Tag: Manitoba Bisons

Bisons fall to 0-2, Dobie still optimistic

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: Dylan Schrot makes a tremendous grab against Saskatchewan. Photo by Trevor Hagan.

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

You’d be hard pressed to find a more entertaining U SPORTS football home opener than this past Friday at Investors Group Field, where Manitoba came up two points shy against the #10-ranked Saskatchewan Huskies. It was a game that included lead changes, pick-sixes, onside kicks and everything in between. But when push came to shove, it was the 2-0 Huskies that emerged victorious, handing the Bisons their second consecutive loss to start the season.

Despite the result, Brian Dobie maintained faith in his team.

“We’re pretty good. We honestly are,” he said following the contest. “This is the best team we’ve had for sure in their performances since 2014. It just is.”

Some might consider this statement to be particularly bold. But when you analyze the first two contests Manitoba has played – both of which have been against nationally ranked opponents – then it’s relatively easy to understand Dobie’s faith in his team.

In week one against UBC, the Bisons made as many positive plays on both sides of ball as their opponent, but were hindered by some costly mistakes on special teams. This week, they went score-for-score with the Huskies and were a two-point convert away from taking the contest to overtime. Additionally, they’ve lost those first two games by a combined total of just 12 points.

“I like that they believe that they’re good and that they believe that they should win. That’s really hard to get a locker room to honestly feel that way,” Dobie said of his team. “I like that about them. I like the pieces that are on the field in most of our positions. We’ve got a couple weak areas in spots, but we’ve got a lot of strengths.”

One of those strengths is third-year pivot Des Catellier, who has thrown for 803 yards in his first season as the bona fide number one guy for the Bisons. That’s just 13 yards shy of the conference lead. His 401.5 yards per game is also second in the conference and his six passing touchdowns also tie him for second in that category. Granted, we’re just two weeks into the season, however his numbers are currently above two fifth-year quarterbacks, including former Hec Crighton winner Noah Picton of Regina.

“Des Catellier is a legit Canada West quarterback. And I can’t give him a bigger complement,” Dobie said. “He gives us a chance right off the bat.”

Catellier is also complemented by tremendous depth all across board offensively. Receivers Dylan Schrot and Macho Bockru— the latter of which went off for 185 yards and two scores against Saskatchewan — are currently third and fourth in the conference in receiving yards, while fellow pass-catchers Shai Ross, Riley Harrison and Trysten Dyce have all made big plays early on. On top of that, running back Jamel Lyles had over 100 yards rushing this past weekend and is a threat to score every time he has the ball.

“I like our offence. I like the design of our offence and I think Blaire [Atkinson] is doing a great job as offensive coordinator,” Dobie said. “We’ve got a really good group of receivers and we protect our quarterback for the most part. So we give ourselves a chance to make plays, get first downs and score points.”

Defensively, the Bisons have an eight-man rotation in their front four that looks to be gaining more confidence, while fifth-year halfback Schneider Charles had a pick-six against the Huskies.

But despite all the positives, Manitoba is still 0-2 for a third straight season. They’ll need to play their best football going forward in order to have a chance to make the postseason for the first time since 2015.

“We’ve got to win four of the six games. That’s the position we’re in right now. [The season] is so short,” Dobie said.

“We’ll be okay. We can beat anyone. That’s not rah-rah talk. We can beat anybody. But we can also lose to anybody. It’s the Canada West [conference]. But boy those opportunities don’t come around that often, and we had two in a row that were right there to take and we just couldn’t convert them.”

Bisons fall 30-20 in tight contest at #6 UBC in season opener

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo by: Bob Frid, UBC Thunderbirds

NOTE: This article was originally published on gobisons.ca here, by the same author.

In the pre-season coaches’ poll, the UBC Thunderbirds were the consensus pick to win the Hardy Cup. Manitoba was ranked fourth. But on Saturday night on the road, Dobie and his Bisons gave the ‘Birds all they could handle.

“I felt we made as many positive plays, or more, as UBC made on both sides of the ball,” Dobie said.

It’s hard to argue with the head coach’s logic. Offensively, third year quarterback Des Catellier — making just the fifth start of his U SPORTS career — was excellent. He outthrew likely CFL draft pick Michael O’Connor by 70 yards (379 total) and had two touchdown passes. The Calgary native also distributed the ball to seven different receivers and looked comfortable in his second year in offensive coordinator Blaire Atkinson’s system.

“[Des] looked calm. He looked like a veteran quarterback, which he is,” said Dobie.

“His reads were very good. When he felt that he was in trouble, he didn’t panic. He was an emotional leader, but he played the game intellectually and calmly. There was really nothing missing.”

Defensively, the Bisons held top UBC receiving threat Trivel Pinto to just 66 yards, while also forcing a fumble in the second quarter when it looked like the draft-eligible player was about to score. Rookie Markos Bockru also had his first career interception during the contest.

Additionally, the team adjusted well after field halfback Stefan Conway was lost due to injury. Houston Rennie was shifted from his strong side linebacker spot to Conway’s position, while veteran Caleb Abraham slotted in for Rennie. Both played admirably.

“At that point, I thought we were in gigantic trouble,” Dobie said of the substitutions that were made after Conway went down. But we didn’t not win the game for that reason.”

Ultimately, it was three special teams plays that had a major factor in the final outcome of the contest.

Down by one early in the second quarter, Matt Riley had his punt from the UBC 50-yard line blocked and returned for a touchdown to make the score 14-6. Then, once again trailing by a single point with just over two minutes to play in the first half, kicker Brad Mikoluff had his 35-yard field goal partially blocked to keep the score 14-13 heading into halftime.

The back-breaker occurred midway through the third quarter, with the Bisons down 16-13 and attempting the game-tying field goal. The snap went over Mikoluff’s head and Manitoba came away with nothing. The Thunderbirds would go on to score a touchdown on the ensuing drive. Despite the visitors clawing back to within three, UBC was able to hold on for the win in the latter stages of the contest.

“We had a special teams meeting right off the bat today, and I started the meeting,” Dobie said.

“Coach [Ryan] Karhut has done an amazing job with special teams, I’m super impressed, but I started the meeting and spent the first fifteen minutes talking and saying that we need to be more focused in the moment, rather than treating it like a special teams rep and I’m on defence next or just finished playing offence.”

“I’m not in their heads, I don’t know what they think, but I do know some glaring problems showed up. Special teams had a real bad start to their season, but I assure you it will only get better.”

Looking ahead to this week, the Bisons will host their home opener at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 7 against provincial rival Saskatchewan. The Huskies got off to a hot start, winning their season opener 42-0 over Alberta.

“We know that Saskatchewan is really good. I don’t care who they beat, they beat a Canada West opponent 42-0. When you’re beating someone 42-0 in this conference, you’re really good,” Dobie said.

“I’m sure they’re like every Saskatchewan team I’ve ever coached against in my career; disciplined, structured and consistent. Sure, they’ve got good athletes, but they’re going to constantly play high end football. You’re not going to see too many chinks in the armour.”

Despite this week’s results, the Bisons are motivated heading into their Week 2 matchup against the Huskies.

“I think this team isn’t happy or feeling good about itself because they lost,” Dobie said. “But I do think they are confident, angry and determined. If that’s the case, we need to prove it.”

Rams beat Bisons 32-27 in pre-season action: Five thoughts

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature photo: Des Catellier readies for a snap. Photo by Chantal Zdan.

Last Wednesday, Manitoba and Regina faced off in both team’s only pre-season contest of 2018. For the Bisons, it was an opportunity to see what a number of young, promising players could do, with more than a handful of starters staying home to rest up. Below are five thoughts from the contest in the Queen City.

Catellier comes up clutch

With Scott Borden Jr. unavailable, Des Catellier was given the first half to show what he could do, and, essentially lock into the starting quarterback duties for the Bisons. He didn’t disappoint, going 11-of-16 for 159 yards, with two touchdowns.

Catellier’s only big mistake was a second quarter red zone interception that negated a possible Manitoba touchdown. Aside from that, he was excellent. What was particularly impressive was his poise, as, after throwing the costly pick, he came back and drove the team 53 yards in just 1:20, finding veterans Riley Harrison and Jesse Walker for receptions of 32 and eight yards, respectively, the latter of which was his second touchdown pass of the day. Catellier’s first passing touchdown came on a tremendous opening drive that took up 83 yards — with four different receivers getting involved — including Macho Bockru, who caught the seven yard major.

Jamie Ybarra Jr.: From Panama to the Bisons 

Just mere weeks ago, Jamie Ybarra Jr. was enjoying his time with Team Canada during the flag football world championships, and wasn’t necessarily considering a return to tackle football — especially at the university level. But when Borden Jr. was unavailable, the Bisons needed a third quarterback, and the former member of the De Anza Dons (community college in Cupertino, California), Vancouver Island Raiders (BCFC) and Winnipeg Rifles (PFC), got the call.

Ybarra Jr. joined the team on Aug. 16, giving him just over a week to practice with the team. With the squad down 32-18 in the fourth quarter, he got his chance to shine, going 6-of-10 for 82 yards while also helping to engineer two scoring drives.

The incredible part of Ybarra’s story is that he nearly had has football career ended while playing for the Raiders last year, after passing out due to a blood clot just five days before the season started. With Catellier and Ybarra Jr. making an impact, as well as the athleticism and playmaking abilities of Jonathan Remple and Borden Jr., a position of concern has quickly become a major positive for the herd.

Ybarra Jr. rushes for yardage. Photo by Chantal Zdan.

Three-headed monster returns?

In 2015, Manitoba had a dangerous running attack with Rookie of the Year Jamel Lyles, shifty Alex Christie and powerful Cam Fox all threats to make big plays. They quickly earned the moniker of the “three headed monster.” That monster may be making a return in 2018, but this time with different athletes complementing Lyles, in second year power back Somto Anyadike and former CJFL All-Canadian Victor St. Pierre-Laviolette.

With Lyles not making the trip, the above mentioned duo went to work, recording a combined 132 yards rushing. Anyadike — who showed flashes of brilliance in 2017 before going down with a gruesome elbow injury — ran downhill violently, while St. Pierre-Laviolette, a former member of the Regina Thunder, displayed his explosiveness.

Fellow running backs Demi Adeleye-Olusae and Brandon “the terminator” O’Connor also made their presence felt, with the former using great vision and speed and the latter registering an impressive fourth quarter touchdown where he broke a few tackles.

Anyadike runs for yardage against the Rams. Photo by Chantal Zdan.

Plenty of depth at defensive back

With starters Marcel Arruda-Welch and Arjay Shelley not making the trip, a pair of freshmen got their chance to step up, in rangy six-foot-three corners Stephen Adamopoulos (St. Paul’s), and Markos Bockru (Minnesota Crookston). They were thrown into the deep end right away, facing former Hec Crighton winner Noah Picton, but stayed composed. Both players got their hands on multiple balls and displayed high levels of physicality.

Showing the kickers some love

Punters/kickers Brad Mikoluff and Matt Riley typically don’t get talked about unless they make a big kick or a big mistake. In this game, it was the latter. Mikoluff, who was a Canada West All-Star at kicker last year, has been booming punts all through camp, thanks in part to some sage advice that he received during the summer from Justin Medlock of the Blue Bombers. He averaged close to 40 yards on his punts and also netted a 17-yard field goal.

Riley — who is traditionally a punter and hadn’t kicked a field goal in game action in close to six years — wowed everyone in attendance in Regina late in the fourth quarter when he blasted a 52-yard field goal. He also averaged 40.7 yards per punt. Suffice to say the two veterans should be nothing short of reliable this year.

Ugbah set to make an impact in final U SPORTS season

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Eight years ago, Stephen Ugbah was beginning to make Canada his new home, and had never played a down of football in his life. Fast forward to present day, and the fifth-year senior is a valuable member of the Bisons receiving corps with a legitimate shot at a CFL career.

Ugbah grew up in Nigeria, before moving to Elmwood high school in Winnipeg for grade 10. Soccer was his first love, where he was an effective forward on the pitch. He actually had an opportunity to go to the states to play, but didn’t want to leave his family, as he was still adjusting to a new country and moving again would have been quite stressful.

“I was set on playing soccer professionally,” he says. “I was really good back [in Nigeria], so when I got [to Canada], I started playing club. The moment I quit was when I found out the U of M didn’t have a [men’s] soccer team.”

Turning a negative into a positive, Ugbah opted to strap on the pads for the final few years of his high school career, after being convinced by one of his friends. He was entrusted as a receiver, but admitted that learning the position — and the game itself — wasn’t easy.

“I didn’t have good hands when I started, because how do you even catch an oval-shaped looking ball,” he says. “I also had to learn how to run with the pads. I was skinnier back then, and wasn’t used to wearing the helmet either. It was a year of transition just for that.”

After a few years learning the game, Ugbah began to thrive in his senior season with Elmwood. He was named a Winnipeg High School Football League (WHSFL) All-Star, and was also a captain for the senior bowl.

“My body just started naturally getting bigger,” he says. “I was working out a lot more, and would actually go out and work on football stuff in the summertime, so by the time grade 12 hit, I was super comfortable.”

Ugbah wasn’t originally planning on playing football after high school in 2013 but after some encouragement from his former head coach, he decided to test out the junior football route with the Winnipeg Rifles.

“I went [to Rifles camp] and I loved it,” he says.

“I looked at all the players from the other divisions that were higher than [division three school Elmwood], and I was better than them, or at least I could compete with them. It wasn’t like I was totally unmatched.” I went there, and was like, dang, I don’t know why I talked down on myself.”

Ugbah made the Rifles roster for the 2013 season as a redshirt, noting that being able to train at Elite Performance in the summer had a big effect on his development.

“Even though it was 30 minutes away, I loved going [to Elite],” he says. “That’s where I met [current Winnipeg Blue Bomber] Andrew Harris for the first time too. It was just promoting confidence when you’re around all of those types of people.”

Ugbah impressed enough during his time on the Rifles roster that he was granted a spot with Manitoba for the following year.

He admitted that he still struggled a bit with his confidence during his first year with the team in 2014, but that all changed the following winter when he began going to workouts with local training program Recruit Ready.

Led by Bison alumni Brad Black and Blaire Atkinson, the program had a strong track record of bringing out the best in many football players, current and former Bisons included.

“I compared myself to all of the Bisons receivers that were there. [Current Blue Bomber] Nic Demski was always there, [current Toronto Argonaut] Anthony Coombs was always there, [fellow Blue Bomber] Kienan LaFrance was always there, so I was just like dang, I’m not far off from these guys,” he says.

“Maybe I’m not where they’re at yet, but that’s somewhere that I could definitely be, because they were older than me at that point. That’s when I was like, maybe I could do this for a career one day.”

The six-foot-two, 200 pound receiver’s best statistical season came last year, after spending the prior two years learning under seasoned veterans like Alex Vitt and Bryden Bone, as well as overcoming a meniscus injury.

His 13.7 yards per reception average, and gifted athleticism were enough to earn him an invite to the 2018 CFL Western Regional Combine, where he impressed with his burst, and ability to separate from defenders during the one-on-one session.

Despite not getting an invite to the national combine, Ugbah opened the eyes of certain scouts, one of which was from the Ottawa Redblacks. He was informed that his name might get called on draft day, and to stay ready.

Despite the former not occuring, Ugbah was still given a CFL opportunity. Roughly a week before the season started, he got a call from the Ottawa scout, telling him the club was bringing him out that night for the final week of pre-season play.

“[The scout] was like, ‘I can get you on a flight at 7:30 p.m., does that work?’ I was like, yeah that works. I had two jobs at the time, and I thought about whether or not I should go, but I was like yeah, I should go. I called my family, and my mom was kind of confused, she was like ‘isn’t it three weeks past when they’re supposed to take you?’ I was like yeah, I know but they asked me to come now.”

Ugbah was with Ottawa for a week, with the first two days spent solely on learning the playbook. He wasn’t able to line up at receiver for the team’s final pre-season game, but did see time in the game.

“Guys had been there for three weeks and were competing for jobs, so I guess it wouldn’t have been fair to get me in there [at receiver], because they were going no huddle, but I got in on special teams, which was a really good experience for me,” he says.

Ugbah was released the next day, but received positive feedback from the coaching staff. Now entering his final year of U SPORTS eligibility, he’s setting his sights on finishing his university career off on a high note, and ideally getting signed by a CFL team some time afterwards.

“I’m very confident with the guys we have around here,” he says.

“We’re going to be a team to watch out for for sure, because I know the guys here want it bad. There’s a bunch of guys in their fourth and fifth years and we want that Vanier ring. We’re not here to waste time, we know it’s one shot that we’ve got, and we’re going to go out and show out.”

 

Draft-eligible Dufault a leader on the field and in the classroom for the Bisons

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Feature image by: gobisons.ca

It’s safe to say defensive end Derek Dufault is the complete package.

Along with being a top-level CFL prospect entering the 2018 season, he’s also an ace in the classroom, earning Academic All-Canadian status (minimum 3.5 GPA) every year since enrolling at the U of M in 2015.

“I’m always doing something, I’m never just loafing on my couch,” the computer science major says. “I’m either in class, at the weight room or I’m at home sitting at my little desk doing my assignments or getting ready for tests. I always try to organize my time fairly effectively.”

While Dufault’s work ethic on his own time is admirable, his work ethic on the field has been visible from early on.

In 2012, he was named an all-star at the U16 Red River Cup. The following summer, he was named a defensive captain for Team Manitoba at the U18 Canada Cup. That same fall as a junior, he led the Winnipeg High School Football League’s John Potter Division (AAA now called Division 1) in sacks, with 10.

His performance on the field attracted the attention of many U SPORTS schools, with upwards of 10 interested in his services before he even began his senior year. But on September 1st, at the age of 16, he made his intentions clear, verbally committing to his hometown school while becoming the youngest recruit in Bison football history.

“I just asked myself, do I really see myself wanting to take this whole university career, and going and trying to get a degree and be a university athlete, and making it harder on myself by going anywhere else besides home. So that was definitely a big part in making that quick decision,” he says.

“Also, the U of M was exactly what I wanted, with the facility and the coaches. All the stars just lined up, so that’s why I decided to commit so early.”

Entering his senior year, Dufault had plenty to be excited about. But a broken arm suffered at the 2014 Canada Cup threatened to put a damper on his final season of WHSFL action.

“In that time, I was working so hard trying to get my arm back into the shape it was before, despite only having one functional arm, and doing all the right things to be ready for my final year,” he says.

The product of Dakota Collegiate not only recovered, he came back better than ever. On September 20th of that year, he tied the single game sack record, registering six against the powerhouse St. Paul’s Crusaders. At the end of the season he was also rewarded as the Potter Division’s Defensive Player of the Year.

U SPORTS career

That fall, Dufault continued to up his stock, playing in all eight regular season games as a rookie, while adding 9.5 tackles. He’s been a mainstay at defensive end ever since, registering 51 tackles and 4.5 sacks over the next two years.

“It definitely didn’t come easily,” a humble Dufault says of his quick rise in the U SPORTS ranks.

“I remember my first spring camp, I had [current Cleveland Brown] Geoff Gray at one tackle and [2016 CFL draft pick] Alex McKay on the other. So two really good, huge offensive linemen at the time. It was an eye-opening weekend going against that kind of strength and speed. That’s also what made me go like, okay I have four months until main camp starts, I better do everything I possibly can to get to the level that these people are on right now.”

A captain for the first time last season, Dufault describes his play on the field as “level-headed.”

“I’m not going to get all riled up and crazy to the point where I’m out of my mind and can’t understand what I’m doing on the field,” he says.

“I just think about things objectively, which spills onto the field. No matter what play happens and if I mess up or do good, or if my teammates mess up or do good, I’m either going to try and help correct myself, or help correct my fellow teammates and just continue on with the game.”

Dufault continued his upward trajectory in the spring, registering 1.5 sacks during the Valero East West Bowl – the showcase game for the top U SPORTS prospects eligible for that year’s CFL draft.

“Everything was well organized, so I think it all flowed really well,” he says of his performance.

“The competition obviously is the best in Canada, so it was definitely interesting. Usually when I’m playing a game or at practice, there’s usually one or two really good players on the field at all times, but at East West, every single person is that good. It was cool to see that, because I basically had to go one hundred percent, mistake free and just do my best every single play. So it was definitely an interesting experience.”

Dufault and the Bisons enter 2018 with plenty of optimism, especially on the defensive line where, on paper, they may have the best unit in the country.

Included are returning Bisons Brock Gowanlock and Cole Adamson, along with impact transfers Kent Hicks (Westshore and former Bison), Jeremie Drouin (Westshore and Bishop’s University), Shaun Robinson (Westshore, Okanagan and Mount Allison University), Chris Larsen (Westshore and Guelph University) and Samson Abbott (Winnipeg and University of Alberta).

“It’s good,” Dufault says of the loaded front four.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen. I was talking to [head] coach [Brian] Dobie about that a little while ago, and he said that exact same thing, that we really do have two starting lineups right now. It’s going to be a really tough competition in main camp. Everyone’s going to be pushing each other and feeding off of each other in order to do as well as we possibly can.”

Bison football 2018 spring camp recap

This past weekend, close to 115 football players took to the U of M’s outdoor turf fields for the Manitoba Bisons 2018 spring camp. Manitobafootballfeed.net caught up with head coach Brian Dobie following the team scrimmage on Sunday afternoon to get his thoughts on the three day camp.

St. Pierre-Laviolette going the distance to achieve football dreams

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

For Victor St. Pierre-Laviolette, football has been far more than a game. Instead, it’s provided him a ticket to a better life, and has also opened his eyes to opportunities he likely wouldn’t have had otherwise.

The speedy running back grew up in Brandon, Manitoba with a single mother who raised him, along with his four other siblings – all of whom are boys.

“It was actually pretty tough for me,” he says of his time in the wheat city.

“I had a rough childhood growing up there, as far as being a handful for teachers and people in the community, and just doing things and hanging out with people that I probably shouldn’t have. I really just wanted to get out of there. I’ll always love it, it’s my hometown, but I don’t see myself living there in the near future.”

Despite what was going on around him, football was still a big part of his life. He took a liking to the sport as a kid, where he admired receivers like Steve Smith in the NFL and Milt Stegall in the CFL.

Unfortunately, St. Pierre-Laviolette was reduced to the role of a fan, as his mother couldn’t afford to enrol him in the game when he was younger.

But in grade eight, everything changed. His mother was able to get funding from KidSport, enabling him to play a year in the Westman Youth Football Association. He became a natural at the running back position due to his quickness.

“In the youth league, the fastest kid gets the ball,” he says. “So I just fell in love with being a running back at that point and never tried to change it.”

Crocus Plains experience

The coaching staff at Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School noticed his performance in the league, and convinced him to join their program for the following year. The running back said the adjustment to high school football was tough at first, but once he got used to the flow, it became an invaluable outlet in his life.

“Football was one of the first places where I saw real structure in my life,” he says.

“At first it was a little rocky because I wasn’t used to taking orders from anybody and stuff like that, but the more I came to love the game, the more I understood that it’s something I had to do, and the more it just converted into life lessons and more than just football.

“That’s the greatest thing about the sport. It’s helped me become a good person, and not just a better athlete but a way better person. I would not be where I am today if I didn’t play ball.”

Individually, St, Pierre-Laviolette enjoyed one of the most impressive careers in Winnipeg High School Football League history. In his junior and senior seasons from 2012-13, he racked up a whopping 2,426 yards and 27 touchdowns.

St. Pierre-Laviolette as a member of the Plainsmen. Photo by Bruce Bumstead.

“We were a real family, we were really tight,” he says of his time with Crocus Plains.

“It’s the first team I’ve ever played on where everyone was really friends and hung out every day. We were just a band of brothers. It didn’t matter if we were winning or losing. “

Junior football exposure

Despite his accolades on the field, the stud running back had trouble finding a university program to play on after high school due to his grades. Ultimately, he decided to take the junior football route instead, suiting up for the Canadian Junior Football League’s (CJFL) Winnipeg Rifles in 2014.

St. Pierre-Laviolette was just 145 pounds in his debut season, but managed to secure the starting running back position, alongside former all-star running back Colton Smith from Miles Mac. The weight was lifted from his shoulders slightly, due to the fact that the Rifles had veteran pivot Tyler Vieira under centre, as well as Kurt Goodrich – one of the best to ever strap on the pads for Winnipeg – at receiver.

After one year with the Rifles, the running back moved to Regina, where he enjoyed a tremendous career with the CJFL’s Regina Thunder.

When he first suited up for the Thunder in 2015, the team already had an established running back in current Saskatchewan Huskie Colton Klassen. Despite this, St. Pierre-Laviolette still churned out 777 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns.

“There’s so much more pressure when you’re labeled the starter, and the game doesn’t fall singly on you, but you’re one of the biggest parts of it for your offence. When I was able to come to Regina and have that pressure taken off of me, it helped me improve my game,” he says of the 2015 campaign.

The following year was even better, as the Brandon native won the conference rushing title with 1,020 yards and was also named an All-Canadian.

St. Pierre-Laviolette was a multiple award winner as a member of the Regina Thunder. Photo by bdnmb.ca.

Playing pro in Sweden

His momentum didn’t stop there, as during the offseason, he received an offer to play professionally in Sweden for the Uppsala 86ers. Originally, the running back thought the message he received on Facebook was spam, he but decided to follow up anyways.

It turned out that his information had been passed on by an international agent, who had seen St. Pierre-Laviolette perform well during Saskatchewan Roughriders rookie camp the summer prior. Uppsala’s starting running back was unavailable to start the season, which is when the 86ers came calling.

After pondering his options, the Canadian decided to take the risk, heading to the Swedish Superserien league for the 2017 season. There is no age limit in the league, so he was playing against athletes that were twice his age at times. In Sweden, the season is also 15 games long, and teams play American rules, with 11 players instead of 12.

“It was a really great experience,” he says of his time in Sweden. “I loved playing football down there a lot, and I feel like it also opened some coaches eyes to the fact that hey, maybe this kid might be someone worth looking in to.”

Individually, St. Pierre-Laviolette led the six team league in rushing, utilizing his game-breaking speed to burn defences.

“[The coaching staff] tried to get me to do power runs, but I don’t think they were expecting me to be as small as I was,” he says.

“As soon as they realized my running style, we switched it all up to zone, and they utilized my skill set to make it work for me, which was awesome, because I’m not trying to go around trucking people.”

St. Pierre-Laviolette during his time with Uppsala. Photo by Yamamoto Shinji.

Personally, the trip to Europe opened St. Pierre-Laviolette’s eyes to the allure of other countries.

“We got to travel to Finland for a game, so I took an overnight cruise to do that, which was awesome,” he says. “When you’re driving down the highway, you’d see old castles and stuff like that. It was completely different and a very beautiful country.”

The Swedish season lasted until July, giving the Canadian the chance to be back in time for the 2017 CJFL campaign as well, where he was ranked as the fourth best junior player in all of Canada entering the season. Injuries derailed him slightly, but he was still impactful on the field.

Commitment to the University of Manitoba

St.. Pierre-Laviolette’s accomplishments in junior as well as Europe peaked the interest of multiple U SPORTS schools. The decision as to where to take his talents came down to the University of Regina and University of Manitoba, and he ultimately settled on the Herd.

“The U of M just seemed like the better fit for me. It was closer to home, and I’ve always wanted to be a Bison. School-wise, I feel like that’s going to be the best for me to succeed, he says.

He noted that he’s both “excited and nervous” to return to the books.

“I haven’t been to school in 4-5 years, so it’s definitely going to be a change to head back and try and be a student. But it’s also exciting that I have a chance to get an education, and if football doesn’t work for me, I then have something to fall back on.”

The junior football veteran has already met with coach Dobie and multiple players on the roster, such as fellow running back Jamel Lyles. With Lyles’s power and St. Pierre-Laviolette’s speed in the backfield, the possibilities are endless.

“He basically told me not to consider him a starter or me a starter,” the latter says of his conversation with Lyles. “We’re just kind of going to be the one-two punch, and whatever they feel like is going to help them win games, I’m more than willing to do.”

Larsen looking to capitalize on second U SPORTS opportunity

By: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

Image Caption: Chris Larsen during his time with the Westshore Rebels. Photo by Erich Eichhorn

Defensive end/linebacker Chris Larsen will be the first to tell you that his football journey hasn’t necessarily been the smoothest. But he’s battled through the trials and tribulations thrown at him, and come out a better man because of it.

Larsen – a native of Toronto – was a late bloomer to the game, not strapping on the pads until grade nine. He was always interested in playing, but was caught up with other sports.

“I always played football in the schoolyard with my friends and stuff like that, and I guess that’s where I started to get my base skills,” he says.

“After grade eight, when I went off to high school, I went to a school that was well known for their football team, and that’s one of the things that I wanted to do, was join.”

From grades 9-12, Larsen was a versatile weapon for East York Collegiate Institute, as well as his summer team, the Scarborough Thunder of the Ontario Varsity Football League (OVFL).

The six-foot-five, 230-pound product saw action at free safety, linebacker and defensive end, and also suited up on the opposite side of the line as a receiver and quarterback.

In his second year at East York, he helped his squad to a regional championship by hauling in 11 touchdowns, and he was also an OVFL all-star in 2012.

Larsen during his high school days. Photo by canadafootballchat.

“[Playing on offence] just kind of opened my eyes to how offensive players think,” he says of his well-rounded high school career. “I like to play sort of a mental game, so being able to see how that side of the ball sees your position, I think just helps out a lot.”

Commitment to Guelph

Larsen’s performance on the field caught the eye of most of the top tier teams in the OUA. But it was the Guelph Gryphons who stood out. Their staff had originally started chatting with Larsen after the OVFL all-star game in his grade 10 year, and continued to keep in touch. Larsen appreciated their diligence, as he was going through some personal struggles during high school.

“Ever since grade 10 [Guelph] would always be checking in on me,” Larsen says.

I had a pretty rough time in high school. My dad passed away and just going through that stuff was hard and I was struggling in school. Not a lot of coaches would keep in contact after you tell them your marks are not scholarship-eligible, but every once in a while, the Guelph coaches would check in to see how school was going, and would tell me that they’re still interested.”

Persistence paid off for the Gryphons, as Larsen ultimately chose to commit to Guelph for the 2015 season. But there was still the question of academics, something that the hybrid defensive end/linebacker had struggled with ever since his fathers passing.

“When coaches start to hit you with the questions about your schooling, you go school? I thought you guys wanted me for football. All the reality of that stuff kind of kicked in.”

Larsen was a late admission to Guelph, due to having to shore up some academic issues. But he made it for training camp, impressing the coaches enough at the defensive end position to make the dressing roster as a rookie.

As a team, the Gryphons were able to capture the OUA conference championship, their first since 1996.

“That whole year was pretty surreal, from dressing in games, to learning from the older guys on the team,” Larsen says. “Being able to win the Yates Cup in my first year was an amazing experience as well. All in all in was a good time.”

Academic challenges

Unfortunately, off the field, things weren’t going as smoothly. Larsen fell behind in some of his classes and was academically ineligible following his first year.

“Just trying to be able to balance football with class, it’s a big difference from high school, with the course load, and a lot of responsibility for class work on you and not really on the teachers,” he says.

“That was a big change.”

Larsen took some summer classes in order to try and gain his eligibility back for the 2016 season, but missed the standard by 2-3 percent. Instead of getting down on himself, he continued to stay positive on the gridiron.

“In my mindset, I just wanted to make as many practices as possible, play scout team and just make the guys in front of me even better every day.”

Academically, Larsen was doing much better in his second year, but was still a bit short of the eligibility requirements. He took another summer course in order to try and boost his GPA, but fell 0.04 percent shy of the standard required to play. It was at this time that Larsen decided leaving Guelph was likely his best bet.

“In my eyes, I didn’t want to not play another year of football,” he says.

“Dressing in my first year and playing was fun, but knowing I wasn’t playing a lot of time, and second year not playing at all, looking back on it, if I really want to have a set goal of going professional, there’s no footage of me playing enough time, so ultimately that’s why I left.”

Westshore move

After departing university, Larsen set out to find a junior team to play for, in order to get more game footage that he could send to professional scouts.

He saw on social media that a few of his former teammates from Scarborough were heading out west to play for the Westshore Rebels of the British Columbia Football Conference (BCFC). That, coupled with the fact that he’d always wanted to travel to BC, made his decision to commit to the Rebels a natural choice.

Westshore had a number of former U SPORTS players on their roster, and were fresh off a national championship appearance from the year before. They rolled to a 9-1 regular season, before being upset in the conference championship.

Larsen with Westshore, and now Bison teammates Jeremie Drouin (first on left) and Kent Hicks (second on right).

Despite the result, Larsen accomplished what he set out to do, which was increase his visibility on the field. Individually, he registered 4.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries, an interception and a touchdown.

“I felt like I got snubbed of an all-star vote, but it’s also pretty hard to get a vote with the other guys on the d-line I was playing with,” he says with a chuckle.

Manitoba Bound

As the year started to come to a close, Larsen had a choice to make in terms of where he would play the following year. He knew he wanted to get back to the U SPORTS level in order to finish what he started, and settled on the Canada West conference.

“Me personally, I felt that playing in the OUA again would feel too weird, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go out east, so CanWest was my option. As a league, the competition was always strong.”

Before the end of the year, Rebels defensive coordinator Shane Beatty introduced Larsen to Manitoba Bisons head coach Brian Dobie, who was on a trip recruiting multiple members of the Westshore roster. Larsen’s teammates also put in a good word for him, and after watching his film, the Bisons went all in on the Ontario product.

With his commitment, Larsen has a second chance to prove to himself that he has what it takes to thrive both on the field and in the classroom.

“The first thing I want to deal with is school. I want to have over a 70 average and be able to earn my scholarship and my degree,” he says.

“Athletically, I think with the team there already is, there’s a lot of talent, and with the guys who I know, I think there’s something special that could happen for sure.”

Twelve players with Manitoba connections invited to 2018 CFL Western Regional Combine

Written by: Mike Still (@mikestill94)

The CFL unveiled its full list of regional combine participants today, and 14 Manitobans have made the cut, as well as one incoming Manitoba Bison recruit. Five of the nine selected athletes come from the Bisons program, two from the Winnipeg Rifles (PFC), and one each from the Minot State Beavers (NCAA Division II) Saskatchewan Huskies (Canada West), Calgary Dinos (Canada West) and Calgary Colts . The incoming recruit, Tyson Thompson, is a former member of both the Bishops Gaitors (RSEQ) as well as the Westshore Rebels (BCFC).

Below is a breakdown of each of the players invited.

Jayden McKoy, DB, Manitoba Bisons: McKoy has done it all for the Herd during his career. His 13 total interceptions puts him third all-time in program history, and he has also recorded 150 total tackles. McKoy’s versatility has shown over the years, specifically in 2016 and 2017, where he played both safety and halfback. He was also a team captain last season and was honoured with his first career Canada West All-Star selection.

When asked after the 2017 season about his versatility, he said “I feel like I’m a bit more natural at the free safety position, but I’ll go in there at half and just do my job.”

McKoy in game action against Regina. Photo by Chantal Zdan.

Tyler Fong, DB, Manitoba Bisons: Fong has been a valuable leader in Manitoba’s secondary ever since stepping on campus in 2013. He’s a three-time captain with strong range who hits like a mack truck. Injuries have hampered the veteran for the past few seasons, but his journey, both on and off the field, is one that many players can look up to.

Fong makes a tackle against Regina. Photo by mytoba.ca.

Anthony Daley, OL, Manitoba Bisons: Daley spent the last two seasons with the Bisons, and was a captain last year. Prior to joining the Herd, he enjoyed tremendous success with Langley Rams of the BCFC, earning two All-Canadian selections while also attending BC Lions training camp on three separate occasions as a territorial exemption.

Daley alongside teammate Reid McMorris. Photo by Jeff Miller.

James Mau, LB, Manitoba Bisons: Mau had a breakout season as Manitoba’s starting middle linebacker in 2017, finishing fourth in the conference in total tackles with 48, while also adding a sack, two fumble recoveries and an interception. Aside from his contributions as a linebacker, Mau was also a stud on special teams for the better part of four seasons.

“I walked into training camp with a lot of confidence, just knowing that I knew the playbook better than anybody else did because I’m a fifth-year guy,” Mau said at the end of the year regarding his 2017 performance. “I really worked hard in the offseason, on and off the field and dedicated a lot of time to football.”

Mau makes a tackle against UBC. Photo by Chantal Zdan.

Stephen Ugbah, WR, Manitoba Bisons: A member of the roster since 2014, Ubgbah had the best season of his U SPORTS career last year, hauling in 15 receptions for 2016 yards and a touchdown. Ugbah has battled injuries over the past few years, but when healthy is a deep playmaking threat with solid athleticism.

Ugbah celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Guelph Gryphons. Photo by Trevor Hagan.

Taylor Maloney, WR, Minot State: Maloney wreaked havoc as a member of Brandon’s Crocus Plains Plainsmen in high school, earning himself looks both north and south of the border. Over the past four years with the Beavers, Maloney has amassed 444 yards receiving, including a career-high 323 yards this past year.

Odun Ogidan, RB, Winnipeg Rifles: One half of the two-headed monster in the Rifles backfield for the past few seasons, Ogidan amassed 964 rushing yards over four years, after only playing football competitively for two years previously. He’s dangerous to tackle in space and has a high motor.

Ogden off to the races against Calgary. Photo by Hudl.com.

Micheal Ritchott, RB, Winnipeg Rifles: Ritchott was nothing short of stellar during his tenure with the Rifles. He tallied a whopping 2,179 yards on the ground from 2014-17, and also added 861 yards and two scores as one of the league’s most dangerous kick returners. He’s also got professional experience, having participated in the Blue Bomber’s rookie camp for the past two years.

Ritchott dives for the end zone. Photo by Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Dylan Minshull, RB, Calgary Colts: Minshull was an unstoppable force for Brandon’s Neelin Spartans in high school, and has carried his success to the junior football ranks, registering 2,070 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns over three years with the Colts. The former conference all-star’s playoff numbers are just as impressive, as in four contests, he’s averaged over 100 yards rushing with four total scores.

Minshull runs over a Saskatoon defender. Photo by hudl.com.

Brooks Falloon, DB, Saskatchewan Huskies: Falloon – a former All-Canadian with the Winnipeg Rifles and native of St. Lazare, Manitoba – has been an integral part of the Huskies secondary for the past two years, amassing 76.5 tackles as well as two interceptions. His presence was particularly felt last year as a veteran amidst a group of relatively young teammates on the back end.

Falloon makes a tackle against UBC. Photo by Greg Pender.

Curtis Krahn, OL, Calgary Dinos: Krahn, who enjoyed success with the Winnipeg Rifles before joining the Dinos roster in 2015, has been a mainstay on Calgary’s offensive line. With his help, the team has won two straight Hardy Cup titles, while also providing blanket-like protection to whoever is under centre.

Krahn shortly after signing his letter of intent with Calgary in 2015. Photo by Calgary Dinos football.

Tyson Thompson, OL, Westshore Rebels: Thompson was a dominant force for the past two years with the Rebels, earning a conference all-star selection in 2017. He’s endured some health struggles in the past, but is currently in the best shape of his career and ready to make an impact either in the CFL or with the Bisons.

“This year I was able to start reaching my full potential and start turning into the player I’ve always wanted to be,” he told manitobafootballfeed back in December. “Hopefully I can continue to do that over the next two years.”

Thompson with former head coach JC Boice, shortly after winning the BCFC’s Cullen Cup in 2016.

Football more than a sport for Bison-bound Montour

Growing up without a father is never easy. But for Sisler Spartans linebacker Easton Montour, football has provided him with invaluable levels of male guidance, as well as the confidence to succeed both on and off the field.

Living in the north end, Montour’s mother and grandmother originally registered him for football as a way to stay preoccupied from bad influences.

“I didn’t really enjoy [football] at first,” Montour says. “It was just something to do after school.”

But Montour’s minor football coaches saw his potential from a young age, and became critical assets in his life.

“I always had a strong bond with my coaches, because I didn’t have that father figure,” he says. “Usually my mom would be working by the time I had practice, so I’d need a ride, so I’d ask coaches.”

As Montour got older, his performance continued to rise. In his first year with the Spartans junior varsity team in grade nine for example, he was named as the Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Despite his accolades, Montour continued to be his own worst critic.

“Throughout the whole year, I was better and I improved obviously, but I didn’t stick out, really. I was just there,” he says. “I didn’t make any big plays, I just made tackles here and there.”

At the end of his grade nine year, Montour found another role model in Vincent Massey Winnipeg/Team Manitoba U16 head coach Kelsey McKay, who helped him with his confidence and performance as a member of the provincial team.

“I improved so much from [being on the provincial team],” he says. After that, I was contemplating going to Vincent Massey, because I’d made friends there and I really liked coach McKay. He was really nice to me.”

After contemplating his options, Montour chose to stay at Sisler for his grade 10 year. His decision paid off, as the team won the junior varsity title, despite Montour sustaining a foot injury.

It was around this time that Montour met Mitchell Harrison, a former defensive standout for the Manitoba Bisons as well as a Sisler alumnus. He had returned to his old high school as a teacher, but was also joining the staff as the defensive coordinator.

Harrison makes a tackle during his time with Manitoba. Photo by David Lipnowski.

Over the next two years, Harrison became a mentor for Montour, having been in his exact shoes in the past.

“The demographic is completely the same as when I went there. You’re going to have the kids that are going to try and get you into gangs, you’re going to have the kids that are doing drugs and all that stuff. I had friends that did those sorts of things and they’re still my friends, but you have to separate yourself from them to a certain extent,” Harrison says.

“It’s about painting that line for him, that you have a future and you have to focus that a bit, and organize your priorities. And I think the fact that I went through that not too long ago made it easier for him to relate to it.”

With support from Harrison, as well as Sisler head coach Sean Esselmont, Montour continued to shine on the field.

In his grade 11 year, he was named team MVP. That winter, he also made premier training program Recruit Ready’s seven-on-seven travelling team, where he competed against some of the top high school players in the USA. Recruit Ready’s staff is comprised of a number of former elite level university athletes, as well as current and former CFL and NFL pros.

“Recruit Ready helped me a ton with playing football, and my coverage,” Montour says. “I was going into the season like yes, I am the best defensive player there is in this league. I was beyond confident.”

Montour also made Team Manitoba later that summer, and when he returned for his senior year in 2017, Harrison could tell he was more focused than ever to succeed.

“He’ll completely transition, he’s like the goofiest player you’ll meet off the field and such a fun time to be around. But then he puts his helmet on and he’s just a completely different person. You can tell that the passion and intensity is there,” he says.

“You don’t get that from a lot of high school kids, they’re just there to have fun, but he takes it very seriously, and it shows.”

Montour’s senior season was nothing short of dominant. He finished with 70.5 tackles and was honoured at years end as the AAA Defensive Player of the Year. Personally, the award meant a lot to Montour, as he had told his uncle – who he also looked to as a role model – that he was going to finish the year leading the league in tackles.

“I wanted to be first. And I did finish first the next season,” he says.

“I told [my uncle] the amount of tackles I had and he was really happy. It honestly felt really nice. I always knew that he was proud of me, but it felt good for him to actually show it.”

Montour (L) after receiving the AAA Defensive Player of the Year Award. Photo by Geordie Wilson.

With his senior year coming to a close, Montour had a choice to make. He wanted to go to university, but knew that without a scholarship, that wouldn’t be an option. He was also in close conversation with the Vancouver Island Raiders of the BC junior football league, and was leaning towards heading west.

Thankfully, all through the recruiting process, Harrison was right there. It brought the duo even closer together.

“I just told him not to mislead anyone, and ultimately, to look out for himself and whatever is best for him,” Harrison says.

Ultimately, Montour was blessed with an opportunity to play for the U of M, while also gaining a scholarship for school. Not surprisingly, Bison football head coach Brian Dobie was open and transparent the whole way through.

“When I went to go meet with [Dobie] the one time, we had a long conversation,” Montour says. “He loves to talk, I love to talk and he was really straight up with me. I told him what my weaknesses were and how I feel and everything.”

When Montour starts his post-secondary journey, he won’t be embarking alone. Harrison will continue to lend him his ear in the hopes that the young star can continue to succeed just like he’s done at every level of football thus far.

“I told him there’s a group of guys that are dedicated to school and stuff like that, and you need to associate yourself with that, because otherwise it’s going to be hard to maintain the academic side,” he says.

“I also told him to reach out to me in terms of marking papers and that sort of stuff. I screwed up a lot in my first year, so I’m just trying to make sure that he doesn’t.”