Amantea signs on with the Dinos

By Lethbridge Herald on February 8, 2024.

Herald Photo by Justin Seward Benaiah Amantea poses with University of Calgary Dinos head coach Ryan Sheahan after signing his Letter of Intent to play at the school on Thursday afternoon at Catholic Central High School.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The University of Calgary Dinos may have landed a player that will make an impact on their football team for his duration at the school.

Catholic Central Cougars’ hulking offensive lineman Benaiah Amantea signed the dotted line for his Letter of Intent to play for the Dinos beginning next season on Thursday afternoon.

“The main decision besides all the program(s) and the school, which is very great, was the city,” said Amantea, on his decision.

“I really like the City of Calgary and had plans to move there either way … if I wasn’t going to do football after high school. So once I got the offer to Calgary, I kind of already knew what I was going to do.”

He is excited for the competition.

“It’s a way different environment when you have like a whole roster that’s got recruited the same as you and has gone through the whole process, and just the skill level and the chance to get better,” said Amantea.

Amantea hopes to enrol into trades.

Dinos head coach Ryan Sheahan said the draw to Ben is obvious.

“A person with that kind of athleticism and size is something you’re always looking for, for your football program,” said Sheahan.

 He’s a big strong guy and our No. 1 goal was to add on to our offensive line crew . So he’s going to fit right in with the guys and  even a couple of them are going to have to look up to him as well.”

Cougars football coach, Dustin Ledsham, was asked if it is bittersweet to lose a player like Amantea.

“I mean yeah it’s tough losing a player like that,right, (he) makes a big difference on the field,” said Ledsham.

“We’re all happy for him. Like that’s our goal obviously in the end is to have kids go  and play post-secondary. We want kids to develop, become good people (and) become good players. So, it would be bittersweet to lose one like that, but it’s nice to see them excel and do those things after high school.”

Amantea’s accolades during his time at CCH included being named a Southern Alberta High School Football League All-Star in 2022 and 2023, CCH Lineman of the Year in 2023 and a member of  Team Alberta in 2022 and 2023.