Bo Levi Mitchell headlines CFL awards with 2nd MOP

Bo Levi Mitchell has his second CFL outstanding player award.

The Calgary Stampeders quarterback captured the honour Thursday night at the CFL's awards banquet.

Voting was conducted by members of the Football Reporters of Canada as well as the nine CFL head coaches. A total of 60 voters participated.

It's the second outstanding player honour for Mitchell, who also won it in 2016.

Mitchell, 28, had aCFL-high and career-best 35 touchdown passes this season in leading Calgary to the league's best regular-season record (13-5).

The native of Katy, Tex., threw for 5,124 yards, recorded 42 completions of 30-plus yards and had a TD-to-interception ratio of 2.5, the last two being tops in theCFL.

Mitchell received 47 first-place votes to become the ninth multiple MOP winner inCFLhistory. He's the second-youngest to accomplish the feat as Jackie Parker won his second in 1958 at age 26.

Mitchell will lead Calgary into the Grey Cup on Sunday against the OttawaRedblacks. It's the Stampeders' third straight championship appearance but they lost both previous times.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback JeremiahMasoli, theCFL'ssecond-leading passer with 5,209 yards, was the East's finalist.

Bighillwins top defensive player

Linebacker AdamBighillof the Winnipeg Blue Bombers was named the top defensive player. The five-foot-10, 230-poundBighillreceived 57 first-place votes for his second honour after winning the award in 2015 with the B.C. Lions.

Bighill, ofMontesano, Wash., had 105 tackles, four sacks two interceptions and aCFL-highfour forced fumbles in his first season with Winnipeg.

Bighillanchored a defence that finished tied for first in the league with 49 takeaways, second in points allowed (23.3 per game) and tied for the second-fewest yards allowed per play (6.0). The Bombers also ended the season with a turnover ratio of plus-13.

Bighillbecomes the fifth Bomber to win the award and first sinceJovanJohnson in 2011. He's also the ninth player to claim multiple honours.

Hamilton linebacker Larry Dean, who also recorded 105 tackles, was the finalist. The Tiger-Cats allowed the fewest offensive yards (334.3 per game) and rushing yards (110.6) in the East Division.

Ottawa players captured three honours, including two for kicker Lewis Ward(rookie, special teams). Slotback Brad Sinopoli was named the top Canadian.

Ward made 51-of-52 field goals (league-record 98.1 per cent), including a pro football-record 48 straight that will carry over into 2019. The native of Kingston, Ont., secured 50 first-place votes in rookie balloting and 43 for the special-teams honour.

Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver Jordan Williams-Lambert was the rookie finalist while B.C. Lions kicker Ty Long was the special-teams runner-up.

Sinopoli, ofPeterborough, Ont., earned his second top Canadian award, first winning in 2015. TheRedblacks' star had 116 catches a single-season record for a Canadian for 1,376 receiving yards with fourTDsin helping Ottawa finish atop the East Division with an 11-7 record.

Sinopoli, who received 32 first-place votes, has broken the 1,000-yard plateau the last four straight seasons. He had aCFL-best486 yards after the catch this year.

Winnipeg running back Andrew Harris, last year's winner and theCFL'stop rusher for a second straight season, was the finalist.

Bombers tackle Stanley Bryant captured the top lineman award for the second consecutive year. He registered 44 first-place votes to become the first multiple winner since Montreal's Scott Flory (2008-09).

The six-foot-five, 311-pound Bryant led another solid season for Winnipeg's offensive line. Not only did Harris run for a league-high 1,390 yards but Bombers scored aCFL-best53 offensive touchdowns and allowed 36 sacks, tied for third-fewest in the league.

Hamilton guard Brandon Revenberg was the finalist.

Chris Jones of the Saskatchewan Roughriders was named theCFL'scoach of the year. He received 41 first-place votes.

In his third season with the Riders, Jones led the franchise to a 12-6 record and second-place finish in the West Division. That matched the most victories for the franchise since 1970 and also earned Saskatchewan its first home playoff game since 2013.

Jones becomes the fifth Saskatchewan coach to win thehonour and since Corey Chamblin in 2013.

Ottawa's Rick Campbell, the 2015 winner, was the finalist.

Pierre Vercheval, a formerCFLtop lineman and Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductee who's now a football broadcaster, received the Commissioner's Award for outstanding contribution to Canadian football. Wally Buono, who retired as B.C. Lions head coach at season's end, was awarded the Hugh Campbell Distinguished Leadership award.

Buono, 68, capped a 46-year career as a player, coach, GM and league governor. The Canadian Football Hall of Famer and member of the Order of Canada captured a record 282 regular-season wins and won seven Grey Cups, including five as a coach.