CALGARY – They played high school football together for two years at St. Francis High School and the previous eight years in youth football with the Calgary Mavericks coached by Todd MacKay in the Calgary Minor Football Association. The pair has played three years with each other for the University of Calgary Dinos, emerging as a mainstays along the offensive line. Now they are Canada West football all-stars together. 

Offensive tackle Logan Bandy and offensive guard Peter Nicastro were both named to the conference all-star team Thursday in a poll of the six head coaches. The selection is the second in as many years for Bandy who was a first team All-Canadian last year as well as a U A Academic all-Canadian. The all-star recognition is the first for Nicastro, who had a stellar 2018 sophomore season but moved around various spots on the offensive line last year due to injuries to other players playing both guard and center but concentrated at guard in 2019.

Both Bandy and Nicastro played on winning teams in their High School careers winning High School Championships at St. Francis with coaches Tyler Park and current assistant U of C offensive line coach Aldo Laratta. 

The 6-foot-2, 310-pound Nicastro joined the Dinos in 2016 but was a medical redshirt due a knee injury. Bandy, who is 6-foot-5 and weighs in at 285, followed his long time teammate the next season dressing for all the team's games and starting in a couple as pure freshman at offensive tackle. Both were members of the 2017 Canada West championship team that lost in the Mitchell Bowl to Laval.

Dinos offensive line coach Paul Carson has the utmost of respect for both players.

"Both Peter and Logan  have a strong work ethic, are physically and mentally tough. They came to us with those attributes from St. Francis," said Carson, who has coached them throughout their varsity careers. "Both have great leadership qualities and are role models for our young players," added Carson who was himself a Canada West all-star and second team All-Canadian in 1988 with the Dinos at offensive guard.  "I am not surprised at their recognition."

"We played perhaps a decade together, a lot of football and it is neat I am an all-star with Logan," stated 21-year-old Nicastro, who is majoring in sociology and played defensive line against Bandy when they practiced with the Mavericks. "We had some good battles."

Four of the six conference all-stars the Dinos had are graduates of the Mavericks program. In addition to the pair of offensive linemen, defensive cornerback Deane Leonard and defensive lineman J-Min Pelly were also recognized along with B.C. Lower Mainland products, linebacker Grant McDonald from South Delta and receiver Jalen Philpot from Seaquam.

The Dinos host the University of Manitoba Bisons in Canada West semi-final action on Saturday afternoon at 12 noon at McMahon Stadium. 

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