MONTREAL (CIS) – Defensive back Richard Gillespie, linebackers Brittley Mokube and Corey Williams, as well as offensive lineman Danny Sprukulis all had in impact and played solid minutes for the West in a 29-14 win on Saturday afternoon in the 14^th annual CIS East-West Bowl at McGill University's Percival Molson Memorial Stadium.
 
McMaster quarterback Asher Hastings found Alberta Golden Bears receiver Tylor Henry for a pair of third-quarter touchdowns and lead the way offensively. Defensively, Gillespie was tied for second on the West squad with 3.5 tackles and Mokube was credited with two.
 
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://english.cis-sic.ca/eastwestbowl
 
With the victory, the West put an end to a two-game losing skid and now leads the all-time series 8-6 since the inception of the showcase for Canadian Football League prospects in 2003.
 
UBC head coach Blake Nill was at the helm of the West squad, six months after guiding the Thunderbirds to their first Vanier Cup title since 1997 in his first season with the team.
 
"It's always nice to get the 'W' but the most important thing every year at the East-West Bowl is to provide the players with a great experience overall, and I feel we were able to do that this week," Nill said. "I tip my hat off to Coach Ron Hilaire and his organizing committee from McGill, and to all my colleagues from CUFCA. It was a very productive week."
 
The East opened the scoring eight minutes and 25 seconds in on a 31-yard field goal by Ménard-Brière. The successful drive included a 20-yard run to the West 41 by Thomas-Erlington.
 
The West went two-and-out on its next possession but immediately got the ball back thanks to an interception by UBC defensive back Kevin Wiens off of an errant pass from StFX's Dante Djan. Seven plays later, on his second try from the one-yard line, Guelph running back Johnny Augustine punched the ball in to give the West a 7-3 lead with 1:27 remaining in the opening quarter.
 
Montreal kicker Félix Ménard-Brière rounded out the first-quarter scoring on the ensuing kickoff with a 66-yard single for the West.
 
The East dominated the second frame 9-0 to head into halftime with a 12-8 advantage.
 
With 3:26 left before the break, Thomas-Erlington scored from two yards out to cap an eight-play, 101-yard drive, including 51 yards on four runs by the Carabins standout. The extra-point was missed however due to a botched snap.
 
Ménard-Brière added a 16-yard field goal for the East on the final play of the first half.
 
Back from the intermission, the West needed less than four minutes to take back the lead on a 33-yard TD pass from Hastings to Henry. Hastings completed four passes for 91 yards on the sequence, including a pair to Henry good for 50 yards.
 
Ménard-Brière made it 16-12 for the West on the ensuing kickoff with a single but the East got two points back moments later thanks to a safety.
 
The Hastings-Henry duo struck again on the final play of the third stanza to increase the West lead to 23-14. Hastings first connected with Saskatchewan's Mitch Hillis for 38 yards to the East 18, and then found a wide open Henry in the end zone.
 
The West pushed its advantage to 29-14 thanks to a pair of Ménard-Brière field goals in the first five minutes on the fourth quarter – from 32 and 15 yards out. The first came courtesy of a little trickery as the West opened the final frame with an onside kick, which they recovered at the East 17.
 
The winning side dominated 472-295 in total yards, including a commanding 372-140 advantage through the air.
 
GAME NOTES: The East-West Bowl showcases – for the most part - CIS players who will be eligible for the following year's CFL Draft... The East team is comprised – for the most part - of student-athletes representing schools from the Atlantic and Quebec conferences, as well as Queen's, Ottawa and Carleton. The West contingent is made up of standouts from Canada West and the remaining OUA universities... McGill was hosting the week-long event for the second straight year. The event had previously been held at Western (2009-2014), McMaster (2008), Laval (2006-2007) and Wilfrid Laurier (2003-2005)... May 14^th marks the 142^nd anniversary of the first intercollegiate football game of North American style football, when McGill played at Harvard in 1874.  
 
SCORING SUMMARY
 
Official stats: http://english.cis-sic.ca/eastwestbowl/2016/schedule
 
WEST 8-0-15-6: 29
EAST 3-9-2-0: 14
 
FIRST QUARTER
EAST – FG Félix Ménard-Brière 31 8:25 (EAST 3-0)
WEST – TD Johnny Augustine 1 run (Félix Ménard-Brière kick) 13:33 (WEST 7-3)
WEST – RG Félix Ménard-Brière 66 13:40 (WEST 8-3)

SECOND QUARTER
EAST – TD Sean Thomas-Erlington 2 run (kick missed) 11:34 (EAST 9-8)
EAST – FG Félix Ménard-Brière 16 15:00 (EAST 12-8)

THIRD QUARTER
WEST – TD Tylor Henry 33 pass from Asher Hastings (Félix Ménard-Brière kick) 3:50 (WEST 15-12)
WEST – RG Félix Ménard-Brière 76 4:03 (WEST 16-12)
EAST – Team Safety 9:08 (WEST 16-14)
WEST – TD Tylor Henry 18 pass from Asher Hastings (Félix Ménard-Brière kick) 15:00 (WEST 23-14)

FOURTH QUARTER
WEST – FG Félix Ménard-Brière 32 1:21 (WEST 26-14)
WEST – FG Félix Ménard-Brière 15 4:27 (WEST 29-14)
 
ALL-TIME CIS EAST-WEST BOWL RESULTS:
 
2016 (at McGill): West 29, East 14
2015 (at McGill): East 29, West 21
2014 (at Western): East 19, West 12
2013 (at Western): West 18, East 17
2012 (at Western): East 24, West 16
2011 (at Western): East 34, West 27 (OT)
2010 (at Western): East 12, West 9
2009 (at Western): West 16, East 7
2008 (at McMaster): East 25, West 12
2007 (at Laval): West 22, East 19 (OT)
2006 (at Laval): West 34, East 26 (OT)
2005 (at Laurier): West 34, East 16
2004 (at Laurier): West 21, East 12
2003 (at Laurier): West 10, East 5