2018 Draft Choice Reportedly Signs Up For 2019!

Earlier this afternoon, 3DownNation reported that the RedBlacks signed 2018 draft pick (fourth round) Kene Onyeka.

This is good news on a couple of levels. First, Onyeka had a hell of a good season for Carleton in 2018. He attended RedBlacks training camp but chose to return to the Ravens for his final season with the team. This came as a surprise to no one as the team was already aware of Oyeka's intentions.

Originally from Brampton, Onyeka earned All-Canadian honours in 2018 after leading the Ontario conference in quarterback sacks with seven and contributing 24 tackles.

Second, like most teams, Ottawa has an insane number players set to become free agents in February 2019. Keeping the band together, as it were, might prove tricky. Stocking the shelves now can not be a bad thing.

For an illustration of this, let's review a position-by-position breakdown of who's under contract and who isn't. Guys about to become free agents are listed in red.

QUARTERBACK

Trevor Harris
Dominique Davis
Danny Collins
William Arndt


RUNNING BACK

William Powell
Mossis Madu 
Brendan Gillanders
JC Beaulieu
Greg Morris
Anthony Gosselin
Dakota Brush


RECEIVER

Greg Ellingson
Brad Sinopoli
Diontae Spencer
RJ Harris
Julian Feoli-Gudino
Dominique Rhymes
Noel Thomas II
Marco Dubois
Jacob Scarfone
Seth Coate


OFFENSIVE LINE

SirVincent Rogers
Jon Gott
Alex Mateas
Josue Matias
Evan Johnson
Jason Lauzon-Seguin
Nolan MacMillan
Mark Korte
Andrew Pickett


DEFENSIVE LINE

Avery Ellis
AC Leonard
Danny Mason
Michael Klassen
Jonathan Newsome
JR Tavai
George Uko
Michael Wakefield
Ettore Lattanzio
Andrew Marshall
Nigel Romick 
Daryl Waud
Don Oramasionwu
Blaine Woodson
Kene Onyeka


LINEBACKER

Chris Ackie
Kyries Hebert
Avery Williams
Kevin Brown II
Anthony Cioffi
Mickael Coté


DEFENSIVE BACK

Antoine Pruneau
Rico Murray
Sherrod Baltimore
Corey Tindal
Jonathan Rose
Randall Evans
Justin Howell
JP Bolduc
Andrew Lue
Dan West
Tafon Mainsah
Zed Brown
Devin Butler
Mikael Charland
Kyle White


SPECIAL TEAMS

Richie Leone
Lewis Ward
LP Bourassa


I included everyone right down to the practice squad and disabled list. Some positions aren't as depleted as some other but man...That's a lot of red!

This was all caused by the collective bargaining agreement expiring after the 2018 season. Not knowing by how much the player salary cap might increase, many players who signed contracts prior to 2018 signed only one-year deals hoping to cash in (relatively-speaking) in 2019. Add in the players who signed two-year contracts in 2017 and you are mostly left with rookies, first-year players and mid-season pickups with few options.

But every team in the league is in the same boat. And there is some good news!

Ottawa has a pretty solid record of bringing back its own people. Yes, the CBA renewal complicates this in some cases, but they have already inked Antoine Pruneau and JC Beaulieu to multi-year deals (three and two respectively, if my memory is sound).

And that's because the majority of players enjoy being a part of this organization. It would not surprise me to see Ottawa re-sign several more of its Canadian players prior to the start of free agency, particularly someone like Ettore Lattanzio who has local ties and was injured most of the year.

It will be a busy time for GM Marcel Desjardins but hopefully it makes the offseason go by quickly.

Edit: It was pointed out to me on Twitter by John Ng that the team had signed two players at the end of November that should belong on the list above. I failed to include them because they were not added to the roster on the team's website.  Then in looking for details, found a boatload more.

The transactions below are are copied from cfl.ca.

OTT ADD  INT Charles BROUSSEAU  (LB)    Sherbrooke
OTT ADD  INT Zaycoven HENDERSON (DL)    Texas A&M
OTT ADD  NAT Drew MORRIS (LB)    Acadia *
OTT ADD  NAT Tyrone PIERRE (WR)    Laval *
OTT ADD  INT Daniel TSHIAMALA (LB)    St. Francis Xavier *
OTT ADD FROM ACTIVEXX INT Ironhead GALLON (DB)    Georgia Southern
OTT ADD FROM ACTIVEXX INT Tay GLOVER-WRIGHT (DB)    Utah State
OTT ADD FROM ACTIVEXX INT Denzel JOHNSON (DB)    Texas Christian
OTT ADD FROM ACTIVEXX INT Tyler PALKA (WR)    Gannon
OTT ADD FROM ACTIVEXX INT Ranthony TEXADA (DB)    Texas Christian
OTT ADD FROM ACTIVEXX INT Blaine WOODSON (DL)    Delaware

Some of those guys (including Morris and Tshiamala, whose designation as an INT I question) had been brought in for a look when the practice roster was expanded at the end of the season (I believe from ten to 15) so their return does not come as a surprise.

I'll include Blaine Woodson above because he actually played a bit during the regular season though I admit I have no memory of that. He had two tackles during the game in Edmonton.

1941 Eastern Final: Rough Riders 7, Wildcats 2

Obviously inspired by tomorrow's Eastern Final game between the Redblacks and Hamilton Tiger-Cats, I went back to find the earliest, closest counterpart to that game that I could locate.

While the teams had met in the playoffs prior to it, I settled on the 1941 contest which led to the Rough Riders playing the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the Grey Cup the following weekend, a game which they would lose 18-16.

Let's carve out a chunk of the Ottawa Citizen from November 24th, 1941.

Over time, Bert Haigh's will become common on this blog. He spent the first two seasons of his playing with Toronto Balmy Beach but played with Ottawa throughout the 1940s. I located an article which made reference to a 105-yard punt by Haigh in 1950 but I see no evidence that he played that year, so perhaps the wrong season is identified. He was routinely an Eastern all-star team selection.

Here is a look at the players in the above game, with hall of fame member Tony Golab the most prominent name among them.

Mr. Koffman provides additional insight. The article is somewhat unclear, I know. The word at the end of the first line is "definite".

One man's (Koffman's) opinion, of course, but much of the recap made it seem like the game was rather lackluster overall. The previous week, the Rough Riders had erased an 8-point deficit to knock off Toronto by a score of 18-17 in a 2-game series. I believe that tie was broken by Ottawa on the last play of the game. As a result, this game seemed far less dramatic but it did, nonetheless, send Ottawa to a championship game.

As pre-game jitters set in, I would gladly accept a drama-free victory against Hamilton tomorrow. Go Redblacks!

1997 CHSAA Championship: St. Peter 34, Gloucester 07

It may be a few days before a good recap of yesterday's NCSSAA Tier 1 Championship game is available so in the meantime, let's review St. Peter's first championship win in 1997. As usual, you may need to click on the image and open it in a separate tab to view it full-size.

It is interesting to read now that this victory was seen as a relief at the time. I believe yesterday's Knights victory (31-21 over Ashbury) marked the 14th championship for St. Peter in 22 seasons. I wonder if the program's architects would have believed they would eventually reach that level of success back when the program was being formed? Congratulations to all involved then and now.

1998 QMJFL Championship: Ottawa Jr. Riders 24, Chateauguay Raiders 09

While I enjoyed sharing results of the Ottawa Jr. Riders' most recent championship win, this site is intended to shine a little spotlight on past events more so than current ones.

With that in mind, I will now share that team's first such success from 1998, their second year of operation under that name.

The full results from the 1998 season will be added to the Jr Riders page shortly.

Dean Dorsey, the former Ottawa Rough Riders kicker, would step down as head coach following the season but the team remained quite successful with Dan Murphy, also a former Rough Rider, at the helm.

Tucker McCabe was named the league's rookie of the year and the following players were selected to be on the all-star team.

• Mike Borotsik - Centre
• Billy Conlin - OL
• Jacob Kyer - OL
• Richard Tremblay - WR
• Paul Fury - LB
• Steve Kasouf - LB
• Scott Gordon - FS

Scott Gordon went on to win a National Championship with the Gee-Gees in 2000. He was drafted in the second round of the 2002 draft by Calgary and played professionally through the 2009 season, mostly with Saskatchewan. He earned a Grey Cup ring with that team in 2007.

Joe Pistilli Cup: Jr Riders 30, North Shore Sabercats 13

It is only a four-team league at the present moment, but the Ottawa Jr. Riders are back on top of the QJFL following a 30-13 victory over the North shore Sabercats at Gee-Gees field on Sunday.

The Jr. Riders sported a 6-2 record during the regular season. Both losses had come against the South Shore team, the Bruizers, but that team was upset by the Sabercats 35-33 in the semis. The Jr. Riders, meanwhile, shut out the Chateauguay Raiders 16-00 to set the Pistilli Cup match-up.

To that point, the Sabercats had been winless and had scored 77 points on the season while allowing 238. The final score might not reflect their level of competitiveness in this game either as they led at halftime 13-10.

This marks the Riders' 8th championship win but the first since 2010. They were inactive between 2014 and 2016. They returned in 2017 but lost in the semi finals to Chateauguay.

The Jr Riders were led by RB Jahdel Ferron who is credited with 500 yards on 82 carries and five scores. Bamki Adewalle (LB) and Jordon Gorgichuck (DB) were the team's leading tacklers with 16 solos and 14 assists each.

Panda 50: Gee-Gees 38, Ravens 27

We're going to Frankenstein this thing.

Similar to what I did on draft day, I'm picking stuff from here there and everywhere to cover the 50th edition of the Panda Game. And if I come across more, I'll edit the post and add it.

I must say though that Darren Desaulniers' recap for the Citizen, the first article below, was nearly untouched. I sometimes find myself removing some parts that seem less relevant but in my opinion here did a nice job here and it's best left alone.

The photo below is by Jasmine Foong and was included in the Charlatan's recap of the game.

Gee-Gees top Ravens to reclaim Pedro, Panda Game bragging rights

After spending the past four years at Carleton, Pedro the Panda will again return to the University of Ottawa to spend the next year, at least, as a Gee-Gee.

The Gee-Gees dominated the Ravens 38-27 in the 50th Panda Game at a sold-out TD Place stadium on Saturday, producing uOttawa’s their first win in the rivalry game since 2013.

The score was a little flattering to the Ravens, who managed a pair of late touchdowns after the Gee-Gees had scored 31 consecutive points to take a 38-14 advantage.

“We had some communication problems and it stalled some of our (early) drives and we had a lot of two and outs,” Gee-Gees head coach Jamie Barresi said.

“Give them credit, too — I’m talking about Carleton — for the way their defence and the way they played. But, at the same time, I don’t think we were doing things properly from an operations point of view. Having said that, they were gnawing at us and clawing at us.”

The game started remarkably well for the Ravens, who had a 7-0 lead 32 seconds into the first quarter thanks to a little trickery.

Quarterback Michael Arruda took the first snap and tossed a lateral to Quinton Soares, who then threw a downfield pass that Dominic Walker turned into a 78-yard catch-and-run TD.

Not much went well for the Ravens after that, though,

Arruda, who had entered the game fifth in the Ontario University Athletics football league in passing yards per game, didn’t complete a pass to a teammate in the first quarter. Actually, his first pass of the day was tipped and intercepted by a Gee-Gees defender.

That led to a three-yard touchdown pass from Sawyer Buettner to Carter Matheson, so the contest was tied 7-7 just over six minutes in.

Arruda ended up throwing four interceptions by game’s end. He had just two in the previous five games.

“I threw four interceptions that could have gone the other way easily, but they game-planned well and did a hell of a job,” Arruda said, giving the Gee-Gees credit for their defence.

“They did a hell of a job and we weren’t expecting it. I caught myself looking down at the D-line a little too much and it was hard to adjust. We made way too many mistakes and hurt ourselves way too many times, but (uOttawa) played great.”

Arruda did throw a six-yard touchdown pass to Soares for a 14-7 Ravens lead six minutes into the second quarter, but everything fell apart from there.

The Gee-Gees put up 10 more points before half-time, with Kalem Beaver hauling in a 40-yard touchdown pass from Buettner and Campbell Fair kicking a 32-yard field goal.

“We needed that,” Beaver said of the offensive explosion.

“The offence needed to step up. The defence has been bringing it every game and it was finally time that we both came together.”

Buettner threw third-quarter TD passes of 37 and 17 yards to Beaver and Dylan St. Pierre. Matheson made his second TD catch of the day, for 25 yards, in the fourth quarter.

For those counting at home, that made five touchdown passes for Buettner, who had just four previously this season. The native of Moose Jaw, Sask., apparently...wasn’t fazed by the larger than usual venue seating 24,000-plus.

“Back home we always played our games at (Regina’s) Mosaic Stadium, so we always played in big stadiums, but never with a crowd that full. I thought it was a good learning experience and I thought our team handled it well. We lean on some veterans that have been there before. I know I did, so it was awesome,” Buettner said.

“I go out and do my thing. We’ve got a great offensive system, great coaches and a great group of teammates, so it’s easy on me. I just have to put the ball up and let them make plays.”

With the game out of reach, Nathan Carter ran for touchdowns of seven and three yards to get the Ravens a bit closer in the fourth quarter, but hope of a miracle comeback ended when Arruda was intercepted by Gee-Gees defensive back Jamie Harry.

“It felt like we weren’t dialed in,” Ravens head coach Steve Sumarah said. “We knew what was coming (from the Gee-Gees defence) and we weren’t prepared mentally to deal with what was coming. If it wasn’t them, it was our own mistakes and penalties.

“Even though on the scoreboard we weren’t behind early, you felt the momentum of the game had turned really early and we were in that scratching mode all game long. We never felt like we were in control of the game.”

The Gee-Gees lead the all-time Panda Game series 33-17.

Gee-Gees bring home Pedro in 50th Panda Game
(portions of an uncredited article on geegees.ca. Photo by Greg Mason)

....Second-year running back Dawson Odei continued to be a force on the Garnet and Grey offence. Odei is second (by merely a half yard) in the OUA in yards per game after racking up 142 yards on 25 carries in the win.

“It’s been a long time coming and it feels great. It feels great,” said (Kalem) Beaver. “Our defence is bringing it every game, and our offence needed to step up. It was finally time for us to come together.”

Defensively, U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian Jamie Harry proved to be one of the most dominant players in the nation. With two interceptions in the game, Harry’s five takeaways this season leads the nation through week six. Fellow defensive backs Luke Griese and Rashad Spooner also had instrumental moments taking the ball away from Carleton QB Mike Arruda.

“It’s a good win for our players – they were resilient because we knew we were going to have a tough battle,” said Gee-Gees head coach Jamie Barresi, after earning Pedro for the second time in his tenure. “There were a lot of things that were improved on our side today, and they conducted themselves with poise.”

Photo by Parker Townes for The Fulcrum

Odds and ends from the stats sheet
-- 2018 Redblacks draft choice Kene Onyeka (4th-round) had two sacks in the game and now leads the OUA with five.
-- Carleton had a staggering 17 penalties for 165 yards.
-- Carleton had a slight edge in time of possession, 30:26 to 29:34. They also ultimately outgained Ottawa 475 yards to 370.
--Eight Gee-Gees receivers caught passes from QB Sawyer Buettner. 

Dominic Walker an OUA Player Of The Week

I was away all week so am only now finding out about Ravens receiver Dominic Walker's selection among the three OUA players of the week.

It may be his first season with Carleton Ravens, but rookie receiver Dominic Walker made his presence felt in a big way in the team’s Week 3 win over Waterloo. 

Walker got on the board early after hauling in the short pass from QB Michael Arruda to extend the Ravens’ first quarter lead to 8-0. From there, Walker showcased his big play ability and reeled in the longest play of his early career. Walker took the deep toss from Arruda and did the rest of the damage with his legs, with the pass and run going for 95 yards to the house. 

Both touchdowns proved critical in the team’s eventual three-point win over the high-octane Warriors, and Walker’s overall line of five catches for 130 yards has helped the first-year Communication Studies major to earn offensive honours for Week 3.

The Ravens followed up that win with a double-overtime victory against Queen's at home on September 15th. Sounds like the kind of game that can open the door for more players to be honoured! Carleton is now 3-1 at mid-season with a heartbreaking blown lead against the defending champion Western Mustang as the only blemish.

Harry Van Hofwegen Added to Carleton Ravens Hall Of Fame

The news of Van Hofwegen's selection to the Ravens Hall Of Fame was actually announced in May but the actual ceremony took place on September 13th.

Despite only playing two seasons at Carleton, Van Hofwegen was a multi-talented force on the Ravens defensive line, as well as a gifted punter and kicker. Van Hofwegen took the conference by storm as a rookie, taking home OQIFC All-Star and CIAU First-Team All-Canadian honours in 1993.

Despite missing most of the 1994 season, Van Hofwegen returned for a memorable 1995 campaign that saw him capture the J.P. Metras Trophy as the country’s Outstanding Down Lineman in addition to being selected as a CIAU First-Team All-Canadian. Van Hofwegen was chosen as Carleton University’s Male Athlete of the Year in 1995-96, and he was selected to represent Canada in the 1996 NCAA East-West Shrine Game in California. That same spring, Van Hofwegen was taken 11th overall by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 1996 CFL Draft.

Van Hofwegen spent the 1996 preseason with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, which was a great professional development opportunity prior to beginning his tenure in the CFL.  Over the course of his three-year pro career, Van Hofwegen competed for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1996, 1997), BC Lions (1997) and Edmonton Eskimos (1998).

I'm going to use this news as motivation to work on the Carleton Ravens page above as much of the information I'd collected years ago has yet to be restored.

One Raven Player Of The Week...And One Raven Who Should Be.

Yesterday wasn't a great day for the city's university football clubs. The University of Ottawa couldn't keep up with Laurier, losing to the tune of 39-21 while Carleton squandered a lead at home to lose to the defending champion Western Mustangs in overtime 26-23.

“We had these guys in the bag,” said Ravens quarterback Mike Arruda, who threw touchdown passes to fullback Mitch Raper and slotback (Phil) Iloki in a wild second quarter, when the Ravens outscored the Mustangs 17-3. “We knew we has these guys after the first half. This should never have come down to overtime." 

“First week (of the schedule) and we’re up 17-3 and I think we took our foot off the pedal. This loss is going to teach us a lot. Maybe the good thing is we sent a scare to the rest of the league. We can feel good about that.”

Sounds a lot like what the RedBlacks went through after blowing a 24-point lead against Toronto earlier this year. If you need learn such a lesson, at least learn it early.

Taking the champs to the wire in such fashion naturally involves a number of outstanding performances and on Ravens player was recognized for his performance; Michael Domagala is the Ontario University Athletics Special Teams player Of The Week.

The Ravens kicker connected on three field goals in the game, while adding a pair of extra points to bring his total output to 11 points for the game. 

His first field goal came in the first quarter, connecting on a 20-yarder to open the game’s scoring. From there, Domagala took it to another level. His second make – a 42-yarder - came in the second quarter to give the Ravens the 6-3 lead, but he saved his best for last. After a Mustangs comeback in the second half gave Western the lead, Domagala stepped up for a game-tying 50-yard make with just one second left on the clock to send the game to overtime.

Acknowledging that relying on stats to tell the whole story can be misleading, another player caught my eye while reviewing the box score.

Let's preface this by pointing that the recipient of the defensive player of the week gathered the following numbers: "Five solo tackles, along with one assisted, to total 5.5 for the game, (later) forcing a fumble. (He) also notched one pass breakup."

Busy day. But I submit it to you Ravens linebacker Josh Walsh.

Photography by Valerie Wutty

Walsh was not the leading tackler on the team. That distinction belongs to fellow linebacker Jack Cassar with nine (and three assists).

But Walsh had eight, also with three assists. He is credited with a sack for an 8-yard loss, two of his tackles were for a total of 11 yards lost, he broke up a pass and intercepted another which he returned for 21 yards.

Maybe stats don't tell the whole story but the part of the story that those tell is pretty convincing.  This is Walsh's third year and, against quality competition, he may have just announced that it's his break out year.

Jo-Anne Polak's Media Guide Page

Inspired by Jo-Anne Polak's selection as a CFL Diversity Is Strength campaign "trailblazers", I thought I would share her bio from the 1989 Rough Riders media guide. It will be easier to read if you open it in another tab. Pardon the inevitable curving at the spine.

The league was quite new to me at the time of the hire. I don't recall being particularly surprised that a woman would get the job or whether a woman in the position created a great deal of controversy.

The only thing I can say is that she is one of the few front office employees from that period (mid 80's to the ugly end in 1996) that is still has the respect of fans from back then.

I only became a fan during "Super Season '88" which concluded with a 2-16 regular season record.

Polak, though, attempted and succeeded in making the fan experience fun regardless of the putrid on-field product. The 1991 media guide (her final year with the team) explains: "Jo-Anne and her staff have instituted an awareness campaign based on player identification, community orientation and unorthodox promotion".

If speaking to someone who's never heard of her, you could begin your description by pointing out that she would be a great fit with the current ownership. Player identification, community orientation and unorthodox promotion have all played large parts in the Redblacks success. Polak applied the same strategy to the Rough Riders 30 years ago.

NFC Quarter Finals: Ottawa Sooners 21 at Sudbury Spartans 14

This game was actually played on July 28th but having been away much of that time, I am only finding out about it now.

The recap below is an abbreviated article from the Sudbury Star and was written by one Ben Leeson. I believe he took the accompanying picture as well. I am copying it from the league's website but am unable to find a direct link to it.

Hunter Holub could have found reasons to hang his head Saturday night. 

His Sudbury Spartans had just dropped a heartbreaker 21-14 decision to the Ottawa Sooners in their Northern Football Conference quarter-final, in a game the Nickel City squad may have won, if not for a dropped TD, a pair of missed field goals and a late fumble. 

...

Hosting a playoff game for the first time since 2015, the Spartans had a slow start against the Sooners, who were missing a couple of strong starters, but remained a quality club on both sides of the ball. 

They showed that when quarterback Danny Mullins led a long first-quarter drive and finished with a short keeper for a TD. The ensuing convert made it 7-0. 

Ottawa’s offence sputtered deep in its own end near the midway mark of the second frame, however, allowing Sudbury to take over at the visitors’ 34-yard line. A 14-yard catch and run by Josh Cuomo put the locals inside the 20, where they came within a hair of scoring a major of their own when Holub found James Howatt open in the end zone, but Howatt couldn’t quite hold onto the pass. 

Spartans kicker Massimo Cimino then attempted a field goal, but booted it just wide.
Sudbury’s defence stymied Ottawa on another drive down the field, sacking Mullins to end the half. 

Holub had just missed Poirier with a long pass when the first-year quarterback aired it out for No. 20 again, this time connecting for a 87-yard score and bringing the crowd to its feet. Cimino’s PAT tied the score, 7-7, with 7:50 left in the third quarter. 

The Spartans missed on another field goal attempt later in the third. 

Ottawa restored its lead (with) Daniel McGrowder’s eight-yard reception in the fourth quarter, then scored again on an option pitch to Mike Leno. 

The Spartans embarked on a strong drive late in the contest that culminated in Holub’s wild scramble for a 21-yard TD, narrowing the score to 21-14, but could come no closer.

The Sooners will travel to Toronto on August 11th to challenge the powerful GTA All-Stars in the league semi-final. Tough gig; The All-Stars beat the Sooners at home earlier this year 39-16.

Killer Instinct, Or Lack Thereof

From the August 2nd game recap:

After a tumultuous first half, (quarterback McLeod) Bethel-Thompson led the Argos back from a 38-14 deficit with the go-ahead touchdown with one second left (in a) 42-41 win over Ottawa to set a wild pace for Week 8 of the CFL season.

The Argos swarm wide receiver Armanti Edwards after he caught the game-winning touchdown pass with one second left Thursday night.  (RICHARD LAUTENS / TORONTO STAR)

How brutal was that? Losing any one game in that fashion would be painful. As I listened to post-game interviews and read recaps, it occurred to me that it's particularly painful because blowing leads has been a trend with this franchise since inception and shows no sign of going away.

Head Coach Rick Campbell has never been able to make his teams play 60 minutes consistently. All they've been able to do is repeat the same platitudes about "needing to close games out" and "learning from this" post-game. 

The saving grace has been that these blown leads have not all turned wins into losses but they have been frequent enough throughout the team's short history that it's clearly just a part of who they are. 

Rick Campbell is said to be as even-keel as anyone. He preaches that no loss is a complete disaster, no win makes you unbeatable. He keeps his players well-grounded but I now believe the other side of that coin is that he's unable to generate a sense of urgency in his teams when it's needed.

Let's go back to the team's very first game back in 2014. Up 21-7 at the end of the first quarter, they would ultimately lose 36-28 in Winnipeg. The next week, they would lead Edmonton 7-2 at the half and lose 27-11.

All right, that was an expansion team. The following year, the team won 12 games and hosted the Eastern final. That led to the incredible 2nd-and-25 moment, the excitement of which causes us to forget that the team created the need for that miracle in the first place. Ottawa led 25-17 after three quarters only to see the game tied when Henry Burris and Greg Ellingson connected for 93 yards.

But they got to the Grey Cup! Unfortunately they lost it 26-20 to the Edmonton Eskimos when they gave up a TD with just over three minutes left. They had led 20-18 after scoring the game's first 13 points.

Hugh Charles #28 of the Ottawa Redblacks is hit by Cauchy Muamba #8 of the Edmonton Eskimos during first half Grey Cup 103 action at Investors Group Field on November 29, 2015 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

TREVOR HAGAN / GETTY IMAGES

In 2016, winning at home inexplicably became a challenge. Among many home losses, one was a game that went into overtime against Hamilton which Ottawa had led 27-12 at halftime.

The Redblacks did win the Eastern Final in 2016, again needing a late touchdown to seal it. They had led 25-3 but their lead was reduced to 28-23 when Kienan Lafrance ran a touchdown in late to close things out.

Ottawa Redblacks' Kienan Lafrance (27) gets tackled by Edmonton Eskimos' Kenny Ladler (37) during second half CFL Eastern Final action, in Ottawa on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

That, of course, led to an exciting overtime Grey Cup victory against Calgary. It went into overtime even though at one point Ottawa was ahead 27-7 early in the second half.

The 2017 season kicked of with a rematch against Calgary which also went into overtime and resulted in a tie. Ottawa led that game 28-14 with about seven and a half minutes left in the 4th quarter.

Two weeks later, Ottawa hosted Toronto, led 12-1 at halftime but lost 26-25. When they hosted Saskatchewan later in the year, Ottawa led 17-0 with a little over four minutes left in the third quarter but ultimately lost 18-17.

And here we are in 2018, still "learning" and giving post-game speeches about needing to play 60 minutes.

Five years in, those speeches are starting to lack credibility. Display sustained competence for a few weeks in a row and perhaps these blown leads will start to look like the exception rather than the trend.

Richmond Connection

This post was inspired by a Redblacks signing made official yesterday.

Most of that is pretty standard fare for a guy signed to the practice roster but it was the mention of Richmond university which caught my eye.

Years ago, while writing out the Ottawa Rough Riders draft history, I noticed that quite a few players acquired through territorial exemption came from Richmond University in Virginia. It seemed unusual for so many local guys to end at that one school but I figured that attempts to research the specifics of the reason would be pointless. The most logical explanation was simply that a member of the Rough Riders organization knew someone at the school.

The details fell into my lap one day. The team began releasing a newspaper during the season in 1978 and I acquired the second issue from that year, dated September. In it, Doug McGee walks us through it all (click image for larger version).

Wayne Tosh, John Palazeti, Rick Sowieta, Doug McGee, Ian Beckstead, Glenn Cook are all mentioned above but running back Mark Philp, and defensive lineman Mark Seale came later. Jim McCaffrey was drafted from Richmond but I don't believe he ever played for Ottawa.

In all, seven players were acquired through the draft from Richmond, the most of any American school (Tosh and Sowieta were not). Nice way to supplement a roster!

May 31st Depth Chart

I am posting this here to review at various times during the year. It is easy to lose track of just how many moves a team makes during the course of a season and how the final roster (meaning the one for the last game in October or November) is nothing like the starting roster. I will keep the week one chart as well and compare the two at the end of the year.

Here we go, typo and all.

Click the image above to see the full-sized version.

Of course we need to take into account those that the team is being "cautious" with.

Sorry about the wonky positions, the file lost a little integrity when I blew it up.

A few notes and reminders, again for future review.

• WR Dominique Rhymes gets the start after contributing in 11 games last year (15 receptions, 219 yards). He has been talked up in interviews, particularly by QB Trevor Harris so let's check in November and see how that worked out.
• DT Daryl Waud has a history of injuries over the last two years so while I understand the reasoning behind being cautious, seeing him on the "not dressed" list is a little worrisome. We'll see.
• DE Connor Williams doesn't make either list. It's sounding more and more like injuries will force him into retirement, or at best a comeback attempt next season, which is too bad. He only played in one game last year.
• DT George Uko was said to be among the starters at the start of camp but is now listed with the 2nd team behind Harold Brantley. 
• The plan to start two Canadian receivers appears to be proceeding along with Austen Hartley and Julian Feoli-Gudino both showing as first-team.
• Honoured as the country's best university player, Ed Ilnicki is behind the far-less celebrated Wayne Moore, who was quietly signed in July of last year.

What does all of this mean? Not a damn thing, they're just some points to review a few months from now to see how they played out. Enjoy the game!

Orleans Bengals Midget Squad To Be Named The Orleans Raftsmen

Today, the storied Orléans Bengals Midget Team is pleased to announce that as part of joining the Quebec Midget Football League for the 2018 season, the team will be named the Orléans Raftsmen. 

 

The Raftsmen bilingual heritage of Orléans and Ottawa is rich in tradition and our Midget football club will echo the spirits of the land, the rivers and the people of the Ottawa Valley. 

“This will be an exciting and rewarding opportunity for our players to play in one of the best football leagues in the country,” said George Zigoumis, president of the Orléans Bengals. “Our football club is committed to developing these student athletes by enhancing higher education possibilities for them.” 

For athletes 16 and 17 years of age looking to play for an Ontario-Quebec inter-provincial championship and gain exposure to CEGEPs and universities, message the Head Coach-Ron Raymond at ronraymond@rogers.com

Raftsmen was one of the names being floated around for the new CFL franchise though I don't recall (or care, at this point) if it was an option teased by the team or one suggested by fans.

This is just personal opinion, but I detest when teams name/brand themselves after existing franchises. I think the Orleans organization went in the right direction here and while it's doubtful I'll get to attend too many of their games, I'd love to load up on merchandise bearing that logo.

MIDGET FOOTBALL BIG 10

Montreal/Ottawa, May 4th, 2018 – The Quebec Midget Football League and the National Capital Amateur Football Association announce the official launch of the Midget Football Big 10 Canada. This is a game-changing football experience for players and coaches in Eastern Canada. The Midget Football Big 10 Canada will be made up of 10 teams among the 16 clubs of the QMFL and NCAFA. 

Teams in the Midget Football Big 10 Canada will play 2 cross divisional games which will count in each team’s respective league standings. The QMFL and NCAFA champions will participate in the Midget Big 10 Championship Game held each November. Teams not scheduled to play in the regular season cross over games can still qualify for the Midget Football Big 10 Championship Game by winning the QMFL’s Wilbert Scott Division and entering the QMFL play-off structure as the 4th rank team.

As part of the revamp, we are pleased to announce the addition of the Orleans Bengals to the QMFL Wilbert Scott Division, as well as the return of the Gatineau Vikings to QMFL play in 2018.

The Midget Football Big 10 Canada is now the premier place to get prepared and scouted for the next level. Stay tuned for more exciting news as we announce the 2018 schedule and establish regular podcasts and power rankings.  

Midget Football Big 10 Line up for 2018 

Bel-Air Norsemen (NCAFA)  
Greenfield Park Packers (QMFL)
Kanata Knights (NCAFA)
Lasalle Warriors (QMFL)
Myers Riders (NCAFA)
Nepean Eagles  (NCAFA)
North Gloucester Giants (NCAFA)
North Shore Lions (QMFL)
St Leonard Cougars  (QMFL)
Sun Youth Hornets  (QMFL)


Wilbert Scott Division

St Laurent Spartan
Chateauguay Raiders
Gatineau Vikings
Sherbrooke Bulldogs
Orleans Bengals
St-Lazare Stallions 

The QMFL was formed in 1978 and has 11 teams. The NCAFA was formed in 1955 and has five midget teams participating in the Big Ten conference. Stay tuned for more exciting news as we announce the 2018 schedule and establish regular podcasts and power rankings.

2018 Draft Results

I'm going to try something here. It might suck, it might not, I may never do it again, but I'll try live blogging this draft for Ottawa. Besides adding the name of player chosen, I'll add whatever comments and quotes I come across and edit the post frequently throughout the night.

1-04 - OL Mark Korte, U. of Alberta, 6'02" / 293

Korte was Canada West’s top lineman last year and a division all-star after anchoring an offensive line that paved the way for Hec Crighton Trophy winner Ed Ilnicki to rush for a conference-record 1,468 yards.

The scouting report on Korte says he’s a “tenacious run blocker who plays with good physicality.” It adds he’s a good athlete with “the ability to operate in space,” and dominated his level of competition. Article.

Korte played for the West Team in the U SPORTS East-West Bowl and started eight regular season games at left tackle in 2017. The 6-foot-2, 293-pound offensive lineman was named a Canada West All-Star, Canada West’s Most Outstanding Lineman and a U SPORTS First-Team All-Canadian.

Over his four-year career at the University of Alberta, Korte played in and started every regular season game at left tackle.  Article.

@TSN1200Bunda  #Redblacks GM Marcel Desjardins on if OL Mark Korte can come in and play relatively quickly - "Yes, absolutely" 

2-13 -WR Marco Dubois, Laval, 6'03" / 217

Arguably the most sound special teams player in the draft, Marco Dubois’ game is all about length. Length of arms to lock out blockers on a punt coverage unit, length of stride to outrun teammates on kickoff coverage, and length of speed to outrun many larger players. Dubois will make whatever team picks him better on special teams immediately.  CFL.ca Mock Draft

It was mentioned during the draft broadcast that Dubois was not a starter at the wide receiver position. No kidding; He had one reception for 12 yards in 2017. But he tested well and obviously has good size.

3-22 - OL Andrew Pickett, Guelph, 6'03" / 313

Suited up for 24 games for the Gryphons. OUA All-Star in both 2016 (second team) and 2017 (first team).

4-29 - DE Kene Onyeka, Carleton, 6'02" / 244
(Aquired from BC for Odell Willis or, in effect, Jake Ceresna)

Co-sack leader in University sports in 2017, said to be planning to return to school in 2018.

Onyeka recently finished one of his best seasons to date with the Ravens, turning out 10.5 sacks, 32 solo tackles, 14 assisted tackles, four forced fumbles and two pass break-ups. He was also named an OUA First-Team All-Star, U SPORTS All-Canadian, and was awarded with the OUA J.P Metras trophy as the conference’s Lineman of the Year. Article.

4-30 - LB Mickael Coté, Concordia, 6'03" / 225

Côté, from Mont-St-Hilaire, recorded a conference-leading 40 tackles last season in only seven games along with three quarterback sacks. He was a conference all-star and second-team all-Canadian. He was named the Stingers’ most valuable player.

The 6-foot-3, 225 pounder ran a 4.88-second 40 on Saturday and has been interviewed by seven of the league’s nine teams. He likes to play fast, be physical and run to the ball. Article.

7-55 - DB Justin Howell, Carleton, 5'11 / 198

Howell maintains leverage and positioning on special teams better than almost any other defensive back on film in the 2018 CFL Draft. He has the size of a weak side linebacker but plays with the burst of a halfback. CFL Mock Draft 3.0

8-64 - OL Jacob Czaja, St. Francis Xavier, 6'03" / 289

AUS First-team all-star at guard in 2017.

Hey, How About Those Negotiation List Players?

Remember the ten guys from the team's negotiation list that the REDBLACKS announced this past February?

Yeah, me neither. So here they are.

Tyler Ferguson, QB, Western Kentucky 

Bug Howard, WR, North Carolina 

Joey Ivie, DL, Florida 

Kaleb Johnson, OL, Rutgers 

J.T. Jones, DL, Miami (Ohio) 

Greg Little, WR, North Carolina 

JoJo Natson, WR, Akron 

Ejuan Price, LB, Pittsburgh 

Phillip Walker, QB, Temple 

Andrew Wylie, OL, Eastern Michigan

You know what they all have in common? Not a single one has signed with the team in the months since these names were revealed.

That isn't to say that the negotiation list is useless. Hardly. I recall seeing some of the list prior to the team's first season. I began to follow Jamill Smith on Twitter as a result and he signed with Ottawa about a year later. For that matter, I remember Darian Durant was on the Renegades negotiation list at some point. Some of these guys are long-term projects. And for all we know, several of the rookie players who have signed on for 2018 were on the neg list at some point.

I just find it overrated by some. Some people argue that the list should be public because it will "generate discussion" by fans. Really? How much conversation did finding out that Joey Ivie and Jojo Natson are Redblack property generate?

The only name up there that is remotely interesting is Philip Walker, former QB at Temple University (during which time he went by the name PJ Walker) and presently on a futures contract with the Indianapolis Colts. Let's pull his collegiate records from Wikipedia.

 

As of July 2017, Walker is the Owls all-time leader in wins by a starting quarterback (28), passing yards, passing touchdowns, completions, attempts, total yards and total touchdowns. Phillip lead the Owls to their first conference title in 49 years (2016) and their first ever back-to-back bowl appearances in school history (2015 and 2016).

A hell of a resume in and off itself, but made more interesting when reminded that Henry Burris played his college ball at Temple in the 1960s (all right, it was 1993 to 1996).

It's ultimately irrelevant; I doubt that Burris' play in Ottawa impacts Walker's career path a whole lot. But we've seen stranger coincidences come to pass than two successful QBs from the same program lead the same pro team.

Maybe Walker will be lobbing passes to former Colts teammate Bug Howard, who was released in the middle of April. We all knew that, right?  ;-)

Jamill Smith photo: Greg Kolz/Freestyle Photography
Phillip Walker photo: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images North America

"Jackson Bennett has monster game as Bengals upset Redskins for midget title"

The CFL draft takes place on Thursday night and after raising his stock over the past few months, University of Ottawa defensive back Jackson Bennett is expected to be taken within the first two rounds.

Bennett made the Ontario University Athletics all-star team twice; first team as a defensive back and second team as a return man. He was again honoured as a DB with a second-team All-Canadian selection.

Photo credit to Greg Mason for thefulcrum.ca

His exploits predate The U. of O, however. While looking for information about him, I came across an article by Fred Sherwin for Orleans Online.

The Bengals' offence raked up 56 points against a Redskins team that had only allowed 68 points all season long, while the defence managed to hold Nepean's offence to just 39 points. 

Jackson Bennett had a monster game for the Bengals, slicing and dicing his way through the Redskins' defence like a hot knife through butter. The fleet-footed running back gained over 500 yards against the top defence in the league and scored seven times to earn MVP honours.

The Orleans Bengals are the 2013 NCAFA midget champions after laying an good old-fashioned beat down on the previously undefeated Nepean Redskins.  

The REDBLACKS have reportedly tossed around the idea of starting two Canadian receivers but currently only have three on the roster. Receiver isn't the deepest position of any draft so it wouldn't be a shock to see them choose one fourth overall as a result but hopefully a versatile, athletic, local product like Bennett is too tempting to pass up if he's available.

Edit: I completely overlooked that Jackson Bennett was a member of the Sir Wilfrid Laurier high school team which won the NCSSAA senior title in 2013.

**Bengals photo credit to Carol Williamson

Myers Riders 2013 Varsity Championship

It was a bit of a surprise, and bummer, to read that Myers Riders would not be fielding summer clubs this year.

This club is woefully overlooked and underappreciated. It has been competing at multiple levels for years and usually with great success. Many of its players have gone on pro careers. They get some press, most notably from Tim Baines of the Ottawa Sun, but otherwise go largely ignored by the general public.

The following is a portion of a bio for one of their varsity coaches.

Appeared in the Ontario Varsity Football League Provincial Championships in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, won 2 back to back Provincial Championships in 2013 and 2014, set the record at the Varsity level for being the only team to have appeared in 4 straight Provincial Championships and going undefeated for 3 regular season in a row, as well as breaking 11 all-time offensive records.

At the time that my previous website went tits up (some time in 2013, I believe), I commented that "Myers Riders joined the Ontario Varsity Football League in 2001 after a dominant run in the Ontario Minor Football League at that age group. ...the varsity club is routinely competitive, having yet (unless the gaps in my research prove me wrong) to post a losing record in the OVFL."

We'll focus on the 2013 edition for now and hope for a return in 2019. The photography is from an Ottawa Sun recap, however, but I don't know to whom to give credit.

Niagara Falls Review - There were more than 1,400 fans at Kiwanis Field Saturday night and the Niagara Spears looked like they had everything in place to win the Ontario Varsity Football League championship. 

The Ottawa Myers Riders, howeer, had other plans for who would be wearing the 2013 varsity championship ring. 

... 

The Riders came into the game undefeated at 10-0 and were well worth the price of admission. 

Overall, Riders quarterback Nick Gorgichuk completed 24 passes for 299 yards and three touchdowns, putting an exclamation point on his record-breaking season in which he threw for more than 4,000 yards in just 11 games. 

“This team set 17 OVFL records this year, and he (Gorgichuk) is the best quarterback I have ever seen in this league,” Riders coach Max Palladino said as his team celebrated their first varsity championship. 

... 

The Spears actually went ahead 3-0 on a Michael Domagala field goal to start the game, but the Riders came back with a vengeance, scored three straight touchdowns in the next 12 minutes and surged ahead 21-3. 

The Spears put together a 70-yard drive in the middle of the second quarter and had the crowd and momentum on their side as they looked poised to score. But Spears quarterback Blair Robertson’s pass was intercepted by Riders linebacker Brad Herbst, who ran the ball back 85 yards to give his team a 25-point lead. 

Early in the second half, the Spears didn’t give up and their defence came up big with a two-point safety, which also returned the ball to their offence. The ensuing drive, however, ended in another interception thrown by Robertson. The Riders then put the game away when they took a 23-point lead with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Gorgichuk to wide receiver Kory Morgan. 

... 

The Scoop 

Spears 20 - Riders 42

St. Catharines Standard Star of the Game: Ottawa quarterback Nick Gorgichuk with 299 passing yards and three touchdown completions. 

... 

For the Myers Riders: Offence: Jonathon Cimankinda, 59 yards rushing and two touchdowns; Kory Morgan, 135 yards receiving and two touchdowns; Jaeger Prot, 24 yards receiving and touchdown; Connor Ayre, six extra-point conversions; Defence: Jordan Gorgichuk, interception; Brad Herbst, interception. 

I was fortunate enough to stumble into a full roster for the team which, apparently, I copied from the OVFL website five years ago. Yay me for thinking ahead! Players in red were all-star team selections.

 1  QB Gorgichuk, Nick     
 2  LB Butler, Justin     
 3  QB Jones, Costa      
 4  DB Laing-Richardson, Cam    
 5  RB Cimankinda, Jonathan    
 6  LB Cimankinda, Alain    
 7  QB Duffy, Matt     
 9  WR Charles, Rouben      
10  WR Krzaniak, Nick     
11  WR Malenfant, Cassidy      
14  DB Jean-Baptiste, Philip   
16  QB Sheahan, Kyle      
19  WR Bradley, Mathieu      
20  DB Gorgichuk, Jordon      
21  DB Smyth, Graham     
22  DB Elliott, Ty     
23  RB Tanti, Keenan     
24  DB Pierce, Daley     
25  WR Taha, Hussein     
26  RB Guest, Andrew     
29  LB Ramos, Vicente    
30  DB Doucette, Jordan  
31  RB Ferron, Jahdel    
32  DB Matthews, Taylor  
33  RB Keenan, Charlie   
34  WR Barrie, Kiell     
35  WR Morgan, Kory      
36  RB Legault, Jacob    
39  RB Moore, Julien     
42  DL Ferris, Scott  
44  DB Henselwood, Mitchell     
45  LB Herbst, Brad      
47  LB Bakshi, Akash      
48  DB Clayton, Jackson      
50  LB Fletcher, Kyrique  
51  LB Bonhomme, Ben      
53  OL Johnson, Will      
54  OL Butt, Kris      
55  OL Scott, Richard    
56  DL Bonifacio, Mark   
57  OL Bolumbe, Gedeon   
58  DL Allarie, John     
59  OL Pisani, Josef     
60  OL Young, Tyler      
61  SB Lachance, Jason   
63  OL Brakus, Andrew    
64  OL Lukusa, Paul     
65  OL Rowlands, Thomas  
67  OL Redmond, Conor  
68  DL Caissie, Paul  
70  PK Ayre, Connor   
73  LB Buckley, Jason 
75  WR Cenatus, Eddy 
76  DL Adams, Brett 
77  SB Prot, Jaegar     
83  SB Trunzo, Vincenzo 
84  SB Papalia, Joseph 
85  DB Pankow, Patrick 
88  DB Urbani, Nicolas 
91  DL Dervisevic, Jasmin 
92  DL Bolton, Parker 
93  DL Parker, Cabe 
99  DL Derdzinski, James

Ken Evraire Named Ottawa Sooners (Semi-Pro) Head Coach

How about that? Evraire did it for the Invaders as a start up organization, now he'll do it for one that's been established for decades.

I'd be curious to know what's being said around the Northern Football Conference.

It's good to see Evraire this invested in the local football scene still. When people discuss the poor management of the Ottawa Rough Riders, you invariably hear about drafting a dead dude and Dexter Manley. But Evraire's handling, as a rising star player, was deplorable and discouraging from a fan's perspective.  Here is his own recollection of the event.

My arrival was simply a settling of accounts with the Ottawa Rough Riders and head coach Steve Goldman. The Riders (had) gone out and spent a lot of money on free agents (Glenn Kulka, David Williams, John Mandarich, Tony Cherry) and the (league) GMs were not tickled to say the least. I had suffered a slight tear in my quad and as luck would have it the Riders tried to hide me by putting me on waivers. No team would want damaged goods or at least that is what the Riders brass thought. With a blink of an eye and a call to the league office, I was claimed by Hamilton.

More of that here.

So yeah. At the time (I don't believe these rules exist anymore) you could recall a player from waivers once...but not twice. The Rough Riders "brain trust" back then, incompetent asses that they were, recalled Evraire once but were unable to do so the second time they put him on waivers so while they thought they were being clever and evaluating interest in him, they accidentally gave him away for nothing.

In his second season with Hamilton (1992), Evraire would snatch 61 passes for 1081 yards and three touchdowns and take the trophy for most outstanding Canadian in the East.

Oops?

Some Rough Rider bungles have become legendary. Those that haven't aren't any less heinous. While defending this fan base prior to the RedBlacks finally becoming a reality, I used to point to the fact that the organization punched itself in the sack for 15 years and averaged 5 wins a season during that period yet still had a hardcore following. That's not a negative, that's an incredible positive that manifested itself when a competent organization was finally delivered to the city.

1968 Rough Riders

This post is inspired by the following tweet (and Facebook announcement) by the CFL Ottawa Alumni Association.

April 13th was a Friday, but that part is not relevant. ;-)  I'm going to track down the info I had gathered on my previous website about the 1968 team in particular and post it here. The post may be edited in the future if I come across new information.

I will not post the recap that had been included at the time on cfl.ca because it's a little light on details. It just so happens that I copied newspapers articles specific to that game while building the website years ago. I still have them, so I shall copy from them. See below.

In looking for a few more details, I found out that the REDBLACKS actually ran a Throwback Thursday series in early 2014 while leading up the start of their inaugural season. They had a nice graphic for it and everything! Let that be our banner.

Ottawa Rough Riders (9-3-2): 24
Calgary Stampeders (10-6):   21

Ottawa Head coach: Frank Clair
Calgary Head coach: Jerry Williams

                        1 2 3 4 Total
Ottawa Rough Riders 1 3 7 13 24
Calgary Stampeders 0 14 0 7 21

Date: November 30, 1968
Stadium: Exhibition Stadium, Toronto
Most Valuable Player: Vic Washington
Attendance 32,655


I don't recall were I located the information below. Probably from an Ottawa Citizen article from mid-season.

1968 Roster

(as of Aug. 22nd, 1968)

I = Import

##  Pos.  I  Name                    Notes 
11   HB      Ron Stewart             HoF
12   QB      Russ Jackson            HoF
14   DB   *  Don Sutherin            HoF
15   QB   *  Bill Van Burkleo
16   HB   *  Bo Scott
17   DB      Joe Poirier
20   DB      Barry Ardern
21   FB      Wayne Giardino
22   DB      Gene Gaines             HoF
23   FL      Bill Cooper
24   FB      Lovell Coleman
26   HB      Whit Tucker             HoF
27   HB   *  Victor Washington
30   FB      Rick Black
41   LB   *  Ken Lehmann             Most Outstanding Defensive Player
42    C      Jerry Selinger
43    C      Doug Specht
50   LB      Ken Shaw
51   DL   *  Roger Perdrix
52   DL      Jim Cain
53   DT   *  Marshall Shirk
54    G   *  LaVerle Pratt
55    G   *  Dave Braggins
56    G   *  Tom Schuette
60    T   *  Bob Brown
61    T      Tom Beynon
62    T      Moe Racine
63    G   *  Ed Joyner
65   DT   *  Billy Joe Booth
66    T      Doug Collins
71    E      Tom Pullen
73    E   *  Margene Adkins
76    E   *  Jay Roberts
77  DLB   *  Jim Reynolds
##   FL   x  Gino Berretta

LONG PLAY DOES IS AGAIN - Jack Koffman, Ottawa Citizen, December 1st, 1968.

Stymied and almost helpless offensively through the first half, Frank Clair's team changed the entire complexion of the game in the final 30 minutes.

It was a rather gloomy picture for the Ottawa supporters in the first half. Two Calgary fumbles opened the door for the Riders but they kept missing the boat. They could have been leading 14-0 by the end of the first quarter. Instead they trailed 14-4 at the half

The Western champs...stayed alive, though, because Don Sutherin's placement kicking was off target. In four field goal shots he made good on only one....This, couple with a single point on a blocked kick, gave Ottawa an early 4-0 edge.

...In the third period...Riders took over on the Calgary fifty-four and (Russ) Jackson began carrying the ball.

He raced 41, then got a circus catch by (Vic) Washington on a pass to the 15, to set up the first Ottawa TD. Russ himself finally went over from the one.

...Riders hit paydirt suddenly and explosively on the second play of the last quarter.

On a pitchout, Washington dropped the ball and picked it up again on the bounce...He raced down the touchline 79 yards and suddenly Ottawa was ahead.

Later, with five minutes to go, (Margene) Adkins ran a new pattern, cutting across from the right to take Jackson's pass on the Calgary 30 and race for the TD.

The stubborn Ottawa defence held Calgary off for two plays from the six, after a first down, then (Peter) Liske hit (Terry) Evenshen for the major. So only three points...separated the teams with 1:34 to go but Tom Schutte grabbed the short kickoff and that was that the end.