Huskies add three out-of-province commits to their team.
Drawn in by the team’s winning mentality, linebackers Kesean Bennett from the New Mexico Military Institute and Matteo Viani from the Royal Imperial Collegiate of Canada are ready to give it their all with the Saint Mary’s Huskies.
Grant Campbell, a receiver from St. Andrew’s College, will also be joining the Huskies.
Kesean Bennett
It will be a reunion for Kesean Bennett when he rejoins the Huskies. “I have battled through a lot of adversity throughout my collegiate career,” he said. After playing his freshman year with the Huskies, “I decided it was best to leave the program and try to pursue my dreams of playing in the US.”
Bennett then joined the NMMI Broncos (SJCFC) where he battled through injuries in his only season with the team. “I started to miss being with my teammates and my friends back at Saint Mary’s, so I thought it would be great to come back and finish what I started and really try to help get this program another AUS championship and possibly a Vanier Cup,” he added.
Already familiar with the coaches, Bennett said they are good. “You can really tell Head Coach Colzie is one of those coaches that will do all he can to win and people misunderstand that,” he said. “All he is trying to do is bring out the best in all of the players and even the coaches so we can push past our limits and be a better overall team. I have a lot of respect for him in that manner.”
The 6’2, 235lbs veteran has been playing football for 14 years. Hailing from Ajax, Ontario, he has played with the Durham Dolphins (OPFL), the GTA all-stars and the OVFL all-stars. He won a LOSSA championship in 2012, his grade ten year, and was a defensive MVP the same season.
Bennett, who is interested in commerce, has one final message: “I don’t really say much. I rather have my play do the talking for me.”
Matteo Viani
There were quite a few things about Saint Mary’s that impressed Matteo Viani. Interested in kinesiology, he said that the university has great academic opportunities with many prestigious programs. “I really loved the layout of the university with everything being so close together and built around the football stadium,” Viani added.
When it came to football, Viani said, “SMU is chalked full of extremely talented players bringing them to a 7-1 season this past year. With the tremendous coaching of Head Coach James Colzie III, the players are focused on winning and working hard.”
He continued with his praise of the coaching staff, saying that they are amazing. He added that, as a defensive player, he is impressed with Colzie and his intelligence of the game. “I was also impressed by the mentality he has coached the team to have,” Viani said. “All the players are immensely focused and hungry to win the conference championship and go deep into the playoffs this year.”
Viani, who is 6’1, 230lbs, has been playing football for the past ten years. Originally from Kamloops, BC, he spent three years with the Westsyde Secondary Blue Wave (BCSSFA). He then joined the RICC Knights for a year.
Grant Campbell
Grant Campbell is a member of the St. Andrew’s College Saints (CISAA). Originally from Bowmanville, Ontario, he stands at 6’3, 205lbs.
Advocating for football prospects one story at a time.