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.”