Five Manitoba Bisons have earned Canada West All-Star honours after impressive seasons that helped their team to the Hardy Cup semifinals, And all five are hometown Winnipeg kids.
Nathan Udoh, Nic Pereira, Sean Rowe, Dario Macchia and Kaleb Mackie-Mcleod impressed coaches across Canada West to earn all-star accolades.
"All the guys we're talking about are players you never worry about taking shortcuts. They're going to do everything and more than what they're supposed to do," said Bisons football head coach Stan Pierre.
Pereira, Mackie-Mcleod and Macchia all finished at the top in their respective positions in conference voting.
"That's significant recognition from other coaches," said Pierre.
Pereira was named the conference's best linebacker after a dominant season in which his production was through the roof. He finished with 29 tackles and 21 assists, leading the conference in interceptions with four.
This is Pereira's second consecutive season as a CW all-star and he'll leave the program 11th all-time in career tackles for a Bison.
"He came in as a really physical guy who loved to play football, and he's developed into a really physical guy who truly understands the game and is a great leader. Everything he gets, he really deserves," said Pierre.
Mackie-Mcleod, meanwhile, picks up his first all-star honour.
"This year, he really made some changes to become more explosive and improve his game, and it showed. He's had a really dominant and productive season," said Pierre.
The defensive tackle attended the Winnipeg Blue Bombers camp last year, which was one experience that Pierre points to for a boost in his growth. The other: his ability to take and quickly incorporate the feedback given to him by his Bisons coaching staff.
"We talked about how he looked earlier in his career, how he played compared to now, and he really took those things to heart. He made meaningful improvements to his game this year," said Pierre.
For Sean Rowe, accolades like this are nothing new. The offensive lineman already has Canada West all-star and U SPORTS all-Canadian titles to his name.
"He's clearly one of the better players, not only in our conference but in the country. He's a dominant left tackle, so this isn't surprising at all. It's very well deserved," said Pierre.
Not a glamorous position, nor one filled with impressive stats, but Rowe still managed his own fan club at games. 'Death Rowe' became a popular slogan at Princess Auto Stadium as he protected Cole Anseeuw, helping the first-year starter lead an offense that was able to shock the conference's top-ranked teams at times this season.
Nathan Udoh gets his first nod as a conference all-star after a season where he was one of the Herd's best players and leaders.
"He's a really hard worker, he loves football, and it's been a work in progress… It's really a carryover from last year. I saw a lot of those traits then too. He's been very consistent and very driven, setting a great example," said Pierre.
The receiver averaged 54 yards per game and snatched four touchdowns, the fourth most in Canada West. His plays came at big moments, and he made them bigger yet, with theatrical catches that had opponents shaking their heads. His football IQ made him a consistent contributor for the Herd all season long.
Rounding out the Bisons' selections is Dario Macchia, a third year linebacker who cemented a name for himself this season after transitioning from hockey to football.
"I think he was a little underrated in our conference. There are some excellent players at his position, including a player from Regina who's been the conference all-star the last couple of years and is a really, really good player. But Dario's stats are through the roof, and he makes huge plays for us all the time. He's always around the football," said Pierre.
Macchia was selected the conference's top SAM, posting 33 solo tackles (third in CW), 2.5 sacks (second in CW), three interceptions (third in CW), 6.5 tackles for loss (second in CW), and two fumble recoveries.
"He's a great player for us, period," said Pierre.
And a great glimpse into the future of Bisons football, as Udoh, Mackie-Mcleod, Rowe and Pereira graduate from the program. Macchia is a few seasons behind them but carries their torch and their same commitment and approach to the game.
Canada West will announce the major award winners this Thursday.
