Riders reflect on nail-biting 2019 Labour Day Classic as 2021 edition approaches

It was a celebration for the ages after the 2019 Labour Day Classic.

And it was exactly how Saskatchewan Roughriders punter Jon Ryan and kicker Brett Lauther drew it up.

“(On the) Thursday before that Labour Day game, Brett came up to me just before a field goal period and said, ‘It’d be really cool someday if I hit a game-winner down here at the north end and we run to Pil Country in the south end on a walkoff kick. I’ve always wanted to do that since I started playing here,’ ” Ryan said ahead of the 2021 edition of the CFL game (Sunday, 4 p.m.).

That very opportunity arose as the Roughriders marched down the field with time running down against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the fourth quarter.

“I just looked at Brett and told him, ‘Pil Country, buddy,’ ” Ryan said.

Lauther went out and hit the 26-yard field goal to give the Riders a 19-17 win.

“I think it has to be (my No. 1 kick) since we’re still talking about it a couple years later. I feel like I’ve made a lot of big ones out here and everything but that one was pretty important at the time,” Lauther said.

“I feel like (the Labour Day Classic) is the biggest game of the year — and people can say otherwise — but people out here know the back-to-back (series with Winnipeg) and how much it means.”

And while he and Ryan joined the screaming fans inside Pil Country, Lauther found out a beer was going to be hard to come by.

“It was pretty late in the game so I don’t think they were selling them anymore,” Lauther said. “I was really kind of blacked out towards the end and everything going on but I did see some videos and I think (a beer) was sitting on the shelf there; I don’t think anyone actually had it in their hands.

“(It’s) probably not a good idea to do that this year with COVID. Those were the good old days when you could share a beer.”

Ryan said he nearly didn’t make it to Pil Country during their sprint down the field.

“I saw it on replay later that Brett throws his helmet into the air as we got close to Pil Country and it came pretty close to knocking me out,” Ryan said.

The Roughriders are hoping for a similar result when they host the Blue Bombers at Mosaic Stadium. It’s only the second time since 1954 that the Riders (3-0) and Blue Bombers (3-1) enter the game as the first- and second-place teams in the CFL’s West Division. The other time came in 2019, with the Bombers at 8-2 and the Riders at 6-3.

“This is a game for first place in the West right now so it’s a big game regardless of when it happens,” said Saskatchewan head coach Craig Dickenson.

Notes: According to the Roughriders’ injury report, defensive tackle Micah Johnson (ankle) didn’t take part in Friday’s closed practice. Running back/returner Marcus Murphy (toe) also didn’t participate. Running back Jamal Morrow is expected to fill in for Murphy in Sunday’s game.