Dolegala’s second Banjo Bowl less chaotic than first

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 08/09/2023 (771 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jake Dolegala’s journey to the Banjo Bowl was nowhere near as eventful as it was in 2022.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders were battling a Norovirus outbreak at this time last year. It was so severe they worried they weren’t going to have enough bodies to field a team in their annual rematch with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

No. 2 quarterback Mason Fine was one of the ones who had it the worst, leading to Dolegala, the third-stringer, having to make a last-minute trip to Winnipeg.

“Well, it was definitely unexpected. I mean, I got a call from (Riders GM Jeremy O’Day) the night prior and he said, ‘Be up at 5:30, Chase (Pelletier, the club’s football operations co-ordinator) is coming to pick you up.’ And then he’s like ‘You’re probably going to have to play.’ We made it happen, we made it work,” said Dolegala, shortly after the Riders landed in Winnipeg on Friday.

Dolegala was also ill, but he was in better shape than most of his teammates. He ended up relieving Cody Fajardo late in the game, one that Winnipeg dominated en route to a 54-20 victory.

“Last year was tough and I’ve tried my best to forget about it for a lot of reasons,” said Saskatchewan head coach Craig Dickenson.

“It was just one of those things that happen in your life. It’s a good story when you think about it, but we’re happy we’re healthy and we’re happy to be here and ready to play a game.”

This year’s contest, which takes place Saturday at 3 p.m. with the Bombers (9-3) hosting the Riders (6-5), features Dolegala in a starring role.

Injuries to Trevor Harris and Fine have thrust the 6-7 pivot into the spotlight. He’s turned a lot of heads in a short amount of time as the 26-year-old from Central Connecticut is 2-0 in 2023 after beating the B.C. Lions 34-29 at home and then knocking off the Bombers in a 32-30 overtime thriller on Labour Day.

In that stretch, he’s completed 59 per cent of his passes for 565 total yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions.

It’s still early, but Riderville might have themselves a quarterback.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Thursdays

Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.

Sign up for Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

“He’s just stepping in and doing what we all knew he could do. We all believed in him, he just needed an opportunity,” said returner Mario Alford. “I think he’s holding his ground right now. We just need him to stay poised and keep doing what he’s doing.”

Dolegala, who made the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted rookie in 2019, can make a massive statement if he leads the green and white to win at IG Field. Saskatchewan hasn’t swept the two weekends since 2018.

“I’ve always thought I could play at this level,” said Dolegala. “These last couple of weeks I’ve been able to prove that.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

X: @TaylorAllen31

Taylor Allen
Reporter

Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor.

Every piece of reporting Taylor produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.