1959 Awards

1959 Award Winners 

Most Valuable Player - QB Riley Kiernan LDN
A comeback story for Kiernan, who threw only 4 touchdowns back in 1957. He tied the league lead with 24 this season and led the London Tigers to a franchise-best 10-2 record. Kiernan has been often overlooked when compared to other QBs like Jean Matieau, Connor O’Rourke, and Angelo Medina, but he has been one of the best players of the last decade and is being recognized for it this season. 

Playoff MVP - QB Riley Kiernan LDN
For the first time, a player that wasn’t on the championship-winning team will take home the playoff MVP. There was just something different about Kiernan’s play throughout all 3 of the Tigers’ games. He was the true difference-maker in each of them and got the Tigers just a player short of the title.  

Offensive Player of the Year - RB Dareion Fields LI
Dareion Fields has taken the league by storm in his first two seasons being the main engine in the Raiders’ offence. His ability to make people miss makes him lethal in the open field, and the blocking that the Raiders can provide opens up all the possibilities for him. Fields looks to be the next Marchal with his ability to blow up the field, he’s only getting started and should become great with more time.  

Defensive Player of the Year - DB Alexander Bradley LOU
Bradley made one of the biggest headlines this offseason in his move to Louisville, but the move seems to have reignited his career this season. He led the league in interceptions and was a big reason why the Thunder were able to sneak into the playoffs this season. 

Special Teams Player of the Year - K Henderson Schumacher LI
Schumacher continues to be a star kicker for the Raiders taking home his second straight award for special teams. His record high 108 points was a big reason that he got the award once again.  

Rookie of the Year  - WR Piers Key LOU
Piers Key was the 6th overall pick and came out with the Rookie of the Year over 1st overall pick DB Oliver Langstrom and 4th overall pick S Cal Clemmons. Key was looked at as the second-best WR coming into the draft, but he was the first to go off the board and Louisville seemed to know something that no one else did, and Key was able to put together a fantastic season and should be a strong player for the future of the Thunder.  

Coach of the Year - Roy Aguirre LDN
Aguirre had a rough season last year, being let go by the Gold Stars after a tough start, but he came back this year with a 10-2 season with the Tigers. His offensive tactics helped the Tigers’ offence rise up to the top of the league and show that they are a true threat in the NAAF.  

Breakout Player of the Year - QB Leonidas Dumont LOU
QBs seem to be the favourite to take home this award with Dumont being the 5th QB to take it home. Dumont had a slow start after being taken 1st overall in 1957. He backed up QB Ollie Rogers in his first year, but after taking over late in that season, Dumont has slowly shown his growth. He has now come through as a true starting QB in the NAAF and takes up the Breakout Player of the Year Award. 

1959 All-Stars
WEST DIVISION ALL-STARS
QB Riley Kiernan LDN - 3
RB Dareion Fields LI - 2
OL Jean Matieu-Baptiste BUF - 3
OL Ulyssess Fairgrove LDN - 2
OL Magnus Gunnersson LDN - 1
OL Elliot Winterbottom LI - 1
OL Bruce Wesley LI - 4
WR Max Sutton LDN - 1
WR Ben Roland LOU - 1
WR Robert Lang LI - 2
TE Christopher Gist LOU - 1

DL William Sanderson IND - 3
DL Vernon Spears LI - 3
DL Olympus Heights LDN - 2
DL Sean Bowen BUF - 10
LB Rusty McVee LI - 4
LB Aengus Lynch LDN - 6
LB Silas O'Brien LOU - 2
DB Alexander Bradley LOU - 5
DB Slay Mitchell LI - 4
DB Jackson Miles LDN - 1
S Frazier Brooks BUF - 4

K Henderson Schumacher LI - 2

EAST DIVISION ALL-STARS
QB Jean Matieau OTT - 5
RB Scott Mallard-White MTL - 2
OL Cliff Strautzenberger WOR - 5
OL Graham Chambers BOS - 1
OL Charlie Bennett OTT - 3
OL Maxence Castex MTL - 2
OL Andrew Furrson BOS - 10
WR Mackenzie Jones OTT - 2
WR Ellis Lindholm BOS - 3
WR Christian Venegas PRO - 3
TE Michael Bowman III PRO - 1

DL Calias McDonough PRO - 4
DL Olaf Viktorsson OTT - 6
DL Robin Hill BOS - 1
DL Zakary Turbide PRO - 5
LB Scotty Williams WOR - 8
LB Brent Harper BOS - 4
LB Konrad Aust BOS - 3
DB Quenton Xavier MTL - 4
DB Mingan Oliver OTT - 2
DB Lee Wolfe PRO - 10
S Jumon Cobb MTL - 1

K Maurice Lafayette OTT - 2

42nd McCallister Cup Host - Western Fair Stadium - London, ON - Capacity: 34,500
It was a pretty divisive vote for the Tigers’ new Western Fair Stadium to be the site of the 42nd McCallister Cup. The 34,500 seat stadium will be one of the smallest to host the game, but some expansion will likely be made to accommodate at least a few thousand more fans.  

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