By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)
Feature photo: Kaleb Mackie-McLeod (6) and Sal Pasta (90) converge during a game against Sturgeon last year. Photo by Glenn Dickson.
Incoming WHSFL senior defensive ends Sal Pasta and Kaleb Mackie-McLeod provide Grant Park with a deadly 1-2 punch.
“Sal is more of a pass rush, quick kind of guy,” noted Mackie-McLeod of his 6’1″, 230-pound teammate.
“I have more size to me. I feel like he’s got more quickness off the line and I can hold the run. Me and him are a great dynamic duo.”
The latter — an athletic prospect who stands at 6’4″ and 240 pounds — recorded 17 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble in his varsity debut a year ago. This offseason, he’s focused his training on speed, lateral quickness and general pass rush techniques.
The first two points of focus have been addressed and aided by defensive coordinator and former Pirate/Manitoba Bison Brett MacFarlane.
“I wasn’t as fast as I wanted to be last year, so this year I’ve been placing a lot of attention on that, ” added Mackie-McLeod.
“That’s something that [MacFarlane] has told me I need to work on. Going throughout the workouts we’ve been doing he says he’s been seeing a lot of improvements and I feel like I’ve improved a lot too.”
The versatile edge rusher — who also has a hockey background — is also training three times a week with Recruit Ready, a local program that produces countless U SPORTS athletes.
Two of those days are geared towards pass rushing, led by Bisons defensive line coach Scotty Barbour.
“[Barbour] has taught me a lot. We’ve been doing a lot of hand drills and one-on-one pass rush, and I feel like that’s something that I really needed to work on for this year.
I feel like it has brought my game up a lot working with him. Coach Barbour has also taught us different positions and how to make yourself more explosive getting up the field. All of it is helping.”
Pasta is also in his first season training with Recruit Ready. A natural leader, he’s a shoe-in to be a captain this season and finished last year with 17 tackles, 5.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery at the Division 1 level.
“I love hitting quarterbacks,” he says. “I feel like those quarterbacks feel nice and pretty back there and I don’t like them.”
His numbers are impressive, considering the fact that he was frequently double and triple-teamed a year ago.
Pasta — who seeks greatness on every play — was happy that his teammates could get more action in one-on-one situations, but wasn’t satisfied with his individual performance.
“I feel like I could’ve made more plays than I did. It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting for my first year of varsity. I wanted to lead the league in tackles for loss and sacks. I took that to heart and wanted to be the best one out there. I think I came up three short for sacks.
I get off the ball so quick. If I get left one-on-one I just make the tackle on the edge. I’m usually getting double or triple-teamed every single play. It’s typically a tackle, tight end and a running back. Because I require that much attention it leaves other guys open for plays.”
On top of Pasta’s leadership qualities, he’s also filled with toughness and determination. Look no further than his time on the junior varsity team for example.
He rarely took a snap off in grade nine, taking reps at offensive and defensive line, as well as running back. He was also the team’s punter and kicker.
Unfortunately, things took an unfortunate turn during week three against St. Paul’s, as he tore his ACL while playing running back. The original diagnosis wasn’t as severe however, and Pasta went about his business as usual.
“Right away I knew something was wrong. I heard a big crack in my knee. I went down. That was in the first quarter. I wasn’t sure of the extent of the injury so I tried to get back up and run on it. I think I went three days later to get it checked out.
They said there might be a little sprain and recommended I do physio. I did that intensely for about four weeks, then I played my final game of the season on it. Then I played a full basketball season.”
Things were going fine for Pasta until intramural ball hockey, where his knee flared up again.
“I booked an MRI and I was told my ACL was torn. I was in complete shock because I didn’t feel anything that was wrong with my knee. I was still jumping, cutting and doing all my stuff. I was told it was a year-long recovery time.”
The recovery time turned out to be just six months. By that time, the defensive end by running and cutting. By seven months he was doing full contact drills.
Pasta got back into the lineup in week four of his grade ten season, helping lead the Pirates to the JV championship game while also being named Defensive MVP.
“Part of being a vocal leader on the team is being an impactful leader on the field and making plays for my guys,” he says of his quick return to the lineup.
“It’s very different encouraging your guys from the sidelines and not being out there with them.”
With a defensive line that will also include incoming JV champs such as Kyle Watt and Nathaniel Lisak — as well as Tiano Pasta who’s back from an ACL tear suffered last season — the sky is the limit.
“I’ve been counting the days since football was over. I’ve just been itching to get back into it,” added Mackie-McLeod.
“I’ve been playing flag football and it isn’t enough. I just need to start hitting quarterbacks.”