Tag: Manitoba Bisons

RBU: Bisons alum Matt Henry providing valuable insight for the Manitoba Fearless

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

The 2019 edition of the Manitoba Fearless coaching staff features plenty of Manitoba Bisons connections.

Starting from the top down, there’s head coach/defensive coordinator Brett MacFarlane, a former halfback and SAM linebacker for the Herd who is one of 19 players to have accumulated over 100 tackles in his U of M career.

Perhaps the most recognizable Bisons alum however, is second-year running backs coach Matt Henry.

A key member of Manitoba’s undefeated 2007 Vanier Cup championship team, his 3,171 rushing yards still ranks second all-time in program history.

Henry’s perseverance is also well known, having returned to the brown and gold’s lineup in time for the 2008 season after suffering a broken femur in the 2007 Vanier.

The gruesome injury, which shattered his right thigh bone in three places, remains locked in the memory of many. Henry, however uses the experience as a positive in his life, whether at work with Vickar Ford where he’s the finance manager, or on the field as a coach.

“It’s been 12 or 13 years now since the accident and I’m open and comfortable talking about it. I talk about it almost every single day with my job,” he says.

“It’s about what you do after you face adversity, that’s what counts. I know [Bisons football head] coach [Brian] Dobie would always say to the team that it’s now what happened to you then, it’s how you respond. In sports and in the business, they intertwine. If you put the work in, you’re going to get the results.

For me I could have done one of two things. I could’ve said okay, my career is done, I’m not going to rehab and that’s it. But that’s not my mentality. You have to go through rehab, you have to go through the pain and at the end of it you’re going to be back on the field, but only if you do the things you need to do.”

Under the tutelage of Henry and company, the Fearless once again boasted the league’s leading rusher last season, in Hallie Eggie. The third-year back finished the regular season with 84 carries for 666 yards and six majors, after recording 920 rushing yards the year before.

Hallie Eggie rushes for yards agains Regina last season.

Interestingly, the team has Eggie to thank for Henry’s presence. The two are long-time friends and she convinced him to take up a role with Fearless in 2019 after a few years of going back and forth.

“Its been a great experience to see how you impact other people with your coaching,” Henry added.

“I’m 100 percent a player’s coach. I’ve been on the other side of it with the helmet and the shoulder pads on and I know how I like to be coached. Show me something once and I’ll do it, if I make a mistake, correct me and obviously it won’t happen again.

I like that style, and being energetic and being in your face and getting everyone motivated. That’s what players need. They don’t want someone who’s a military style, especially in this day and age.”

With an experienced Fearless roster fresh off of their first-ever home playoff game a year ago, the sky is the limit. Additionally, for Eggie, having a coach that she trusts from way back is also an added plus.

“When your advice actually works and you see it on the field, it’s very powerful. It took two years, but I’m very happy that I took the leap and it’s all thanks to Hallie,” Henry says.

“She’s a natural-born athlete. I’ve known her since we were in university. Now that we’re both grown up and coaching her, it’s honestly like watching myself but in a woman’s frame. She takes criticism, she takes advice and she implements it on the field.”

The Sideline Showdown: Episode 7

This week we have highlights from Miles Mac versus Garden City, an interview with Arjay Shelley, a look back on the pre-season WHSFL coaches poll and more!

The Sideline Showdown episode 5

Mike went solo this week with Kito visiting his roots down in the states. Included on this week’s program: running with the herd with Manitoba Bisons receiver AK Gassama, Grant Park vs Steinbach JV highlights, Fort Frances vs Neelin Division 3 highlights, a new segment called “Kito’s Korner” and a short doc on Uganda native Aron Kisimba and his relationship with offensive coordinator John Kiesman.

Under centre with Des Catellier

In a new weekly show, Mike Still sits down with Manitoba Bisons starting quarterback Des Catellier to chat about the week that was.

This week, discussions include prep for the Saskatchewan Huskies, the East-West Bowl, Saskatchewan Roughriders camp and of course, ten questions to end every episode.

Sisler, Bison alum Mitch Harrison earns head coaching gig at Dakota Collegiate

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: Harrison during his time with the Manitoba Bisons. Photo by David Lipnowski.

The 2019 season will see a fresh face on Dakota Collegiate’s sideline, when North Winnipeg Nomads, Sisler Spartans and Manitoba Bisons alumnus Mitchell Harrison takes over as varsity head coach for the Lancers starting this fall.

The spirit of inclusivity drew Harrison to football when he was a young child and that passion hasn’t left him ever since.

A self-proclaimed “nerdy kid” in elementary school, the sport helped him make new friends while also gaining an appreciation for teamwork and dedication, among other things.

“I really fell in love with [football] because I was super awkward and uncoordinated, and the good thing about football is that there’s kind of a spot for everybody so I was able to find my own little niche. I really liked the brotherhood aspect of the sport.”

A multiple-time provincial team member with the Spartans, Harrison was recruited to play for the U of M beginning 2010. His versatility was — and continues to be — a massive asset as he suited up as both a defensive back and strong side linebacker for Sisler while learning the responsibilities of all the back end players during his time with the Bisons.

Arguably the biggest moment during Harrison’s tenure with the Herd occurred in 2014, as the squad upset Saskatchewan and Calgary in back-to-back weeks on the road to earn their first conference title since 2007 with the North Winnipeg product playing a large role.

Harrison was also a standout in the classroom, receiving Academic All-Canadian status (minimum GPA of 3.5) in five straight university seasons.

“My parents have always been keen on making sure my brothers [Brett and Riley, both also football standouts] and I were getting a good education, and making a backup plan at the very least because you never know when one injury [on the football field] could end it all for you.”

With a passion to coach instilled in his mind and a strong academic standing, it just made sense that Harrison would pursue education as a career path once his playing days were over. It gave him the opportunity to give back to the next generation while also continuing to be involved in football.

Destiny came calling in 2016, as the Sisler alum had the honour of returning to his former high school as a teacher/coach, quickly shifting into the defensive coordinator position.

“It was a dream come true being able to come back and coach at my old school and build upon the culture with [co-head] coaches [Sean] Esselmont and [Dave] DeGrave,” says Harrison.

“I’m just thankful that they gave me such a key role so early on. Lots of schools wouldn’t be willing to just hand over a coordinator role to a new grad, so I’m thankful for that and being able to experiment with a lot of new things and to able to grow as a coach.”

Harrison was quick to mention his time at the U of M as having a massive influence on his knowledge of defensive schemes.

“Being able to experience higher-level football with the Bisons specifically — in multiple positions on the defence — really allowed me to flourish when it came to coaching, because I knew the techniques necessary for all of those spots,” he says.

“When you’re playing linebacker, you also have to have an understanding of what the defensive line is doing, so it all meshed really well.”

Interestingly, Harrison received head coaching offers from a few schools straight out of college, but wanted the chance to learn and grow first. Following the 2018 season however, he knew he was ready but wanted the right opportunity to come.

That opportunity came courtesy of Dakota Collegiate, with the defensive specialist accepting a teaching position [that will start in the fall] and head coaching duties in early June, where he will take over for the highly respected Ray Jarvis.

“By no means was it oh I’m looking to leave,” Harrison noted of departing from his alma mater.

“I really loved my time at Sisler and it was amazing being able to give back to that community and to help out that area. I live in the North End and I’m from that area, so I’m definitely going to miss it.”

Harrison has already met briefly with the team and is looking forward to continuing a strong legacy with a Lancers program that made it to the ANAVETS Bowl two years ago and is a consistent Division 1 contender.

“I’m really just excited to build on that culture and see what I can do. I really don’t know what my own potential is in regard to this or what the team’s potential is. I’m really just excited to continue to bring in high-quality coaches and to hopefully be one of the pre-eminent programs year in and year out.”

All-Canadian Kitzman brings size, physicality to Bisons defence

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: Tye Kitzman sizing up a receiver. Photo by the Okanagan Sun.

There’s no mistaking defensive back Tye Kitzman’s love for football. For evidence, look no further than the graduate of Clarence Fulton Secondary’s high school responsibilities, where he went both ways as quarterback and safety. 

“It’s something I’ve always loved and I didn’t really want to come off the field,” the product of Vernon, BC says. 

“Having a small roster we had a lot of guys come up from the junior level to play on the senior team and we weren’t the powerhouse of the league by any means, but I loved being able to play and hopefully take it to the next level.”

Originally intent on heading to either UBC or an NCAA Division II school following graduation in 2015, a message from a coach whose camp he’d previously attended changed his mind. 

It was mentioned to him that Shane Beatty with the Canadian Junior Football League’s (CJFL) Okanagan Sun was looking for more defensive backs. He reached out to the head coach, who offered for him to come to indoor practices in the spring and winter. The rest is history. 

“I made a bond with [Beatty] and it went well, so it made it an easy choice because it was so close to home and would make the transition a bit easier coming out of high school.”

Kitzman was injured during his rookie year, however he still vividly remembers the run that his squad went on in 2015, going 12-0 en route to a Cullen Cup championship. Beatty was a big part of Okanagan’s resurgence, completely changing the image of the program and expectations while bolstering a defence that included British Columbia Football Conference (BCFC)  all-stars such as Brennan Van Nistelrooy, Matt McConnell, Cord Delinte and Jonas Gering. 

“I think [Beatty] totally turned the program around,” Kitzman says. 

“He made a big change with his intensity, focus and knowledge of the game. You could obviously see with the record, he was very successful. With the Sun we always preach family and in my first year there was a huge family vibe. Everybody got along but there was also always competition. It was definitely a place that guys wanted to be.”

The following year there was a switch in leadership, as Beatty departed and Ben Macauley stepped in. The team will still quite strong defensively however, with Kitzman earning the team’s Most Improved Player award after recording 23 tackles and three interceptions. 

“I never honestly played corner or had real training at DB until I came to the Sun,” he says. 

“My second year there I just kind of got the hang of it and started to improve my game a bit. By the end of the year I had confidence in what I was doing.

Kitzman – who stands at 6’2” and over 200 pounds – loves to use his physicality to disrupt receivers from their routes at the line of scrimmage. This strategy continued to pay off in his third and fourth year with the Sun, where he tallied a combined nine interceptions, 15 pass defenses, a fumble recovery and two scores. He was also honoured as a BCFC all-star in both years as well as being named a CJFL All-Canadian in 2017. 

“Coming into my third year, I knew I could step up my game. I didn’t want to just be another name on the roster. I wanted to make a name for myself and excel,” he says. 

“I busted my ass and put the work in every day. Having a great coach like [defensive coordinator] Nathan Mollard who really knew I was there to put in the work, he pushed me to be great and every day I was looking for something to improve on. I was watching a lot of film, doing everything I could to be the best and it turned out well for me that year.”

At the end of the 2018 season, Kitzman knew he wanted to move onto the U SPORTS level. He talked to a lot of schools, one of which was Brian Dobie from the Manitoba Bisons, who came out every year for a recruiting trip. He vibed with Manitoba’s bench boss and the two kept in touch. Not too long after in the new year, it was a done deal that he’d be taking his talents to the 204. 

The move also made sense logistically. While Kitzman played corner for the Sun, his likely landing spot with Manitoba would be either strong side linebacker or safety due to his tacking abilities, physicality and range. 

“I made my trip out there and immediately loved it. I sat down for a few hours with the DC and we started connecting and talking about the playbook and what he wanted from me. It was a really good connection between all the coaches and their facilities are amazing. It just seemed like the best opportunity to excel in the position I’d be coming into with their SAM and safety leaving.”

Kitzman is also coming into camp with the right attitude He knows he’s already used up two years of his university eligibility and wants to find the field right from the jump. 

“I don’t want to come in and just be on the roster and sit on the bench for a couple of years. I don’t have that kind of time. I only have three years so I want to be able to come in and make a difference right away.”

Balan cleans up at 2018 WHSFL year end awards

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: Austin Balan stops for a photo after winning the Bomber Alumni Most Outstanding Player award for Division 1, his second piece of hardware on the evening.

On the field, Austin Balan is calm, cool and collected. He lets his play do the talking, puts his head down and gets to work. It’s rare that you’ll see him phased, which was particularly notable this year.

Entering the 2018 season, he knew his role would have to expand on both sides of the field with the departure of players such as Tyler Koniuck, Brayden Desjarlais and Easton Montour. The former Division 1 Rookie of the Year was prepared from the jump and it showed. He never took a play off, finishing with 1,222 rushing yards and eight scores as a fearless downhill running back as well as 81.5 tackles, four interceptions and two sacks at his more natural defensive back position, which he will play at the next level with the University of Manitoba upon graduation from Sisler.

Balan was rewarded for his efforts last night at the WHSFL’s year end awards banquet with both the Elite Performance Defensive Player of the Year and Bomber Alumni Most Outstanding Player awards. The former is presented to one offensive and defensive player in each division who made the biggest difference to their team as a whole while the latter is voted on by the Bomber Alumni Association and is presented to the best overall player in each division.

Not surprisingly, Balan was humble and respectful when discussing his newly-won hardware.

“I was very honoured to receive both of these awards tonight. It means a lot,” he said. “It represents all the hard work that I’ve put in over the past couple of years on the practice field and working out. I want to thank all my coaches for all the time and dedication they’ve put in to help me grow into the player I am today as well.”

The Elite Performance Offensive Player of the Year race on the other hand, was so tight that the committee chose to give the nod to two pivots: Jarrett Alcaraz from Garden City and Jackson Tachinksi from the ANAVETS Bowl-winning Vincent Massey Trojans.

The former — who will play for the U of M in the fall as a defensive back — was pleasantly surprised to co-win the award for what is technically his secondary position. While this may be true, there’s no denying the impact Alcaraz had under centre for the Fighting Gophers. He had over 1,000 all-purpose yards and double-digit touchdowns as a playmaker with both his arm and legs.

“It was definitely an honour winning this award, especially it not being my main position,” Alcaraz said. “Being able to win it with Jackson [Tachinski], that guy is one of my buddies, we played together this summer as well, so it’s definitely awesome winning it with him.”

Tachinski was lights out all year. The MVP of the ANAVETS Bowl had well over 1200 yards and didn’t throw an interception. He also displayed his poise, especially in the championship game, where he perfectly executed the two-minute drill to complete a come-from-behind win for Massey.

“It feels good,” Tachinski said after co-winning the award. “There were definitely a lot of other deserving nominees and I could’ve lost to any of them so I’m appreciative of this recognition.”

Tachinski hasn’t decided where he’s playing next season yet, however there is certainly plenty of interest in his services, including from the Bisons.

Division 2

It’s not easy stepping out of the shadows of Dayton Black, however that’s exactly what quarterback Evan Nachtigall did this year for Neelin. In the process, he broke two records set by last year’s Division 2 Offensive Player of Year, putting up a record 234 passes for a new division 2 high of 1985 yards.

The gunslinger was honoured for his work as the second straight player from the Spartans to win the Elite Performance Offensive Player of the Year award and third in a row from a Brandon school after Mack Adams from Massey Brandon took home the trophy in 2016.

“It really started in grade nine when I came into Neelin being a backup behind Dayton and taking second team reps every practice, and even the odd one in-game, especially last year in the playoffs against Kelvin,” said Nachtigall.

“The offseason was really about throwing a lot of balls and getting my arm ready for my first year starting at quarterback.”

The River East Kodiaks swept the Defensive Player of the Year and Bomber alumni awards, with Ethan Topping taking home the former and Sammy Hezekiah securing the latter.

Topping, a hybrid linebacker had seven sacks and five forced fumbles and was all over the field for the Kodiaks, helping them to their first varsity title in over two decades. He’s also the fourth player in the past six years from the school to win the award.

The charismatic Hezekiah had 19 combined touchdowns as a dual threat under centre for River East and was also lockdown all year at the halfback position, which he will play in the fall for the Bisons. He was also the CTV Bowl MVP after a stellar performance that included the game-winning pick six.

“It’s crazy. This is my first time winning anything major at this banquet,” a visibly excited Hezekiah said. “It means a lot to me.”

Division 3

Two record breakers were acknowledged for their performances in division 3, as Elmwood’s Evyn Melville-Toth took home the Elite Performance Offensive Player of the Year award while William Barnsdale of Churchill was selected as Defensive Player of the Year.

Melville-Toth, also known as the human bowling ball, used his small but built frame to bounce off of defenders all season. In the process, he broke the division record for rushing touchdowns, with 17. Barnsdale was a hound for the football, eclipsing the division record for fumble recoveries in a season, with seven while also tying the record for fumble receives in a game, with three.

The Bomber alumni award went to division 3 champion Asher Wood of St. John’s. The title game MVP did a little bit of everything for the Tigers — who won their first championship since 1980. He was the team’s leading receiver with 427 yards and eight scores, added five interceptions on defence and also tallied eight field goals.

“It’s a real honour to be named the most outstanding player in our division,” Wood said. “One of our best players Payton [Yakimishyn] moved just before the season started, so I knew I had to step up and become a leader on the team.”

Wood, who is also a standout soccer player, has had interest from universities in reference to his play on the pitch, but is still undecided on whether or not he will go that route or play football. One way or the other, he’s in a good position, as St., John’s gives out a number of full scholarships to the U of M, so he’s going to try and get one of those.

Other Major Award Winners 

Heavy Metal Design Coach of the Year: Mike Steeves, Vincent Massey Brandon

Rick Symonds Memorial Assistant Coach of the Year: Jason Park, St. Paul’s 1

Arnie Taylor Volunteer Award: Mark Dibol, Portage

Robert Whitlaw Memorial Rookie of the Year Award: Keshaun Ducharme (Churchill, Div 3), Kaiden Banfield (Portage, Div 2), Nic Pereira (St. Paul’s 1, Div 1)

Kas Vidruk Memorial Lineman of the Year Award: Jeremy Hampshire (Elmwood, Div 3), Isaiah Letander (Kelvin, Div 2), Kyler Filewich (Vincent Massey WPG, Div 1)

Jim Foubister Award (Presented annually to a high school football player who displays excellence on the field, sportsmenship, teamwork and overall good person. The selection of the award winner is determined by the officials of the league): Reese Francey, Garden City

John Potter/D’Arcy Bain Sports Physiotherapy Bursary Award (Presented annually to a grade 12 graduating high school football player who plans to continue their football career. The selection will be based on the development and progress made by a player during their high school playing career): Elijah Rivera, Garden City

Harry Hood Memorial Trophy (Awarded annually to the high school football player who exemplifies the standard in playing ability, school citizenship, fair play and scholastic standing.The selection of the award winner is made by the special committee.A scholarship of approximately $500.00 will be awarded to the trophy recipient upon registration at an educational institution of their choice next fall): Brody Lawson, St. Paul’s 1

Bisons suffer heartbreaking 38-34 OT loss to UBC in Ybarra Jr.’s first career U SPORTS start

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: Jamie Ybarra Jr. tosses the pigskin. Photo by Trevor Hagan.

NOTE: This article originally appeared on gobisons.ca by the same author. You can view it here. 

Quarterback Jamie Ybarra Jr. has been on a rollercoaster ride ever since late August. Roughly a week before the regular season started, he was working full-time and didn’t have much thought of returning to play football.

But after an injury to backup Scott Borden Jr., the former member of the Vancouver Island Raiders and Winnipeg Rifles of the CJFL got an offer he couldn’t refuse, joining the team in time for their pre-season contest against Regina, which he played well in.

Despite his strong showing, Ybarra Jr. was the clear backup to incumbent Des Catellier, who has thrown for 2,012 yards and 16 touchdowns this year. But when Catellier couldn’t go this week, Ybarra Jr. was the next man up. He more than exceeded expectations, scoring on four straight drives to open the game as Manitoba went into halftime up a commanding 31-13 against the no. 10 ranked UBC Thunderbirds.

“Here’s a guy that was playing flag football, and here’s a guy that graciously enough, decided to enroll in university and join our football team when I begged him to, never expecting to use him, because our number two was Scott Borden, who was an all-star in the BC Junior Football League,” said Dobie.

“And I’m just going to say it like this. Nobody expected that. Nobody expected your quarterback, who you literally brought in to run scout for you, to put up 31 points against one of the top teams in the country in a half.”

But the magic wore off in the second half, as the Thunderbirds scored 18 unanswered points to take the contest to OT, forced Manitoba into a field goal and won the game with a Michael O’Connor touchdown pass to Ben Cummings.

The Bisons were deep in UBC territory on two separate occasions in the second half, however the Thunderbirds were able to force two Ybarra Jr. interceptions to end each respective drive, thanks to increased pressure against an offensive line that was missing starters Myles Rose-Standish and Ryan Wengelinski.

“They were more aggressive,” Dobie said of UBC’s defensive play in the second half.

“Jamie [Ybarra Jr.] got happy feet a lot, and he got sacked a couple of times or had to throw the ball away. They came with a bit more pressure more often, and that was smart of their part. You’ve got a backup quarterback and you’ve got young offensive linemen. It was the right thing to do.”

With the loss, the Bisons fell to 3-5 and remained locked into the fourth seed for the conference semi-finals this Saturday. They’ll head to Calgary to take on the no. 3 ranked Calgary Dinos, who went undefeated in the regular season, including a 34-16 win two weeks ago against Manitoba.

Dobie’s message entering the playoff game is simple but powerful for a team that has taken every opponent to the limit this season.

“Let’s go. Let’s pull off the biggest upset in the nation. We can do it. Because, yeah, we have been that close and yeah, it’s tough… well, we’re that close, let’s just take the final step and that would be the game of your life to go in and upset [Calgary] right now.”

“We have such tremendous respect for Calgary as the top team in our conference, maybe in the country.”

Manitoba wins home-and-home with Alberta, advance to 2-2

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: Bison pivot Des Catellier back to pass. Photo by Trevor Hagan.

This article originally appeared on gobisons.ca by the same author here. 

On Friday night, Manitoba proved that last week wasn’t a fluke, sweeping the 0-4 Golden Bears with a ten-point win, 37-27.

Yet again though, it was a game that didn’t come easily. Manitoba trailed in the fourth quarter for a second straight contest against Alberta, this time getting a massive contribution from former CJFL All-Canadian running back Victor St. Pierre-Laviolette, who was playing in place of an injured Jamel Lyles.

The second-year back who previously suited up for the Regina Thunder had 45 yards rushing on the game-winning Manitoba drive, and sealed the matchup in the final minute with a 55-yard rushing major. He ended the contest with 133 yards on the ground on just ten carries.

“I really respect him, because he’s a guy that I’m sure knows and feels that he’s a really good football player. He’s had great success in junior, he’s had great success on our practice field on a nightly basis and hasn’t really been given his chance, and yet all he does is keep on working hard,” head coach Brian Dobie said about the Brandon native.

“He’s a great teammate in that locker room and on that practice field, and when he got his opportunity, he made the most of it.”

Manitoba’s run defence stepped up as well. Alberta rookie Jonathan Rosery was held in check for the majority of the game, a week after going off for 142 yards.

“Alberta ran the ball really well out here in Winnipeg. And that’s part of their signature,” Dobie said. “You look at the last couple years prior to this and the Hec Crighton winner in Ed Ilnicki running the ball for example. So yeah, I get that they’re a really good running team, but I thought [defensive coordinator] Stan [Pierre] did a great job with his defence.

They had a couple runs that stung, but they didn’t sustain it, and that absolutely affected the play of our defence. When you’re stopping the run and putting a team in a passing situation, and you can hold that team to 12 completions and 23 incompletions, that says it right there. And really, that’s what won the game.”

Not to be left out was the play of returner/cornerback Marcel Arruda-Welch, who was named Canada West Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time in three weeks. His 87-yard punt return in the second quarter led to a Bisons touchdown and a 15-6 lead. Cumulatively, he had four kickoff returns for 82 yards and five punt returns for 114 yards. On the season, he has 404 all-purpose yards.

“We somewhat overlooked him on special teams, because really all the focus on Marcel has been for him to be the best corner that he can be,” Dobie said. “It’s certainly been a work in progress and look how well he’s playing now. But now he’s been inserted into returns and I don’t think that’s going away. He’s just an outstanding athlete and knows how to play football really well.”

At the midway point of the season, the Bisons sit at 2-2 and are tied for third place with their opponents this coming Saturday, the Regina Rams. It’s Manitoba’s Homecoming game, which always amps up the team — not to mention this is the only contest these two teams have against each other in 2018. Despite the importance in the standings, Dobie is treating the contest like any other game, noting the parity in the Canada West conference.

“We lose two squeakers to nationally-ranked teams. Both teams laid it out and we came up just slightly short. I don’t think that necessarily means we’re less than them or they’re better than us. They won that day. And in the last two weeks we’ve won the day and found a way to do it,” Dobie said.

“That’s the deal in Canada West is winning the day. It’s the toughest conference in the nation, not even close. This weekend against Regina is going to be the exact same thing; two really good football teams playing. Somebody’s going to win and both teams are going to lay it out.”

Bisons beat Alberta 37-21 for first win of the season

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: Jesse Walker hauls in a TD grab for the Bisons. Photo by Trevor Hagan.

This article originally appeared on gobisons.ca by the same author here. 

For two weeks, the Bison football team – despite playing competitive football against two nationally ranked opponents – had been burdened by critical errors at critical times. But against the Alberta Golden Bears, they turned the tides, making some massive plays when it counted en route to a 37-21 win at home.

From their head coach’s perspective, it was an ugly win. But when all was said and done, the team put one into the win column and proved that they can look hardship in the mirror and overcome it.

“Like I said in the locker room, I thought we took a step back. We didn’t play very good football. We were all over the place on headsets, we were all over the place on the bench, we were substituting the wrong players, people were making mistakes. We took ten penalties, it’s the most we’ve taken this year. It was that kind of a game. It was just not a game where we were in a good rhythm,” Dobie said postgame.

“But we made plays and we found ways to win. And that’s what I said to [the team]. At the end of the day, it’s adversity. I don’t care who you play or who you win against. If you can win against adversity, that’s big.”

Saturday’s contest featured game-changing contributions from second-year cornerback Arjay Shelley as well as fifth-year slotback Dylan Schrot.

With the Golden Bears up 7-6 early in the second quarter and driving in the red zone, Shelley recorded a critical interception which kept Alberta from adding to their lead. He also added a second interception late in the third quarter on a tipped ball from fifth-year safety Jayden McKoy.

“He had two picks and he made a couple a couple of big tackles. He certainly made some plays,” Dobie said of Shelley’s performance. “I thought Jayden McKoy [made some plays] back there too and [strong side linebacker] Houston Rennie.”

Offensively, Schrot took the game over in the fourth. First, he took a screen pass 41 yards to the house to give the Bisons a 25-21 lead with just under eight minutes to play. He followed that up with a 51-yard touchdown reception on the following drive, using his speed to evade multiple Golden Bears defenders.

Schrot finished the contest with 141 yards on just six receptions and is now tied for the conference lead in receiving yards with 370 after three weeks of play. To put those numbers into perspective, he had just 238 yards all of last season while playing wideout. His five touchdowns are also tops in Canada West and are just two shy of tying Manitoba’s single-season record.

“Here he is again, for 141 yards on only six receptions and he’s been been doing that every game,” Dobie said of Schrot’s strong start to the 2018 season. “He’s unquestionably one of the best players in Canada West and on this football team.”

Next week, Manitoba heads to Alberta to face these same Golden Bears in a rematch. Home and homes are never easy, as according to Dobie, the opposing team has gotten the chance to see a significant amount of what’s in your playbook from the week prior. However, it appears the Bisons are ready for the challenge.