Bisons first on the docket for Dinos
Top-seeded Calgary takes 8-0 record into Canada West grid playdowns
Throw out the records, the standings, the stats and the rankings. It’s playoff time in Canada West. And anything can happen. The top-seeded University of Calgary Dinos begin their playoff pursuits Saturday at McMahon Stadium (noon, CanadaWest.tv), and it’s a Manitoba Bisons team with nothing to lose that’s between the Dinos and a trip to the Hardy Cup for the 11th straight year.
The teams met just three weeks ago at the same place, with Calgary taking a 34-16 win back in Week 6. That win clinched first place and top spot for the Dinos in the last meaningful game they played. But they didn’t let up in their final tune-up contests. Calgary wrapped up an 8-0 season by defeating the Regina Rams and the Alberta Golden Bears by a combined score of 110-12 in the last two weeks and carries plenty of momentum into the post-season.
“The guys prepared well for both games,” said Dinos head coach Wayne Harris. “We didn’t really pull back in any way in terms of who we would dress, and we went in with the players we expect to play throughout.
“It’s going to be a big challenge on Saturday, and we have to be prepared to play. It’s always tough playing Manitoba. Coach (Brian) Dobie has been in the league for a long time, and he does a great job preparing his teams. They have a lot of talent and weapons and one of the best return guys in the game.”
For their part, the Bisons will be looking for the major upset, and they have some experience in that department after upsetting the Dinos in their last playoff meeting, the 2014 Hardy Cup.
The Dinos are 3-3 against the Bisons in playoff games, with the last one going Manitoba’s way in the 2014 Hardy Cup. The teams last met in the semifinal round in 2012, with Calgary winning 57-18.
Calgary-raised QB Des Catellier, the Bisons QB, struggled in Week 7 against the Saskatchewan Huskies and missed Week 8 with a lower body injury. He finished fourth in the conference with 287.4 passing yards per game along with 16 touchdowns.
He’ll be met this week by Calgary’s solid defence, which has been incredibly stingy down the stretch. The Dinos haven’t given up a touchdown since the midway point of the fourth quarter against the Bisons on Oct. 12. The defence hasn’t given up more than 20 points since Sept. 22 against the UBC Thunderbirds and led Canada West in points allowed, yards allowed, passing yards allowed, sacks and defensive touchdowns.
The Dinos are 28-6 at home alltime in the playoffs.
ALL-STAR DINOS
With the Hardy Cup semifinals set for this Saturday, Canada West unveiled the 2018 conference football all-stars Friday, with the undefeated Calgary Dinos leading the way.
A total of 11 Dinos were honoured as all-stars, which was the highest total among the conference’s six football programs.
Calgary landed five offensive allstars, five on defence and one on special teams. Among the Dinos all-stars were two unanimous selections. Quarterback Adam Sinagra and placekicker Niko DiFonte were acknowledged as the best at their respective positions by the conference’s coaches.
Sinagra set the Canada West and U Sports single-season passing yards record (3,233), while DiFonte finished the season with 24 field goals on the season, which sits second in the Canada West record book behind only Johnny Mark’s total of 26 (Calgary, 2015).
The other Dinos getting selected to the all-star squad were OT Logan Bandy, OT Tyler Packer, WR Hunter Karl, WR Tyson Philpot, LB Boston Rowe, LB Nic Statz, DE Joel Van Pelt, CB Deane Leonard and DB Sterling Taylor.