Former YRHS Raider and current Regina Thunder linebacker Paul Toth was recently named one of the top defensive players in the Canadian Junior Football League鈥檚 Prairie Football Conference (PFC).
Toth, who has spent the last four years with the Regina Thunder winning a National title in 2013, had a career season in 2015 in which he made 18 tackles and assisted on nine more while knocking down one pass and intercepting two others.
For Toth, he says that it鈥檚 nice to be recognized for his accomplishments this season, but being named a Defensive All-Star was not an immediate goal of his. 鈥淢y personal expectations were to be a consistent starter and to be a leader on and off the field,鈥� Toth told Yorkton This Week. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have any expectations; I just wanted to get better for every game.鈥�
Toth also said that he wouldn鈥檛 have even had a chance to tackle the ball carrier if it hadn鈥檛 been for his teammates. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge honour to be recognized for my play, but it also goes to the teammates around me and coaches putting me in good situations to make plays,鈥� offered the 6鈥�0鈥�, 205 pound Saltcoats native. 鈥淚 just had to go out there and do my part the best I could.鈥�
For now Toth will continue to focus on the 2016 season 鈥� his fifth as a member of the Thunder 鈥� where he hopes to build off of his strong 2015 campaign. 鈥�. Going into my fifth year I鈥檓 going to put more pressure on myself to perform at a higher level and be a vocal leader on the defence,鈥� mentioned Toth, continuing, 鈥淚 know the coaches have big things lined up for next year so I want to be able to contribute to the team in a bigger way.鈥�
