COLLAROS, ROURKE BIG WINNERS AT CFL AWARDS

REGINA – After a dominant season, Zach Collaros and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers dominated the CFL awards banquet.

Collaros captured the CFL’s most outstanding player award for a second straight year Thursday night. Bombers Stanley Bryant (lineman), receiver Dalton Schoen (rookie) and Mike O’Shea (coach of the year) were also honoured as the West Division took six-of-seven major individual trophies.

And Collaros wasted no time crediting his teammates.

“This is an amazing accolade,” Collaros said. “It’s not lost on me the history of the league and the people who’ve won, the people who’ve been fortunate enough to win two times or two times in a row and to even be mentioned with those people.

“It’s crazy to me but I can’t do my job at a high level if the other guys aren’t.”

Saskatchewan Roughriders returner Mario Alford (special teams) and B.C. Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke (Canadian) were the others. Lorenzo Mauldin IV of the Ottawa Redblacks (defensive player) was the lone East Division winner.

Fifty ballots were cast by members of the Football Reporters of Canada and nine CFL head coaches.

Collaros leads Winnipeg into the Grey Cup game Sunday versus the Toronto Argonauts. The Bombers are chasing a third straight title.

“We talked a week or two ago about wanting to win the West final to buy another week together and it’s here,” Collaros said. “It’s been amazing so far, let’s finish the deal.”

Other winners included: Jeff Harbin, the CFL’s manager of officiating (Commissioner’s Award for outstanding league contributions); retiring Lions president Rick LeLacheur (Hugh Campbell Distinguished Leadership Award); Riders centre Dan Clark (Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Award); Saskatchewan ticket-operations director Gail Mund (Jane Mawby Tribute Award); and Edmonton Elks receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux (Tom Pate Memorial Award for community contribution).

(Canadian Press/Photo: CFL)