the
Starting
Compiled by Scott Taylor,
Photos by Jeff Miller, James Carey
Lauder and Bruce Fedyck,
all Bisons photos by Jeff Miller
Line-Up
SportsLife Magazine brings
you the hottest news stories in
Manitoba sports. Once again,
we’ll catch up with a number of
the star athletes who have
been so sensational in 2016
FOUR U OF M BISONS SELECTED TO FOOTBALL ALL-STAR TEAM
Despite a 3-5 fifth-place finish in the Canada West Football Conference, four members of
the University of Manitoba Bisons have been named to the 2016 Canada West all-star team.
Bisons’ third year defensive end Evan Foster and fourth-year linebacker DJ Lalama were
named to the All-Conference Defensive Team while fourth-year guard Geoff Gray and first
year kick returner Shai Ross were named to the offensive team.
Foster, 25, was named a conference all-star for the
third consecutive year in his third season at Manitoba.
Geoff
The 6-foot-1, 245 pound DE was tied for second with four
Gray (67)
sacks, first in Canada West with eight tackles for losses,
had 38.5 total tackles (12th best in conference) and added
two break-ups with one forced fumble and a recovery this
Evan Foster (90)
season. In addition, the Chilliwack, B.C.-product started
and played in all eight games and finished his Bison career with 96.5 total tackles and
12 sacks. Foster is the first Bisons football player to earn three consecutive conference
All-Star selections since Nic Demski (2011-14) and the first Bisons’ defensive player
since Pete Adams (2009-11) to earn three straight at the DH position.
Gray, 22, was named to his first conference all-star team in his fourth season at
Manitoba. The 6-foot-6, 310 pound guard has been instrumental in opening holes
for the running game and providing protection for the quarterbacks. The Winnipeg
product started in all eight conference regular season games in 2016 and is ranked
number 11 in the CFL’s Scouting Bureau – initial
D.J. Lalama (10)
prospect Top 20 list (Sept. 2016) for the 2017 CFL
Draft.
Lalama, 23, completed his fourth season at
Manitoba and now is a conference all-star for the
first time. The 6-foot, 225 pound linebacker was a force as he led Canada West and
U Sports with 72.5 total tackles with 54 solo tackles. In starting all eight conference
games, the Winnipeg product was also tied for second in Canada West with seven
break-ups, tied for first with three forced fumbles and added 2.5 tackles for losses
and one sack. In addition, Lalama is
now second in Bison all-time career
tackles with 184.0 total tackles and
set the new record for most total
tackles in one single season by a
Bison with 72.5 in 2016.
Ross, 23, was selected to his first
conference all-star team in his first season with the Bisons. Ross made
an impact on special teams and was second in conference kickoff
returns with a 24.3 yards per return average and fourth in Canada West
with 316 kickoff return yards while starting and playing in seven of eight
conference regular season games. The Winnipeg product added 51 punt
return yards on eight attempts. Ross was a multi-talented threat as he
was also fifth overall in conference all-purpose yards per game at 127.6
Shai Ross (1)
and seventh in Canada West with 893 all-purpose yards on the season.
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