1945: Arnie McWatters is Awarded the Imperial Oil MVP Award

I'd gradually been putting together a list of the men who have played for the Ottawa Combines/Trojans of the ORFU from 1943 to 1947 prior to that team amalgamating with the Rough Riders.

The list usually only grew in small spurts. Today, I decided to dedicate some time to that task specifically.

I took a longer look at some mid-week articles from September through November of 1945 and 1946 instead of only game summaries from that time range. The mid-week articles often listed injured players being removed from the roster and their potential replacement as teams resumed training. They used the players' full name in doing so. Far too often, game summaries only refer to players by family name. 

Reaching the end of 1945, I landed on the union's MVP award announcement. It was given to Trojans  veteran player/coach Arnie McWatters and that seemed like a notable achievement to record here. I believe McWatters is the only Ottawa recipient of the award but that's hardly shocking since Ottawa was in the ORFU only a short period of time while that award was being handed out. 

McWatters was the most valuable player but was not named to the union's all-star team. Only George Sprague represented Ottawa in that regard. That would suggest that McWatters' coaching ability and sportsmanship were substantial decision influencers in determining his "value".

McWatters' career started in Sarnia but he joined the Rough Riders in 1939, won the Grey Cup with them in 1940, and stayed with the club until it was disbanded after the 1942 season because of WW2. He then joined the Ottawa Combines/Trojans in 1943 and stayed with that club until the aforementioned merger with the Rough Riders prior to the 1948 season. He has coached at both Ottawa universities. 

Midget Page Updates

The Midget page has gone through something of a clean up for a couple of its seasons. Most of the attention was given to 1996 and 1999.

A number of the game summaries I'd located were printed at the library years ago then scanned from those prints. They were of terrible quality and have been replaced. 

In the case of 1999, at the time I'd only been able to locate a few paragraphs from the Ottawa Sun in regards to the championship game. The Citizen summary was far more detailed. It has replaced the Sun's article on the Midget page and is being shared below.

I'd had a similar issue with 1996. The championship game article scan was poor and badly cropped. That's been fixed and a team celebration picture that I'd been unable to fit now does and is included.

There have been a number of other updates too small to spotlight, such as the addition of game results for the three local junior teams of the late 2000s, the Sooners, Jr. Riders and Cumberland Panthers. There had been gaps in the local coverage but I managed to locate those scores using the Gazette newspaper in Montreal since the rest of the team in the QJFL are located there (or nearby). In some cases, the home team is not identified, unfortunately. 

Finally, in looking for information about 1996 in particular, I came across this graphic of Jesse Palmer regarding his recruitment to the university of Florida. I can't tell you that I'm a huge fan of the guy, for all his successes, but I like that his statistics as a Rider are included. 

May 19th, 1988: West Defeats East in the OMFL Grads Game

I hit a wall at 1988 while gathering results for the Athletes In Action high school senior game some months ago. Being that I've been collecting scores from right around that time period for a bunch of other teams, I thought I would give it another try.

I don't know how I missed the 1988 and 1989 game articles the first time. The Citizen had full-page ads for them!

In truth, I think it's because the emphasis on Athletes In Action is not present by then. Whatever the cause, the recaps for those two contests are now included on the "AIA Game" page above. The Citizen was a very supportive partner of this endeavour for a few years. 

In tracking those down, I found something completely unexpected; a Midget All-Star game in 1988 featuring players from the four Ottawa teams competing at that level at the time.

The following year, the teams went with Red / White identification rather than a regional one.

Coverage of the Midget level gets very spotty as we enter the 1990s but I'll make a point to continue looking for summaries of these all-star games played in the spring.

Nov 9th, 1985: Carleton 40, Bishop's 20

The gathering of Rough Riders results and the occasional game-summarizing articles continues with the 1984 and 1985 seasons having recently been added.

There isn't much glory to share from either season but in going over those years again, I took the time to copy some summaries from other teams, mostly the Sooners and the Carleton Ravens, both of which were quite successful during that spell. 

I want to focus on Carleton in particular at this time. They won two playoff games in 1985 before bowing to Calgary in a national championship semi-final. It occurred to me that this had to be the first time they recorded two playoff victories in a season in the school's football history (dating back to 1945) because, to be blunt, they'd have very few successful seasons to that point.

Then a paragraph in the article below added a little focus. Read on and we'll resume on the other side.

...First playoff victory since he was the team's head coach starting in 1959.

I initially misunderstood the context there. Harris, at bottom left, is not saying that Carleton last won a playoff game in 1959. That would be inaccurate, the team was winless that year. 

Rather, Harris is stating that he's not aware of a playoff victory from that starting point. Nor should he be, there weren't any.

So I looked at prior years. I still came up empty. It appears, then, that the Ravens literally did not win a playoff game in the first 50 years of their existence. Wikipedia, for what it's worth, appears to support this.

Everyone in Ottawa and the surrounding areas had Ravens fever as the Carleton team headed to Calgary to face the Dinosaurs in the Western Bowl (Vanier Cup semi-final). In -32C weather, the Ravens season came to an end with a 56-14 win for the Calgary Dinosaurs. However, all was not lost - the Ravens enjoyed the best season in the history of the club. They were the first to win a playoff game as well as a league championship, and the first to enter the Final Four.

I guess that never jumped out at me before, even as I (sporadically, in my defense) recorded their results one season at a time. Sure, they weren't always great. They weren't always putrid, either. They had the occasional burst of competence interspersed in there.

Unless I'm mistaken then, Carleton won their first playoff game in 1985 and their last in 1986. But that last one was against uOttawa so if any Ravens fans get chirped about this fact, it'll likely be by a Gee-Gees supporter and you have this to throw back at them.

July 8th, 1983: Ottawa Rough Riders 26 @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers 25

I am adding the 1983 Rough Riders results today as well as whatever other goodies I happen to come across for other teams in the area.

That season opened with a last-minute victory in Winnipeg before a boatload of consecutive losses so I thought that specific game warranted a little extra attention. Take it away, Tom Casey!

The summary of that season on the "Rough Riders 1961+" page also now includes the article about the 1983 team's second victory, also on the road, against the Warren Moon-led Edmonton Eskimos. 

"Get Excited!" (For the OSFL's Myers Riders Roster)

I first saw the Cumberland Panthers announcing commitments to their Ontario Summer Football League program on Instagram but Myers Riders have been doing it for a while now as well. Cumberland's efforts were mentioned here so it seems only fair to do the same for Myers.

I love seeing a little hype being generated for the coming season while making some of these names feel more familiar. Keep it up, everyone, please.

Let's get to know Ethan's game a little better through his Hudl profile.  

Myers' Instagram account can be found here and Cumberland's here.

"REDBLACKS re-sign original REDBLACK Antoine Pruneau"

The Ottawa REDBLACKS have re-signed a crucial member of their leadership core, coming to terms with defensive back Antoine Pruneau on a one-year extension. 

Drafted fourth overall by the REDBLACKS in 2014, Pruneau has appeared in 104 CFL games, recording 417 tackles, four sacks, 10 interceptions, four forced fumbles, and a touchdown. The Montreal native has been a key component of Ottawa’s success since entering the league, helping the team to their first Grey Cup win in 2016, and earning CFL All-Star honours in 2017.

During the 2021 campaign, the 32 year-old Pruneau dressed for 11 games, tallying 40 total tackles, and an interception to seal the win over the Edmonton Elks in his 100th CFL game.

2022 Free Agency Recap (Days Two and Three)

There will be some overlap here because some of the signings from Wednesday were already being discussed on Tuesday (Day One). Evidently a couple of players had agreed to terms and just had to put ink to paper before the official announcement was sent out. I've gone back and added biographical info info, provided in team's press releases, for every acquisition covered in the Ottawa Sun's article from February 8th.

So here are a couple more signings who were not mentioned earlier in the week as being likely to join the REDBLACKS. 

MONSHADRICK HUNTER (DB): Hunter, 26 is coming off of his first career CFL All-Star season, in 2021. In 14 games with the Montreal Alouettes, he recorded 55 total tackles, two interceptions, and a sack. Prior to joining Montreal, the Prosper, Texas native played two seasons with the Edmonton Elks, from 2018-2019. Through 30 appearances with Edmonton, Hunter racked up 96 total tackles, to go with four interceptions, and a sack. Hunter is the son of five-time Major League Baseball All-Star Torii Hunter. 

TRUMAINE WASHINGTON (DB): A veteran of three CFL seasons, Washington broke into the league with the Toronto Argonauts in 2018. The Miami, Florida native went on to appear in 25 games across two seasons with the Argos, notching 56 tackles, five interceptions, a touchdown, and a forced fumble.

Washington joins the REDBLACKS following a career year, in which he suited up for all 14 games with the Elks, and matched his statline from the combined previous two years. The 26 year-old finished the season tied for the CFL lead in picks (five), also recording 56 total tackles, a forced fumble, and a touchdown. 

B.J. CUNNINGHAM (WR): Cunningham, 32, is a veteran of six CFL seasons, all with the Montreal Alouettes, having signed with the team in 2015, following a three-year stint in the NFL. Through 72 career games, Cunningham has racked up 3,741 receiving yards, on 272 receptions, with 984 yards after the catch, and 17 touchdowns. He has also rushed for 81 yards, and a touchdown, on 14 carries throughout his career.

A product of Columbus, Ohio, Cunningham appeared in nine games for the Als last season, posting 474 receiving yards, on 36 catches, to go with 112 yards after the catch, and a touchdown.

I think that covers pretty well every new face that's been announced. On the flip side, DB/LB Alden Darby was included in the list of newcomers to the club from February 8th, however he changed his mind and signed with Hamilton instead.

2022 Free Agency Recap (Day One)

The Ottawa REDBLACKS were well aware that they needed to make a splash in free agency not only in an effort to boost the team's talent but also to rebuild some faith in a fanbase that had been questioning the team's commitment to fielding a quality product in recent years. They seem to have accomplished both goals.

The comments below are copied from this Ottawa Sun article. They are all from General Manager Shawn Burke. I did not include returning players RJ Harris (WR), Davon Coleman (DT) and William Powell (RB), only the true new faces to the team.  

JEREMIAH MASOLI (QB): “To have a guy you’ve seen day in and day out for the better part of eight years — what he brings to the locker room, what the sport means to him, what family means to him and what teammates mean to him — meant a lot in making this decision. It’s about his work ethic, it’s about his quiet leadership and his passion and drive for the game. There’s a laidbackness thing going on, but there’s also a fire in him. It’s a great balance between the two and we’re excited to have him in Ottawa."

JACKSON BENNETT (RB): Bennett, 26, is a Cumberland product who has three CFL seasons under his belt, all with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. In 40 regular season appearances, Bennett has 46 carries for 219 yards and a touchdown, 13 catches for 102 yards, and 20 special teams tackles. Over three seasons at the University of Ottawa, Bennett, then playing as a defensive back and linebacker, accumulated 89 solo tackles, 39 assisted tackles, one sack, and three interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. He moved to running back, the position he played in high school, in 2019.  

“(In Hamilton), he switched from safety and SAM linebacker to running back and it didn’t faze him. He’s gotten some quality snaps on the offensive side of the ball. And he’s a very good special teamer.”

Bennett played high high school ball with Sir Wilfrid Laurier and his university football with uOttawa. 

JAELON ACKLIN (WR): The 26 year-old Acklin comes to Ottawa from Hamilton, where he spent the first two campaigns of his CFL career. Acklin, who played college ball at Western Illinois, followed up a 708-yard campaign in 2019 with 678 yards and four touchdowns in 2021, while playing three fewer games. The Tiger-Cats reached the Grey Cup final in both of those seasons. Acklin caught 105 passes for 1,733 yards and 12 touchdowns, along with 21 carries for 255 yards, and four majors in 44 college games. 

“He was near the top of our board for receivers. He’s a playmaker, he’s got very good hands. Last year as the season went along in Hamilton, he became more and more of the go-to guy.”

DARVIN ADAMS (WR): A native of Canton, Mississippi, Adams arrived in the CFL for the 2013 season, signing with the Toronto Argonauts. He joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2015 and all told has racked up 4,928 receiving yards on 343 receptions along with 40 touchdowns through 91 career CFL games, earning CFL All-Star honours in 2017 and 2018. Adams, 32, has also been a key contributor to the two-time defending Grey Cup Champion Blue Bombers, appearing in four playoff games the last two seasons, recording 387 receiving yards, and the Cup-winning touchdown in 2021. 

“He brings a different energy and edge to our receiving corps. He’s a two-time Grey Cup champion. He’s got a background with Coach LaPo, which means he can hit the ground running.”

LLEVI NOEL (WR): Noel, 30, hails from Toronto where he has spent his entire five-year CFL career with his hometown Argonauts. A former member of the Canadian Junior Football League in Windsor, the 6-foot-2, 198-pound 30 year-old has 79 special teams tackles, in 74 career regular season games with the Argos. Though limited to just four games in 2021, Noel also has 82 catches for 869 career receiving yards and four touchdowns. Noel had a career year in 2018 when he hauled in 47 passes for 512 yards. 

“He’s had a 500-yard season. He got derailed a bit last year with a hamstring injury in Toronto. When we watched the tape, he looked like he’ll fit what we’re trying to do. Like Darvin, he brings an aggressiveness and size. What he can do with the ball shouldn’t be lost. On top of that, he’s a very high-end special teams guy.”

SHAQ JOHNSON (WR): Hailing from Brampton, Ontario, Johnson was drafted in the fourth round, 32nd overall by the Lions in 2016. The product of both McGill and Western broke into the league as a full-timer in 2017 and has since posted 127 catches for 1,749 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. The 28 year-old Johnson appeared in all 14 games for the Lions in 2021, tallying 30 receptions for 295 yards. 

“He’s a very athletic Canadian receiver, he’s had a couple of 500-yard seasons.. When you talk about playing two Canadian receivers, you likely need three with good ability so with him, Nate (Behar) and Llevi, we feel very good about that position group.”

UCAMBRE WILLIAMS (OL): Williams, 29, has spent his entire five-season CFL career with the Calgary Stampeders, where suited up for 63 career regular season games. The Alabaman has played right tackle and right guard but moved to centre in 2017 and started at the position when the Stamps won the 2018 Grey Cup. The 6-foot-3, 298-pound product of the University of South Alabama was a CFL West All-Star, the Stamps’ top lineman and the West Division nominee for best offensive lineman. 

“He’s a leader, he’s tenacious, a good pro and he’s got a lot of flexibility – he’s played right tackle, left tackle and centre. We’ll be looking at him as a tackle. People will say he doesn’t have the tackle size. But if you look at the film, he can play. He loves the game of football.”

DARIUS CIRACO (OL): Ciraco, 25, spent the first three seasons of his CFL career with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. In three campaigns, the Burlington native and University of Calgary product dressed for all but 8 games. The 6-foot-4, 292-pound lineman was drafted with Hamilton’s sixth-overall pick in the 2018 CFL Draft, and was named the Ti-Cats’ Most Outstanding Rookie in 2018. 

“He’s a former first-round pick that’s transitioned from guard, he’ll play centre for us. He had a bit of the injury bug last year in Hamilton. He has a volume of work already with Jeremiah.”

HUNTER STEWARD (OL): Steward, 30, is a seven-season CFL veteran who has spent his entire career with the BC Lions. The 6--foot-6, 315-pound from Calgary has 89 games under his belt as he makes the trip east to Ottawa. Steward was selected in the first round and sixth overall by the Lions in the 2013 CFL draft and made his debut with the club in 2014. He played college ball at Virginia's Liberty University.  

“We evaluated him and decided he was a guy we really wanted to chase. As his career has gone on, he’s been more and more available. He was a guy we felt could come in and help us win football games.”

KWAKU BOATENG (DL): Boateng, 26, brings athleticism and a penchant for getting at quarterbacks to Ottawa. The six-foot-two, 257-pound Wilfrid Laurier product had 25 sacks in his four seasons with the Elks. His nine-sack effort in 2018 is his personal best. Boateng also has 82 career tackles and a pair of forced fumbles on his short but impressive resume. A fifth-round selection by the Elks in 2017, Boateng quickly showed that he could play at the pro level, and had three tackles in the Elks’ Western Semi-final showdown with Winnipeg. Boateng was twice (2018 and 2019) named the team’s top Canadian player. 

"He had his most productive season with (defensive co-ordinator Mike) Benevides (in Edmonton) and that wasn’t lost on him. He’s coming off a bit of a down season and he’s hungry. It makes sense for us, it gives us a ton of flexibility ratio wise to have another Canadian of his skillset.”

LORENZO MAULDIN IV (DL): Mauldin IV, 29, is a former third-round pick of the NFL’s New York Jets, who spent the last two seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The 6-foot-4, 259-pound Sacramento native has 13 defensive tackles, 12 special teams tackles, four sacks, and a forced fumble in 17 regular season CFL games. Mauldin made his NFL debut with the Jets in 2015, and went on to record 33 tackles, 6.5 sacks, a fumble recovery, and an interception. 

“He had a bit of an injury bug last year with the hamstring. He embraced his role as the third defensive end and did a great job on special teams. He wants an opportunity to be given a chance to start; we think he can compete with the guys we have. He’s a big, physical player, a former third-round (NFL) pick.”

PATRICK LEVELS (LB): Levels comes to Ottawa after two years with the Montreal Alouettes, and a pair of seasons with the Calgary Stampeders. The Dallas native has played 55 regular season games over four years, recording 164 defensive tackles, eight sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a touchdown. Though limited to 12 games last year, Levels still put up 42 defensive tackles, three sacks, one pick and one touchdown. He won the Grey Cup in 2018 with the Stampeders.    

“Much like I talked about about Darvin, in terms of energy, physicality and intensity, (Levels) brings that to the defensive side.”

TY CRANSTON (DB): Cranston, 27, hails from Winnipeg but played for the University of Ottawa before being drafted by the Montreal Alouettes in the seventh round in 2017. In three seasons with the Alouettes, Cranston has recorded 38 defensive tackles, 24 special teams tackles and an interception in 34 regular season games. Cranston played 30 regular season games with the Gee-Gees from 2013-2017, recording 133 , defensive tackles, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. 

“He got a lot of playing time in Montreal. The more and more we talked about him, the more it made sense. He’s got a longer body, it gives us a different body type. When he wasn’t starting in Montreal, he was an above average special teamer. Safety is going to be a group that we’ve added some depth with and we’re excited to see them compete.”

ALDEN DARBY (DB/LB): “The more we talked through it, it made sense from a versatility standpoint; he’s played four different defensive backfield positions – SAM backer, boundary half, boundary corner and safety. Everything we’ve heard about him, he’s an energetic guy, he brings communication to the defensive backfield.”

"MASOLI TO OTTAWA: REDBLACKS ink veteran quarterback"

The Ottawa REDBLACKS have signed veteran American quarterback Jeremiah Masoli to a two-year deal, the club announced Monday. 

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The 33-year-old pivot joins the REDBLACKS after spending eight seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Masoli was an East Division all-star and the East Division’s nominee for Most Outstanding Player in 2018 and was a part of three Ticats teams that played for a Grey Cup (2014, 2019, 2021). 

"Jeremiah is a consummate professional who has been a high-performing quarterback in our league for nearly a decade," said REDBLACKS General Manager Shawn Burke. "We know RNation will give him a warm welcome and we thank Jeremiah and his family for choosing Ottawa for the next two years."

Masoli brings a dual threat presence – along with throwing for 15,555 yards, he’s rushed for 1,507 through 114 games – and brings a wealth of experience to the REDBLACKS. Named the Ticats’ starter over Dane Evans out of the gate of the 2022 season, Masoli dealt with injuries before leading the team to the Eastern Final. After briefly giving way to Evans, a week later, Masoli went into the game when Evans sustained a neck injury. He led the Ticats through a narrow overtime loss, completing 20 of 25 passes for 185 yards, with two touchdowns. Masoli also rushed for 35 yards in the Grey Cup game. 

1933: Tommy Daley Explodes Onto The Eastern Senior Interscholastic Football Scene

Tommy Daley's career with the local pro teams (Rough Riders and Trojans) spanned most of the ten years between 1936 and 1945 and four Grey Cup appearances including the 1940 title.

Daley's potential to excel at the highest level of the sport was in full display during his first senior high school season in 1933. Glebe's rather dominant points-for/points-against ratio is mentioned in the article below, written after Glebe had secured the senior city championship but prior to the Eastern Ontario playoffs.

Daley's dominance that season is also noted. Get a load of that ridiculous scoring summary.

Glebe's 1933 scores have been added to the high school page. The Blue and Gold would go on to win the city and EOSSA titles for that season and continue to do so over the next two.

With Daley no longer on the team in 1936, Glebe turned the title over to St. Patrick's. No doubt there were other factors at play, but Daley's departure had to have played a large part.

The 1956 Red Feather Tournament: Ottawa Tech 29, Riverdale 10

We're moving ahead a little bit with the Red Feather tournament tonight, though there's little to say about it. It concluded in its most common manner. The Ottawa team won the game in convincing fashion but the "championship" was awarded to another team.

It bears noting that the series of exhibition games was apparently known as the United Fund(s) Football Tournament that year. "Red Feather Tournament" did reveal some results in searches but United Fund (or Funds, plural) was far more common. The purpose of the event appeared to be unchanged, however.

"REDBLACKS re-sign Abdul Kanneh and Randall Evans"

The Ottawa REDBLACKS further solidified their backfield on Tuesday as the club announced contract extensions for veteran defensive backs Abdul Kanneh and Randall Evans. 

"Abdul is a proven winner in the CFL and Randall has gotten better each year and had a career season last year," said General Manager Shawn Burke. "Both are excited to be part of the REDBLACKS organization and we're happy they have decided to return to Ottawa for the 2022 season."

A former CFL All-Star, injuries saw Kanneh limited to eight games during the 2021 season, but his impact was still felt. The 31 year-old notched three interceptions, including two that clinched the season opener against the Edmonton Elks, one of which Kanneh scored a touchdown on. He also recorded 28 tackles, in his seventh CFL season.

Evans, 30, suited up in 14 games for the REDBLACKS, during his third CFL campaign, all but one game of which has been with Ottawa. The Miami, Florida native registered career highs in every statistical category; with 82 total tackles, four sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles.