Murdoch MacKay teammates get NCAA Div. 2 offer

The Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles have given some Canadian football players offers.

Three Manitoba boys, Halem Hrizai, Hunter Brown and Trentin Eyssens from Murdoch MacKay Colligate, have gained some interest from recruiters south of the boarder and have received offers from the University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles (NCAA Division 2).

Halem Hrizai (#55) runs down the field. Courtesy of Halem Hrizai.

Halem Hrizai (#55) runs down the field. Courtesy of Halem Hrizai.

Hrizai has played with the Murdoch MacKay Clansmen (Winnipeg High School Football League) for the past three years. He has also been a member of the Transcona Nations (Manitoba Minors Football League) for seven years.

The 6’3, 255lbs fullback, who also plays offensive tackle and defensive end, has visited the University of Minnesota Crookston campus and he said it was a nice campus. His added that his favourite parts were the dorms and the hangout and study areas.

When not exploring the campus, Hrizai was checking out the team’s facilities. “The football program seems also nice. The only part I wished to see was the locker room but besides that, the field was excellent and the athletic facilities were impressive,” he said.

Although he spent limited time with the coaches, the young football player said that they were all welcoming and that they seemed like overall good coaches. Set to graduate in 2017, he is currently looking into the school’s health sciences and elementary education program. While he doesn’t believe the school has a kinesiology program, there are other programs he has shown interest in.

Hrizai would bring an impressive resume of achievements with him to whatever school he commits to. He has won several awards with the Nationals. In 2014, he won Rookie of the Year award for his high school football team. He was also runner up for Rookie of the League (Potter Division). In 2015, he won the Leadership Award for the Clansmen, which he said he was truly honoured to receive.

Even with his achievements, Hrizai knows he wouldn’t have gotten them without those around him. He said, “I’m blessed to have my coaches and teammates by my side during this season.

Hunter Brown (#59) chases down his opponent. Courtesy of Hunter Brown.

Hunter Brown (#59) chases down his opponent. Courtesy of Hunter Brown.

The 6’2, 320lbs Brown is a versatile player who lines up on both the offensive line as a right tackle and on the defensive line as a defensive tackle. He currently plays for the Clansmen and has played for the North Winnipeg Nomads (Major Junior Football League) and the Transcona Nationals He has played football for eleven straight seasons in a row and in the course of his career, he has been named as the best lineman several times.

“I visited the campus yesterday. They invited me to they’re homecoming. I like the campus. It’s small but really nice. The football program is nice as well,” Brown said of the university and of the Golden Eagles. He is currently undecided as to what field of study he wishes to purse. As part of the Class of 2017, he said that he is very open to talking to any schools and that he is considering all opportunities right now.

Trentin Eyssens (#6) jumps for the ball. Courtesy of Trentin Eyssens.

Trentin Eyssens (#6) jumps for the ball. Courtesy of Trentin Eyssens.

Eyssens, who is also a fellow Clansmen teammate, is 6’0, 175lbs and plays as a corner and safety. His football career has only spanned over three seasons. While visiting the campus, he said he found it nice and welcoming.

“The university is great from what I’ve seen so far; the practice field and game field are very nice. The football team, from my perspective, seems good. It looks like the players are very well disciplined and enjoy where they are playing football, which is very important to me,” he said of the Golden Eagles.

Eyssens added that he is also overall pleased with what he has seen from the coaching staff, which he said he thinks is really good.

While he is unsure as to which program he would like to take, the young football player said that one in particular caught his attention. “After being taken on a tour and explained what the university has to offer, the business program really caught my eye. There were a couples others that did as well, but I really liked the business part,” he said.

Eyssens has yet to win a championship in football, however he isn’t letting anything from stopping him from pursing that goal. “This year I am working very hard as a player to bring my team to finals to have a shot at the WHSFL championship,” he said.

Eyssens is part of the Class of 2017. He told Canadafootballchat that, “I am interested in leaving Canada to play football but also willing to stay in Canada to play. I want to play football wherever is best for me not just football wise, but also schooling.”

 

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