | Catholic Central |
| David Pellizari | OL | Hamilton | Newman |
| Chris Perin | DB | Welland | Notre Dame |
| Ashton Pilkey | DB | Cambridge | Jacob Hespeler |
| Nino Pugliese | DL | Hamilton | Bishop Ryan |
| Teshawn Smikle | DB | Milton | Bishop Reding |
| Hunter Tilden | WR | London | St. Thomas Aquinas |
| Daniel Younan | OL | Windsor | Holy Names |
| Andrew Ziebart | DL | Oakville | Iroquois Ridge |
| Aaron Zuwala | WR | Brantford | Assumption |
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