Tag: Manitoba Bisons

Thompson healthy, focused and ready to make an impact for Bisons

Offensive lineman Tyson Thompson has endured a fair amount of tribulations during his football career. But every time a metaphorical wall was put in front of him, he smashed it down in pursuit of gridiron greatness.

Thompson comes from a football background. Relatives on both sides of his family have played at the university level in the past, with his Uncle Jake Vaughan and grandpa Kaye Vaughan both suiting up in the CFL. With this in mind it’s not surprising that the Squamish, B.C. native decided to take up the sport.

Despite his passion for the game, Thompson struggled to gain interest from university programs during his high school career at Howe Sound Secondary. This wasn’t for a lack of talent, but simply because he played in the smallest division of BC high school football.

“Being at a smaller high school, it was definitely harder to get exposure,” he says. “Just from the competition that I played against, I think I was a raw player with a lot of potential.”

In February of his senior year, Thompson’s university dreams inched closer to reality, thanks to a strong showing at a combine that was attended by scouts from UBC and Simon Fraser. Both schools wanted him, but academic issues interfered.

“For me, I had to upgrade courses to get into UBC or SFU,” Thompson says. “Both coaches at those programs wanted me to play junior and upgrade my courses so I could come the following year.”

Thompson was 17 at the time, and the idea of playing junior football while also working, going to school and living independently sounded daunting, so he decided to pass on both schools.

All was not lost though, as Bishop’s University in Lennoxville, Quebec was also interested in his services. His dad and uncle had both previously played at the school, and his mom’s side of the family also lived out east, so there was a strong family connection. Because of a difference in entrance requirements, Thompson was able to successfully enrol and became a member of the football team for the 2013 season.

Rollercoaster ride at Bishop’s

Thompson’s first year was filled with ups and downs. He experienced a “big culture shock” at first, and had to grow up pretty quickly because he was living on his own. On the field though, Bishop’s had a winning season and also hosted a playoff game. The team was filled with senior players who helped Thompson adjust to university-level play.

Thompson was ambitious entering his second year, based on the success of the season prior. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned, as the team struggled and he didn’t end up dressing until late in the campaign.

“I came in a little bit cocky from my first year because I started to dress at the end of the year and I thought I was going to just walk on to the field and be the guy in my second year, but that wasn’t the case.”

Thompson after signing with Bishop’s. Photo by Squamish Chief.

Thompson’s fortunes went from bad to worse following the 2014 season, as he re-aggravated a back injury that was eventually diagnosed as three herniated discs.

“The process of rehabbing from that injury was pretty long,” he says. “I got diagnosed with the injury in January of 2015, and I wasn’t able to start lifting and running again until June, so it was almost a six month rehab just to do regular stuff again.”

Going into his third year, Thompson was still having sciatic nerve pain down the left side of his leg and foot. He didn’t feel like his body was where it needed to be in order to compete at his best, so he sat out the 2015 season. By the end of the semester, Thompson was looking at other options, as he didn’t feel that the nonchalant culture in the locker room was changing.

After mulling over his options, he decided to return to BC to play junior football. His decision was rooted primarily with the notion that he’d be able to get more snaps and also gain confidence coming off of his injury.

Thompson had interest from a few different programs, but settled on the Westshore Rebels for the 2016 season. His choice was heavily influenced by defensive co-ordinator Shane Beatty’s move to the Rebels from Okanagan in the offseason. Beatty had previously helped CFL draft pick and former Okanagan sun defender Dexter Janke get back to a high level of play after three different tears to his ACL, and Thompson felt he could benefit from Beatty’s knowledge.

“The main reason I wanted to play for [coach Beatty] is because he had a strong reputation for helping players train in the weight room and rehab,” Thompson says.

“Just coming off of the injury I had, I really felt that this was going to be the coach that could change my circumstances and get me back at a level on the playing field that I felt good at.”

‘Culture of accountability’ with the Rebels

When Thompson arrived at Westshore, he noticed an immediate shift in intensity compared to Bishop’s, as there was a “culture of accountability” instilled in every player.

“I remember showing up and we had 50 guys working out together five days of the week from April until the beginning of the season in July,” he says.

“Right there, that really brought the team super close together and created that culture that everybody has to put in the same amount of work if we want to be willing to win.”

On the field, Thompson was able to thrive, thanks to intense physical training and a rejuvenated attitude. He started every game, as the Rebels went from two wins the year prior, to eight wins and a trip to the national championship.

Thompson (L) in action for Westshore. Photo by Westshore Rebels Football Club.

“The competition we faced in practice each week was probably more challenging than the games,” he says.

“I think that’s what really got us prepared and why we were so successful. By the time game time rolled around we had already seen the worst, so we were a confident group going into each game.”

In 2017, Thompson took his game a step further, earning a conference all-star selection as the Rebels went 9-1 in the regular season before getting upset in the playoffs.

Thompson with former Squamish teammate James Harney. Photo by Squamish Chief.

“I felt like I was really able to dominate my opponent in certain circumstances on the field, and I felt like I played at a much higher level than I did in my first year,” he says.

When the year ended, Thompson knew it was time to return to school. He has two years of eligibility left, and wanted to finish what he started on the field while also completing his degree.

He sent his film out to a bunch of coaches, one of which was Manitoba’s Brian Dobie. The two had a few phone calls and Thompson also came on a visit. He liked what he saw and committed to the squad in early January. He’ll be joining former Westshore teammates Scott Borden Jr., Kent Hicks and Jamel Lyles, and has his sights set on a Vanier Cup.

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

Hicks ready for second go with Bisons

Defensive tackle Kent Hicks is an intelligent, strategic thinker, and it’s shown in his football journey.

For example, up until grade 10, his high school in Abbotsford, B.C. didn’t have a football program. In order to compensate, he played both community football and rugby – the latter of which helped with athleticism as well as toughness.

Hicks had thoughts of continuing with rugby after high school, but ultimately decided he’d be able to go further and gain an education through football.

Coming out of high school in 2013, he had offers from a few different teams but chose Manitoba. His decision came down to a few different factors, with one being the chance to get playing time immediately.

“[Defensive tackle] Shahpour [Birjandian] had torn his biceps that spring camp and that spot as the third man in the rotation was up for grabs,” Hicks says. “I really felt that I had the chance and could do it.”

U SPORTS adjustment

When Hicks first came to Manitoba’s training camp, the shift in the level of play was noticeable.

“I was like a child playing against men,” he says.

“I definitely didn’t know my body at all. So coming into main camp and getting thrown in right away, the play-calling and the speed and strength of the game was an adjustment.”

Hicks credits fellow defensive lineman Evan Gill – a first round pick of the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2014 – with helping him adjust to the level of play in U SPORTS. Gill’s advice paid off, as Hicks dressed and played in every game as a true freshman.

“Evan just kind of took me under his wing and showed me some tricks of the trade,” Hicks says. “I can’t thank him enough for what he did, because that ultimately set me up for the rest of my football career.”

The following season was memorable for its immense peaks and valleys. The lowest point came in week three against Calgary, when Gill went down with a torn ACL and was gone for the year.

Aside from being an emotional leader, Gill was also an invaluable anchor at defensive tackle on a strong front four that also featured current Saints defensive lineman David Onyemata. With Gill injured, Hicks was forced to step in against Calgary’s future CFLers Sean McEwen and Sukh Chungh.

“Normally you had guys on the field like Dave who would beat [the opposing offensive line] down on the field and then I would come in when they were tired and still be able to manage, because yeah I might be a little bit slower, but they’re tired so I can keep up. But now it’s full-boar and we’re going.”

While Hicks was nervous, he also treated the injury as his chance to “get going.” He was a mainstay on the line for the duration of the season, which culminated in a Hardy Cup victory and trip to the national semi-final against the eventual Vanier Cup champion Montreal Carabins.

Injury and return home

If 2014 was a career highlight for Hicks, then the following year was surely a lowlight. He tore his meniscus in spring camp, and ended up having to get surgery, putting him out for the entire season. During this process, he also began to have second thoughts about wanting to be in school.

“I definitely hit a low. To me, I’d never had an injury like that, and I think it got to my mind a lot,” he says.

“The 2015 season came around and it was just hard. It was hard not being able to play and still having to be at all the football functions. It definitely took a state on my mind and I just didn’t want to do school anymore, I just sick of it. Football was starting to not become fun anymore and I needed to get away, get back home and refocus.”

Hicks wasn’t alone in his struggles. Fellow Bison Jamel Lyles was also at a personal crossroads and had suggested to him that playing junior football back in his home province of B.C. might be a good option. Not long afterwards, both players were members of the Westshore Rebels in the British Columbia Football Conference. Christian Krause and Lerenzo Ihanza, both former Bisons, also made the decision to join the Rebels, along with numerous other players from different U SPORTS programs across the country.

“[Westshore] stuck out more because of the guys that were going there, and I thought wow, we’re going to make a powerhouse at this place,” Hicks says.

He wasn’t wrong. The Rebels went from 2-8 in 2015 to 8-1-1 in 2016 and a trip to the national championship. The following season they went 9-1. Hicks was also named a conference all-star in both of his seasons with the team.

Hicks after winning the Cullen Cup with Westshore in 2016. Photo by Jessica Lenz.

“I became that vocal leader on the team, but that’s just who I am,” he says. “It was so much easier to be able to do that, because I had guys like Jamel out there and guys like [Christian] CK [Krause]. They already knew who I was. I didn’t feel like I had to prove myself in order for people to listen to me.”

Re-commitment to Manitoba

Immediately following the 2017 season, Hicks had doubts as to whether his football career was going to continue, due to both his body as well as a lack of interest from university programs.

“Teams weren’t really talking to me after that second season,” he says. “I didn’t know if they were wondering if I was going to be going back to Manitoba or if I was done playing football.”

Around three weeks later, the calls started to come in though. It came down to Regina or Manitoba, but ultimately Hicks chose to return to the place that he was already familiar with, along with former teammates such as Lyles – who had re-joined the Bisons the year prior – as well as quarterback Scott Borden Jr, who committed in mid-December.

“All my friends from Westshore, this brotherhood that we had built, if we can move something like this into the young, talented team at Manitoba, the Canada West is definitely in for a surprise,” he says.

“No doubt about it, if we can get the recruits that we’re still trying to work on from my team, Manitoba will definitely be dangerous.”

While Hicks is stoked to be returning to the university ranks, he also has his sights set on the CFL. He was a participant in the 2017 Western Regional Combine, and was able to gauge where he needed to be at physically in order to reach the pros.

Hicks (R) and former Rebel teammate/Manitoba native Jeremie Drouin (L) pose during the 2017 CFL Regional Combine. Photo provided by Kent Hicks.

“I realize that I have the potential to play at the next level and last year was definitely a learning curve to see where I needed to be,” he says.

“I’m going to play football for these two years at the University of Manitoba to get a CFL career out of it. I’ve worked so hard my whole life to have that opportunity and Manitoba is a place where I can do that.”

Samson Abbott: From soccer player to football star

Samson Abbott went to St. Paul’s High School in grade nine with the intention of being the team’s star soccer player. It’s funny how things turn out sometimes.

Abbott had participated in soccer since he was four years old, but had never played a down of football. That is, until grade nine, when he was approached to play on the junior varsity team for the Crusaders.

“I was about 6’1” when I was in grade nine, so I was a pretty tall kid,” he says. [The St. Paul’s coaching staff] asked me if I wanted to play offensive line. I did that, and honestly I didn’t like it very much, so I went up next year and tried defensive line. I liked that a lot more.”

The rest, as they say, is history – thanks in part to Abbott’s rugby coach at St. Paul’s, who, while on a trip to Dallas in grade 10, convinced him to give up his soccer ventures in order focus on the gridiron, where he was a growing star.

“[The rugby coach] looked over at me and said ‘Sam, you’re not a soccer player. Look at you man, you’re about the heaviest soccer player in your league by about 40 pounds.’”

Abbott enjoyed a successful run in grades 11 and 12 as a member of the vaunted AAA Crusaders squad. The team went a combined 20-0, including two provincial championships. But Abbott was slightly hindered in the recruiting process early on, as he was cut from the provincial team in grade 11, and, after making Team Manitoba the following year, had to bow out due to an injury a few weeks before the start of the Canada Cup.

Abbott during his time with the St. Paul’s Crusaders. Photo by Trevor Hagan.

Thankfully, his AAA head coach Stacy Dainard put in a good word with a number of schools, and it didn’t take much for teams across Canada to become interested in Abbott’s services. He also got some exposure from Recruit Ready, which is widely regarded as one of the best all-year round football training programs in the country.

Abbott was contacted by programs all across Canada as well as North Dakota and North Dakota State in the NCAA, but opted to settle on Alberta for the 2014 season. The first conversation he had with the recruiter from the U of A came over the phone at the end of the 2013 provincial championship, and at first, he thought it was a joke.

“I thought I was getting prank called by my friends.”

“I had never played football before high school and coach Dainard had sort of hinted that I may be getting some calls from people but I never really took him seriously, because, again I’d missed Canada Cup and the year before that I’d been cut from the team. All along the way, I’d had better football players than me in my years at St. Paul’s.”

Nonetheless, Abbott’s talent level was hard to ignore, and he continued to prove this fact during his time with the Golden Bears. As a redshirt, he gained valuable experience playing against Alberta’s number one offence, which included 2017’s Hec Crighton winner Ed Ilnicki. The following two years he made his presence felt as a standout on special teams, and also led the team in sacks as a rookie in 2015. He also enjoyed a small stint with Alberta’s wrestling team – winning a bronze medal in his first and only tournament.

Abbott (first left) poses for a picture with a few fellow engineering students/teammates during his time with the Golden Bears. Photo by Amber Bracken.

By the end of the 2016 season however, Abbott knew he needed to come back home.

“I had family in Manitoba at a lot of different stages of their life,” he says. “I talked to my parents, and they just felt like they’d like me home. And I wanted to come home, so I let the U of A know that I wouldn’t be coming back.”

As someone who spends a fair bit of time in the gym, Abbott hit things off pretty quickly with Bison football strength and conditioning coach Cole Scheller upon his return home. Seeing the facilities as well as the dedicated training program made his decision to commit to the team a relatively easy one.

“I absolutely love working with Cole and the gym here is amazing,” he says. “As a guy who loves to work out a lot, I came in on my visit when I was coming back and saw that, and I knew I made the right choice.”

Abbott had to sit out the 2017 U SPORTS season due to transfer rules, and chose to play for the Winnipeg Rifles of the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL). He continued to train with the Bisons both before the Rifles season began, as well as after it ended, however.

Abbott’s time playing in the CJFL was memorable. His five sacks led the team and was just one short of first in the Prairie Football Conference. The Rifles went 4-4 in the regular season before losing a tightly fought battle in the conference semi-final to the eventual national champion Saskatoon Hilltops.

Despite the result, Abbott enjoyed his time with Winnipeg, stating that it was a nice shift from an Alberta program that had struggled to find the win column during his three years, going from 3-5 in 2014, to 2-6 in 2015, and 1-7 in 2016.

“I think the big benefit for playing junior, is just playing,” he says.

“I’m the happiest I’ve been in three years playing games and being competitive in them. That’s huge. I think it’s pretty easy to forget why you like football when you’re always losing. And to go from a team like Alberta, to a team where you’re a big part of it and you contribute a lot and you’re always in games, that’s big.”

Looking ahead to the 2018 season, Abbott is more motivated than ever. The engineering student knows exactly where his strengths lie and he’s looking forward to finally strapping on the pads with his hometown team.

“First things first I just want to contribute. I’m a pretty big guy and I move pretty well for how big I am, and that lends itself to pass rushing and it lends itself to special teams, which are two things I think I do pretty well.”

Versatile Wilfer hoping to become the next Geoff Gray

Self-determination isn’t a skill that’s acquired easily, but for offensive lineman Kyle Wilfer, it’s come relatively naturally.

A product of local powerhouse St. Paul’s, Wilfer didn’t take the standard route when it came to the recruiting process. The average player goes through the provincial team program, hoping to make a name for themself during the Canada Cup. But Wilfer opted for the self-made approach, starting in grade nine.

“My mom would film the games so I could make a good highlight tape and start the recruiting process,” he says. “I got some responses from there and it just grew and grew.”

Wilfer comes from a football family and has been playing the game his whole life, starting at the minor football level with the Fort Gary Lions. But entering grade 10 – as a rookie on St. Paul’s AAA squad – a new challenge was thrust upon him when he was asked to switch from the defensive to offensive line.

“I remember [head] coach [Stacy] Dainard bringing me into his office and saying ‘hey Kyle, if you want to play at the next level, you’re going to have to play offensive line.’ I was 6’3, 220 pounds and I’m thinking to myself, hey I’m 220 pounds there’s no way in hell I can play offensive line right now, but it was a lot of time to bulk up.”

Wilfer spent all summer working out and “eating whatever he could,” in order to be ready for his debut season at the AAA level. Not only did he achieve this feat, he also started – at left tackle no less – on a squad littered with grade 11’s and 12’s. Wilfer was rewarded for his efforts at season’s end with the team’s rookie of the year award.

He would switch to right tackle in his grade 11 season and then back to the blind side in grade 12, winning back-to-back championships in the process as a valuable leader and captain for his squad.

Wilfer (#48) celebrating with his teammates after winning the AAA title with St. Paul’s. Photo by canadafootballchat.

“[Switching positions] was a huge jump and a lot of pressure, but it really made me into the offensive lineman that I am today, since it is a high pressure position, protecting your quarterback,” he says.

Teams across Canada also took notice of Wilfer’s skills, including the current Vanier Cup champion Western Mustangs, as well as StFX, Alberta and Simon Fraser in the NCAA. But Wilfer felt most at home with the Bisons. Head coach Brian Dobie started talking with him in grade 10, and the bond they formed over the years was invaluable.

“Coach Dobie and I have a great relationship,” Wilfer says. “We’ve had many meetings and many great talks, not just about football, but about life, which is an awesome thing.”

Wilfer felt comfortable enough with the Bisons program that he chose to commit before his senior season was even over – putting pen to paper in October. Seeing alumni such as David Onyemata and Geoff Gray – a fellow offensive lineman – make it to the NFL was also a big factor in Wilfer’s final decision. His long-term goal is to follow in their footsteps and make a name for himself south of the border.

“Any success in life isn’t any one persons doing, it’s a team effort,” he says. “It was hard work for Geoff Gray to [make it to the NFL], but he also had the support of his trainers and coaches at the U of M, and that’s something that I wanted to be a part of.”

Sweeter Life: Detailing Somto Anyadike’s pursuit of musical greatness

When Manitoba Bisons running back Somto Anyadike isn’t producing touchdowns on the field, he’s producing and writing beats off of them under the alias of Kingsley – his given middle name.

Anyadike began writing music in 2014. His biggest musical influence was Kanye West, due to his versatility and willingness to speak openly on his tracks.

“[Kanye’s] not afraid to speak his mind and have his own thoughts. I look to him as a way to carry myself,” says Anyadike.

Up until grade 11 in 2015, Anyadike would travel to studios downtown, paying $50 an hour for professionals to produce his music. It didn’t take long for him to realize this wasn’t a viable long-term option.

“I wasn’t satisfied with the quality and the time that was put into my songs,” Anyadike says.

“I was 16, and [the producers] just looked at me like a kid who just wants to do music for fun and was going through a phase, so they wouldn’t really put the time into producing my beats the way I wanted them to be. Eventually I thought, if they can do it, I can do it too.”

Not long after, Anyadike had his own set-up in his basement, complete with a mic, interface, MacBook and speakers. He admits that learning how to mix and master his own songs wasn’t easy at first.

“That took a while. A lot of YouTube tutorials, and a lot of trial and error.”

Anyadike wasn’t alone in his musical ventures however. His close friend Ben ‘Lavi$h’ Tshibamba was also a writer and performer, and played a big role in motivating Anyadike to pursue such a venture.

Kingsley and Lavi$h perform on stage together. Photo by Ben Tshibamba.

In May of 2017, Tshibamba came through Anyadike’s studio with a track known as No Friends. He had recorded it at his house originally, so the quality wasn’t great, and he was going to scrap it. But Anyadike connected with the lyrics.

“[Ben] was talking about how some of the people in his life are fake, and how he’s been through ups and downs and how music is his only way out. I related to that personally,” Anyadike says.

“We’ve been through those stages in life where everything isn’t happy, and you can’t really trust people anymore. I always wanted to rap about something like that, so I was like, man I’ve got to be in this track, I really relate to this.”

Once the track was complete, the duo decided to take their partnership a step further, and make a mixtape.

“We’d been making music before we made the tape, so I was like, man why don’t we just work on a tape together,” Anyadike says. “We probably made 20-plus songs, and only eight of them made it onto the tape.”

Kingsley and Lavi$h released their mixtape Sweeter Life in October. It’s gained traction quickly in the local music scene, with numerous songs being played in the clubs.

“Hearing your songs played at the club, it’s unreal, especially when people start dancing to it,” says Anyadike. “You know you did a good job when people don’t just stand there.”

The tape offers a little bit of everything, from the sombre and reflective No Friends, all the way to the confident and cocky 40 Million. Anyadike and Tshibamba show their breadth as artists, with powerful vocals as well as impactful lyrics.

Another song that stands out for Anyadike is Show You, a track that offers a little taste of the duo’s culture.

“We wanted to bring out that African side of us,” he says. “Ben is from the Congo, I’m from Nigeria, and the Afro-pop style we really relate to, so we thought that should be on the tape too.”

Anyadike is currently in the process of debuting his solo album. His plan is to keep it local, with his brother and other friends helping on the production side. Based on the success of his first project, there’s no doubt that the name Kingsley will be well-known in the industry in no time.

Scott Borden Jr. brings maturity, patience to quarterback position for Bisons

Quarterback Scott Borden Jr. knows a thing or two about overcoming adversity on the football field. It started when he was eight years old.

“You weren’t supposed to play football until you were 12 years old, so I was playing with all the older kids,” he says.

Borden Jr. grew into quite the athlete as he grew up, excelling not only in football, but also basketball and baseball for Halifax West High School in Nova Scotia. His goal was always to pursue sports at the university level, and he got the opportunity on the gridiron in 2013, committing to his hometown school of Saint Mary’s.

A year into his time with the Huskies however, Borden Jr. was yet again forced to overcome a major obstacle.

Borden Jr. in Huskies colours. Photo by Tim Krochak.

It was the third week of the 2014 Atlantic University Sport (AUS) season against Mount Allison. Borden Jr. was asked to run a quarterback draw on the last play of the first half. Hoping to make a big play to spark his team, he quickly felt the weight of two Mounties defenders on his back. The duo fell on top of him as he landed on the football.

His wrist snapped, wrapping around the football like a coil.

“It sounded like a branch,” Borden Jr. says. “That was tough, and it was my throwing arm too.”

The pivot ended up having surgery after discovering that he’d broken both the radius and ulna in his forearm. Doctors told him they didn’t know if he’d ever be able to play football again. It all depended how hard he worked with his rehab.

Borden Jr. went right to work, making a remarkable recovery. The injury occurred at the end of October, and he was throwing the ball again before Christmas.

“Breaking my wrist was a blessing, because now I had no excuse,” he says. “I had to work hard no matter what, because if I didn’t, there’s a chance I couldn’t play anymore.”

Borden Jr. was rewarded for his dedication with an invitation to the Montreal Alouette’s mini-camp that June as part of the U SPORTS internship program. He got the opportunity to work alongside Anthony Calvillo, and made great strides in his game.

The future looked bright for the young quarterback entering the 2015 season with Saint Mary’s. But in the first week of the season, he was forced to navigate yet another troubling situation.

Borden Jr. had won the starting quarterback job in training camp, and had expected to be the guy for the Huskies. But instead, former Saint Mary’s head coach Perry Marchese opted to go with a two-quarterback system.

This came as a shock to the sophomore pivot, and he decided that it was in his best interest to de-commit from the program, as he didn’t feel that he’d been given an appropriate opportunity to play to the best of his abilities.

Borden Jr. was contacted by a number of schools as soon as he de-committed. Ultimately, he decided to take his talents out to British Columbia for the 2016 season, signing with the Westshore Rebels, a junior football team in the British Columbia Football Conference (BCFC).

“My mindset was, I might as well go to junior, develop as a player, sit my year [of university football] out and come back to university polished.”

The Rebels had been a perennial basement dweller in the conference, finishing 2-8 the year prior. But former Westshore head coach JC Boice assembled a who’s-who of university athletes in the offseason, securing Manitoba’s Jamel Lyles, Christian Krause and Kent Hicks, Mount Allison’s Shaun Robinson and Bishop’s Jeremie Drouin, just to name a few.

Borden Jr. (middle) with his Rebels teammates Trey Campbell (left) and Jeremie Drouin (right). Photo by allsportmedia.ca

The squad rallied together, winning the conference title, before being knocked off in the national final by the Saskatoon Hilltops.

“We were a team,” Borden Jr. says. “That was the best team atmosphere that I’ve ever been on.”
That offseason, the pivot signed with the University of Alberta. Unfortunately, he was forced to de-commit, as be was unable to get a scholarship for the 2017 season. With his university plans put on hold momentarily, he chose to return to Westshore.

The Rebels finished the year 9-1 before being upset in the conference final. Borden Jr. was a standout, finishing the year with 1904 passing yards and 12 touchdowns en route to a conference all-star selection. The two years with Westshore fully prepared him for his second go-around at university football, as he was lining up against the best-of-the-best.

“Our practices were harder than the games,” he says. “You knew you were going against the best defensive line that you were going to see all year, or the best defensive backs. It really taught you how to compete all the time.”

At the end of the year, Borden Jr. knew he wanted to get back to university. He had his sights set on the Canada West, due to the consistently high level of competition. That’s when Manitoba’s Brian Dobie came knocking. He was given a good word about Borden Jr. from Lyles, who had returned to the Bisons for the 2017 season.

Dobie gave his reasoning about why Manitoba would be the right fit, and Borden Jr. bought in. He’ll be joining a roster that already has veteran Theo Deezar and upstart Des Catellier, who saw action in the back half of the 2017 campaign. But for the Halifax product, it’s just another challenge he’s ready to take on.

“Everywhere I’ve been, I’ve always had to compete,” he says. “I’d rather have to do that than to have the job handed to me. As a quarterback, you need to know that you have to perform. I like knowing that.”