CFL corrects all-star team rosters; Riders’ Moncrief on, Schaffer-Baker off

After a recount, the Saskatchewan Roughriders still ended up with one West Division all-star.

But instead of receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker — who was named an all-star in a media release that was erroneously sent out Wednesday morning — linebacker Derrick Moncrief wound up as the lone Roughrider on the team.

Early Wednesday evening, the CFL issued a corrected list of players voted to the division all-star teams. It also issued an apology, saying “an error was made in the tabulation and weighting of votes, which resulted in errors in the (initial) release.”

“The CFL offers its sincere apologies to everyone involved, especially the players who were incorrectly announced as all-stars or were incorrectly left off the list,” the apology read. “We have also issued an apology to the Canadian Football League Players’ Association. The responsibility for this mistake rests solely with the CFL, and not those who cast ballots or the CFLPA.

“We also want to apologize to our fans for this unacceptable error.”

The all-star teams were selected through voting by members of the Football Reporters of Canada, the respective division’s head coaches, and CFL fans.

In the initial list, the West all-star team comprised 11 Winnipeg Blue Bombers, six Calgary Stampeders, six B.C. Lions, three Edmonton Elks and one Roughrider — Schaffer-Baker. In the East, the Toronto Argonauts had 16 all-stars, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats had seven, and the Montreal Alouettes and Ottawa Redblacks had two apiece.

After the votes were tabulated again, Calgary had 11 West all-stars, Winnipeg had nine, B.C. had four, Edmonton had two and Saskatchewan had one — Moncrief.

The 29-year-old cover linebacker recorded 49 tackles and four interceptions in 17 games for the Roughriders this season. His four picks tied him for fourth in the league.

Moncrief previously was named a West Division and CFL all-star in 2019 with Saskatchewan.

Schaffer-Baker set new career highs in his sophomore season with 68 catches for 960 yards with five touchdowns in 17 games. He finished 11th in the CFL and second among Canadians in receiving yards.

Winnipeg’s Nic Demski, another Canuck, was named a West all-star after recording 772 receiving yards in 13 games.

Despite leading the league in tackles for a second straight year, Roughriders linebacker Darnell Sankey wasn’t on either the first list or the second. Nor was Saskatchewan returner Mario Alford, the West Division’s nominee for the CFL award as most outstanding special-teams player.

The revamped East Division all-star team comprised 11 Tiger-Cats, nine Argos, four Alouettes and three Redblacks.

The CFL all-stars are to be announced Nov. 10.