Some Riders have crossed paths with Argos’ Kelly before

As the Saskatchewan Roughriders prepare to battle the Toronto Argonauts, a few members of the Green and White are familiar with the opposing organization as well as its quarterback, Chad Kelly.

Kelly, who’s in his first season as the Argos’ starter, was born in Buffalo, N.Y. Current Riders starter Jake Dolegala was born in Hamburg, N.Y., which is located just to the south of Buffalo.

Dolegala attended Saint Francis High School while Kelly, who is two years older, went to St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute. The two schools are rivals.

“My older brother at the time was going head to head with (Kelly). My brother was a linebacker and he was the quarterback,” Dolegala said. “I was at every game even if I wasn’t suited up.

“I’ve had interaction but never went head to head with him in high school. We knew of each other going from there in college and stuff. Being rivals through high school, we weren’t always the best of friends, but we get along.”

The two eventually went head to head in a 2019 NFL pre-season game, with Dolegala as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals and Kelly a member of the Indianapolis Colts.

Dolegala threw for 253 yards while Kelly had 138 yards and an interception in the air while rushing for 20 yards and a touchdown in a 13-6 Colts win.

The two quarterbacks from western New York will once again do battle as the Riders and Argos meet on Saturday at Mosaic Stadium. Kickoff for the game is set for 2 p.m.

“It’s going to be cool. It’s good publicity for western New York football so it’s going to be nice,” Dolegala said.

In order for the Riders to qualify for the playoffs, they will need to finish with more points than the Calgary Stampeders after failing to win the season series.

Dolegala isn’t the only member of the Riders to cross paths with Kelly prior to the CFL.

Defensive end Bryan Cox Jr., who returned to the lineup last week after missing 12 weeks with an MCL injury, played against Kelly as a member of the Florida Gators in 2015 when Kelly was leading the Ole Miss Rebels offence.

“He runs the offence really well, he’s efficient and gets the ball out in time to the right guy,” Cox Jr. said. “We just have to play our style of ball.

“It’s crazy that football is a small world and always comes full circle I feel like. This is just one of those moments.”

Riders offensive tackle Philip Blake didn’t cross paths with Kelly prior to the CFL but was a member of the Argos’ offensive line that won the Grey Cup last season at Mosaic Stadium. Kelly came into the game late and led the game-winning drive in Toronto’s victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

“It was a special year,” Blake said. “I’ve been playing this game for so long and it was my first time making it to the Grey Cup and just while you’re going through the journey, you don’t think about the highs and lows but you think about when you win it. This is what you do it for.

“The sacrifices your family makes, you do it for them.”

But if Blake and the Riders want to win a Grey Cup this season, the Riders’ first goal is to reach the playoffs — and a loss to the Argos could possibly put an end to their season. Saskatchewan is 6-11-0 entering the game, while Calgary takes a 5-11-0 record into Friday’s game against the B.C. Lions.

If the Roughriders and Stampeders finish the regular season with identical records, Calgary would earn a playoff spot due to its win in the season series.