CFL all-stars
Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2023 11:37 am
Nine Lions have been named to the CFL West Division all-star team, including several that were surprises to me. Keon Hatcher, Alex Hollins, Mathieu Betts, Garry Peters and Sean Whyte were obvious choices, but I didn't expect to see Sukh Chungh, Woody Baron, Manny Rugamba and TJ Lee's names this year. I also would have chosen Vernon Adams over Zach Collaros.
Full East and West all-star list
Matt Baker article at bclions.comThe Canadian Football League announced its Division All-Star selections on Thursday with the BC Lions earning their highest total of Western representatives since the 2011 campaign. A total of nine Leos were voted in by the Football Reporters of Canada.
Offence: WRs Alexander Hollins and Keon Hatcher and OL Sukh Chungh.
Defence: DLs Mathieu Betts and Woody Baron, DBs Garry Peters, TJ Lee and Emmanuel Rugamba.
Special Teams: K Sean Whyte.
Hatcher (1st career selection)- despite a foot injury that kept him out of training camp and the first two games, Hatcher would go on to rack up 1,226 receiving yards- 43 shy of Hamilton’s Tim White for the CFL lead- on 78 receptions. Hatcher recorded a career-high 170 yards in a win over Calgary on August 12 while scoring six touchdowns in the regular season.
Hollins (1st career selection)- it was a breakout year for the speedy wideout whose 1,173 yards were second on the squad behind Hatcher and fourth overall in the CFL. Hollins recorded 78 receptions with an average of 15.0 yards per catch while hauling in a team-leading nine touchdowns across 18 regular season games.
Chungh (3rd career selection)- the pride of Port Coquitlam enjoyed another productive campaign as the Lions’ offensive line helped pave the way for Vernon Adams Jr. to lead the CFL in passing and for the entire offence to finish in the top three of most major categories including points, first downs and net offence. Chungh and the offensive line earned the CFL’s Weekly Honour Roll selection on four occasions.
Betts (1st career selection)- the CFL’s West Division nominee for Most Outstanding Defensive Player set a new single-season Canadian record of 18 sacks, becoming the first Lion to lead the league in that category since Keron Williams in 2012. Betts also led all Lion defensive linemen with 42 tackles.
Baron (1st career selection)- recorded a career-high eight sacks and added 22 defensive tackles and a forced fumble over 17 regular season appearances. His best outing came in a July 22 win over Saskatchewan with a pair of sacks and four defensive tackles.
Peters (2nd career selection)- the ageless veteran appeared in all 18 contests to extend his ironman streak to 86 since joining the Lions prior to the 2018 season. Peters’ four interceptions were one shy of his career-high while he added 51 defensive tackles.
Lee (3rd career selection)- another versatile veteran in the secondary, Lee suited up in all 18 games for the third time in his career and established a new career-high of 82 defensive tackles to go with three interceptions and one sack.
Rugamba (1st career selection)- made major progress in his second year with the Lions, racking up 58 defensive tackles and a pair of sacks across 17 regular season games.
Whyte (2nd career selection)- it’s yet another honour for the ageless kicker after he was announced as the West nominee for Most Outstanding Special Teams Player. Whyte’s 94.3 field goal percentage (50/53) was good for second in the CFL while he also made good on 44 of 45 convert attempts.
Full East and West all-star list