The 2019 Canadian Football League season is underway, and four former Gaels are vying for the Grey Cup.
The Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders open their title defence on Saturday night at home with a 32-28 loss to the Ottawa REDBLACKS who finished as they Grey Cup runner-ups. Grey Cup champion Derek Wiggan, Artsci’14, is back with the Stampeders on the defensive line and is coming off a season that saw him pick up 10 tackles, a sack, an interception, and a forced fumble. With Queen's, Mr. Wiggan was an All-Canadian lineman and helped the 2013 team get to the Yates Cup championship game.
A pair of former Gaels will be suiting up for the Toronto Argonauts once again this season as 2017 Grey Cup champion Matt Webster is back and Nelkas Kwemo gets set for his sophomore season in the professional ranks. Last season Mr. Webster finished with 13 tackles while adding another five on special teams. He was also a teammate of Mr. Wiggan when the two helped lead the Gaels to a 2013 Yates Cup appearance. Mr. Kwemo missed part of his rookie season with the Argonauts due to injury but was able to finish the season nicely playing in 11 games while picking up three tackles and another 15 special teams tackles.
The Gaels most veteran CFLer is Edmonton Eskimos Matthew O'Donnell, Artsci’13, who enters his eighth season in the league, all with the Eskimos. Mr. O'Donnell has started every game over the past two seasons and missed just one game in 2016. In 2015, he won the Grey Cup with Edmonton. With Queen's, he was a crucial member of the 2009 Vanier Cup champion Gaels and was a two-time All-Canadian while with the Tricolour. Edmonton opened their season Friday with a 32-25 win over the Montreal Alouettes.
This story originally appeared on the Queen’s Athletics website.
