A Vanier Cup champion in 2015 and now a Grey Cup champion in 2018. Not a bad four-year run for Riley Jones.
The former South Delta Sun Devils standout put the finishing touches on his second season in the CFL by helping the Calgary Stampeders defeat the Ottawa RedBlacks 27-16 at the 106th Grey Cup played in front of nearly 56,000 fans at a sold out Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton on Sunday.
Jones delivered one of the game’s key plays too when his downfield punt coverage on Donte Spencer resulted in a forced fumble and set-up a field goal that extended the Stamps lead to 10 points. Spencer had beat two tacklers to turn the corner and looked to have daylight in front of him until Jones’ diving effort.
“If (Spencer) breaks that tackle or gets around Riley, it's a touchdown and a completely different game,” said Calgary quarterback and Grey Cup MVP Bo Levi Mitchell. "Riley Jones not only tackled him but got the ball out and gave us a chance to get three points.
“That's a 10-point swing there. To me, that play by Riley Jones won the game.”
The 25-year-old second-year linebacker came through the South Delta Rams community football program before heading across to street to SDSS where he enjoyed an all-star high school career. It was then onto UBC where helped the Thunderbirds capture the Vanier Cup national championship.
He signed with the Stampeders following an impressive stint at a rookie camp back in May 2017. He appeared in all 18 games this season, recording nine tackles on defence and another 12 on special teams.
“The fact that I’ve only been in the league for two years and I’m playing the Grey Cup for my second time is pretty awesome. I’m pretty fortunate, I’m lucky that Calgary picked me up,” said Jones.
I couldn’t ask to be with a better organization and with a better group of guys. I’m just blessed and grateful that I’m here for the second time in a row, because I know there are guys that have never had the opportunity to play in a championship game. It’s been a lot of hard work to get here, though.The season is a long time, especially when you add pre-season games and getting all the way to the Grey Cup – it’s 22 or 23 games.”
—with files from Canadian Press
