CALGARY — Dave Dickenson is a little uneasy heading into Monday’s Labour Day Classic between his Calgary Stampeders and the Edmonton Elks at McMahon Stadium.
After all, the Stampeders (4-6) haven’t played since dropping a 31-29 decision to the Ottawa Redblacks at home on Aug. 15.
“It just feels like our last game was so long ago,” Dickenson said. “I’m anxious to play and I think the guys have good energy and are looking forward to battling.
“I know it’s going to be a battle, I’ll put it that way. I’m a little uneasy with this break and I’m hoping our guys respond and are tight on the details.”
Although Edmonton coach Jarious Jackson was happy to hear that Dickenson is wary about his team’s return to action, he added that he fully expects that his counterpart will have his players ready.
“That is kind of good to hear, but at the same time I know how Dave is and I know how his teams are,” Jackson said. “I’m sure he gave them a good amount of time off during their bye week, but at the same time I’m sure they’re ready to roll as well.
“We’re not going to take them lightly. I know at the end of the day, they’ve got to come back and knock the cobwebs off, but it’s football, so they’ll get adjusted pretty fast.”
After reeling off three straight wins to get their season back on track, the Elks (3-8) suffered a disappointing 21-17 road loss to the Montreal Alouettes on Aug. 25.
“We absolutely destroyed them in the first half and then we sputtered in the third quarter,” said Elks quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson, who threw touchdown passes to Eugene Lewis and Kurleigh Gittens Jr. to stake his team to a 17-6 halftime lead.
Of Edmonton’s eight losses, four have them have been by three points.
“We’ve lost more games than we’ve won and we felt like we should have won a lot of those,” said Bethel-Thompson, who’s excited for the opportunity to play two games in six days against the Stampeders with the rematch scheduled for Saturday at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium.
“Definitely, we want to get out on the right foot. We want to throw the first punch and get away with this win here in Calgary.”
Although Calgary and Edmonton currently sit in fourth and fifth place, respectively, in the CFL’s West Division, both teams remain in striking distance of the first-place B.C. Lions and Winnipeg Blue Bombers (both 6-6).
“Everybody in the West is just going to scratch and claw here for those three playoff spots,” said Calgary quarterback Jake Maier. “It is unbelievable that everybody in the West can legitimately win it.
"I don’t think you’ve been able to say that about the West Division for a long, long time. That’s really fun for us as players, but at the same time we’ve got to keep pace with everybody.”
Receiver Jalen Philpot, who missed the entire 2023 season with a hamstring tear, is excited to play in his second Labour Day Classic contest against the Elks.
While he didn’t have much of an impact in Calgary’s 26-18 win on Sept. 5, 2022 during his rookie season, Philpot is looking forward to playing a bigger role on Monday.
“I’m definitely looking to come out and make a big play, score a touchdown, do something to help my team win in this game,” Philpot said. “Whenever there’s big games, I always think that I can come out and make a play. I like to feel like I shine better under pressure.”
Like Philpot, Gittens would like nothing more than to help lead his team to victory.
“I’m excited to play some football, especially coming off a loss to Montreal,” said Gittens, who has caught touchdown passes in two consecutive games for the Elks. “I’m really just excited to play in the atmosphere and to see how it is over here.”
Gittens, who the Elks acquired from the Toronto Argonauts last January in a trade that saw defensive lineman Jake Ceresna go the other way, has fond memories of playing at McMahon Stadium in his rookie season in 2021 with the Argos.
“My first-ever CFL touchdown was in Calgary,” said Gittens, who caught the TD pass from Bethel-Thompson before Boris Bede kicked the game-winning field goal to lead Toronto to a come-from-behind 23-20 win over the Stamps. “It was special.”
Gittens is now hoping he and Bethel-Thompson will be able to rekindle the same kind of chemistry against the Stamps.
“He’s my guy,” Gittens said. “I’ve got a lot of love for him and I think he’s got a lot of love for me, too. I love going to battle with him and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 1, 2024.
Laurence Heinen, The Canadian Press
