Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca
TORONTO — OK Tire Labour Day Weekend is a special week for fans across the CFL. For many the long weekend brings on time spent with family, barbecues, enjoying the last weekend of summer and of course, football.
As it does every season, the September long weekend will bring a showing of Canadian talent and there will be plenty to keep an eye on. Saskatchewan’s Brett Lauther is seemingly always on walk-off alert on Labour Day, while Toronto’s Henoc Muamba has been a model of defensive consistency and there a few fresh faces to watch out for as well.
Labour Day Weekend kicks off with a Friday night matchup from Montreal between the Ottawa REDBLACKS and Montreal Alouettes and to help ease some of the anticipation of waiting, CFL.ca has compiled a list of some of the notable Canadians with Labour Day Weekend experience.
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Nate Behar, WR, Ottawa REDBLACKS
Ottawa REDBLACKS receiver Nate Behar has 512 receiving yards through the first 12 weeks, setting a new career-high (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca).
Ottawa REDBLACKS receiver Nate Behar will be making his fourth appearance in a game on Labour Day Weekend and his second as a member of the REDBLACKS.
The Ottawa pass-catcher was a part of the team’s 51-29 loss to the Montreal Alouettes on Labour Day during the 2021 season. Behar was targeted seven times in the contest, pulling down five receptions for 57 yards.
Behar’s other two Labour Day appearances came as a member of the Edmonton Elks in 2017 and 2018.
Darius Ciraco, OL, Ottawa REDBLACKS
Drafted in 2018 by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Darius Ciraco has played on Labour Day Weekend each of his first three years in the league (Jana Chytilova/CFL.ca).
As REDBLACKS offensive lineman Darius Ciraco gets set to take the field on Friday it will mark his fourth time playing in a game on Labour Day Weekend, but it will be his first with Ottawa.
Ciraco was a first round pick by Hamilton in the 2018 CFL Draft. He saw snaps in three Labour Day matchups against the Toronto Argonauts during his time with the Tiger-Cats.
Nic Demski, WR, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers receiver Nic Demski has scored three touchdowns to start the 2022 season and all three of his scores have come against the Calgary Stampeders (BlueBombers.com).
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers wide receiver has seen both sides of the Labour Day rivalry between the Bombers and the Saskatchewan Roughriders, as Demski started his CFL career dawning the Green and White.
The Blue Bombers’ playmaker has seen action in four previous Labour Day Weekend games and despite beginning his career in Regina, saw action in just one Labour Day game with the Riders.
Since joining Winnipeg in 2018, Demski has played in each of the team’s three games taking place over the September long weekend, with his best statistical performance coming in the 2021 season. Demski reeled in three of his five passing targets for 41 yards and a touchdown to help his team capture a 23-8 win.
An honourable mention should also be thrown to Demski’s teammate and fellow receiver, Drew Wolitarsky. Wolitarksy has played in three Labour Day Weekend games with the Bombers, totalling eight catches for 110 yards in his three appearances.
Mike Miller, FB, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Through the first 12 weeks of the season, Winnipeg Blue Bombers fullback Mike Miller has compiled 19 tackles and one forced fumble (Walter Tychnowicz/CFL.ca).
When it comes to Labour Day Weekend in the CFL, special teams legend and Winnipeg fullback Mike Miller is no stranger to the intensity the game brings.
Miller has played in a grand total of 10 Labour Day Weekend games, including four as a member of the Blue Bombers. He saw action in each of the games he played in during the six seasons he spent with the Edmonton Elks.
Patrick Neufeld, OL, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld was named as a CFL All-Star in 2021, his first time being selected (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca).
Similar to his teammate, Demski, Winnipeg offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld is familiar with both sides of the Labour Day rivalry between Saskatchewan and Winnipeg.
Neufeld was drafted by the Riders in 2010 and dressed in both the 2011 and 2012 Labour Day matchups against the Blue and Gold that he now represents. Neufeld joined the Bombers in 2016 and has played in four of the team’s five long-weekend matchups against the Riders.
Brett Lauther, K, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan kicker Brett Lauther has demonstrated the meaning of consistency when it comes to performing on Labour Day. Lauther has played in three games since his arrival in Regina in 2018 and has made six of his seven attempts when playing on Labour Day, with a long of 54 yards on a made field goal in last year’s game.
However, Lauther’s biggest moment came in 2019 as he delivered a 26-yard game-winning field goal with no time left on the clock to lift the Riders to a 19-17 win over the Bombers.
Kian Schaffer-Baker, WR, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Kian Schaffer-Baker’s 85-yard touchdown in Week 12 against the BC Lions marks the third longest scoring reception to start the year (Matt Smith/CFL.ca).
Saskatchewan receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker is halfway through just his second season in the CFL, and admittedly only has experience in one game against the Bombers on Labour Day Weekend. However, that doesn’t mean that the Riders’ playmaker isn’t a payer to watch this upcoming weekend.
Schaffer-Baker exploded onto the CFL scene with an impressive rookie season in 2021, and has carried the momentum of the first-year success into his sophomore season.
The Saskatchewan pass-catcher leads his team in nearly every receiving category reeling in 44 of his 64 targets on the year for 614 yards, and his four receiving touchdowns are tied for the team lead. Schaffer-Baker has also totalled 309 yards after the catch, ranking him second in the league, trailing BC Lions receiver Lucky Whitehead by only 35 yards.
Kurleigh Gittens Jr., WR, Toronto Argonauts
Kurleigh Gittens Jr. Leads all Toronto Argonauts receivers with 63 targets and 553 receiving yards, and has also found the end zone twice this season (Chris Tanouye/CFL.ca)
Argonauts receiver Kurleigh Gittesns Jr. may be a relatively new face in the CFL, but he has quickly made a name for himself with consistent play and bursts of electricity for the Toronto offence this season.
Gittens has seen action in two Labour Day Classic matchups against the Ticats, but it was his performance in 2021 that made waves. Despite an eventual loss in the game against Hamilton, the Boatmen pass-catcher caught six of his eight targets for 88 yards and was the leading receiver for Toronto.
Henoc Muamba, LB, Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts linebacker Henoc Muamba is the leading Canadian on the defensive side of the ball, already recording 42 tackles this season, second behind linebacker Wynton McManus (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca).
It’s no secret that Argonauts linebacker Henoc Muamba has been one of the best at his position seemingly since entering the league, so it should be no surprise that Muamba has had some strong showings over Labour Day Weekend.
Muamba has been a part of five games to take place over the September long weekend, playing three with the Blue Bombers, two with the Roughriders, and his first Labour Day Classic with the Argos in 2021.
The Toronto linebacker averages nearly six tackles per game when playing on Labour Day Weekend and will be looking to help exact revenge for the 32-19 Toronto suffered a season ago.
Tunde Adeleke, DB, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive back Tunde Adeleke is second in total tackles with 44 on the year, already tying his career-high (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca).
Hamilton defensive back Tunde Adeleke has been a key playmaker in the Black and Gold secondary since joining the Ticats in the 2019 season. Adeleke was named a CFL All-Star in 2019 and has been named an East Division All-Star in back-to-back seasons.
The Tabbies’ defensive back has played in four games over the Labour Day Weekend and is set to make his fifth appearance and third in the Labour Day Classic as the Ticats host the Argonauts on Monday afternoon. In his team’s 32-19 win over Toronto in 2021, Adeleke contributed with two pass breakups on the back end of the defence.
Brandon Revenberg, OL, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats offensive lineman Brandon Revenberg has been named a CFL All-Star for the past three consecutive seasons (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca).
Ticats’ offensive lineman Brandon Revenberg was selected by Hamilton with the third overall pick in the 2016 CFL Draft, and has missed just one game in his time wearing the Black and Gold.
Revenberg is no stranger to the Labour Day Classic matchup with the East Division rival Argonauts, and Monday will mark the offensive lineman’s sixth time playing in the rivalry game.
Rene Parades, K, Calgary Stampeders
Despite being in the league for his now 11th season, Calgary Stampeders kicker Rene Paredes continues to build his legacy. In a Week 10 matchup with the BC Lions, he hit a career-best 53-yard field goal (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca).
Calgary Stampeders kicker Rene Paredes’ ability to perform in the clutch and longevity of consistency speak for themselves at this point in his career.
While the rest of the country is enjoying family time, barbecues, football and the last weekend of the summer, Paredes has been hard at work over the past 10 Labour Day weekends.
The veteran kicker is set to make his 11th appearance in the team’s Labour Day matchup with Edmonton and has only ever played over the long-weekend as a member of the Stamps, thankfully for Calgary.
Paredes has made 85 per cent of his 27 field goal attempts over his 10 Labour Day Weekend showings, missing just four kicks in that span and holds a longest make of 50 yards. Paredes is also responsible for 104 career points when playing over the September long weekend.
Cameron Judge, LB, Calgary Stampeders
Calgary stampeders linebacker Cameron Judge is set to play on Monday, which will make him one of the rare few who have been a part of each of the three traditional Labour Day Weekend games (Stampeders.com).
Calgary linebacker Cameron Judge is in just his first year as a member of the Stampeders and is preparing for his first Labour Day Weekend matchup with the Elks.
Despite never having played in the Battle of Alberta, Judge still brings plenty of Labour Day Weekend playing experience with him as he hopes to help the Stampeders correct their loss from 2021.
Judge started his career in Saskatchewan, where he played in two Labour Day Weekend matchups against the Blue Bombers. He then joined the Argos for the 2021 season where he was a part of the 2021 Labour Day Classic battle with the Ticats.
When the Stampeders take the field on Monday afternoon, it will note the completion of the Labour Day Weekend cycle for the Calgary linebacker.
