The CFL comes to Wolfville, N.S.
It was a day greater than two years within the making, and a giant one for the small city of Wolfville, Nova Scotia.
Ten thousand soccer followers packed into Acadia College’s Raymond Subject to observe the Toronto Argonauts beat the Saskatchewan Roughriders in a 30-24 victory, doubling the city’s inhabitants.
The sport noticed Wynton McManis return an interception by 50 yards for a landing that pushed the Argonauts to victory.
Landing Atlantic was the primary ever CFL regular-season recreation held within the province.
“It’s like a mini Gray Cup, nevertheless it’s wonderful as a result of the entire provinces come collectively,” mentioned one attendee.
One individual on the occasion with a extra private stake within the recreation was Troy Lauther.
His son, Brett Lauther, is from Truro and performed because the kicker for the Roughriders.
“It’s fairly thrilling to have him taking part in at residence, I suppose, in Nova Scotia,” he mentioned.
Lauther’s pleasure was shared by Bruce MacKellar, whose son, Gregor MacKeller, was the Argonauts’ first spherical choose this 12 months.
“It’s simply wonderful,” mentioned Bruce MacKeller, who lives in Timberlea. “If you happen to’d have mentioned my son was going to play within the CFL when he was rising up in minor soccer, it’s simply such a deal with to have the ability to come right here and see this.”
The CFL solely reaches as far east as Montreal. A protracted-time push to start out a workforce in Atlantic Canada has by no means materialized.
“I’m simply ready for the day,” mentioned one attendee desirous to see an Atlantic CFL workforce. “I hope I dwell lengthy sufficient.”
For CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie, nothing is off the desk with regards to increasing the franchise.
“We’ll wait till Monday morning and we’ll get to work,” he mentioned. “How will we get our enlargement that we so deeply need? How do get it proper for the 9 present groups and for the tenth workforce that’ll be a part of us?”
For now, Wolfville’s mayor hopes Canadians additionally get a style of what the east coast has to supply.
“Whether or not folks see it and need to go to or need to transfer right here, I feel it’s a fantastic alternative,” mentioned Mayor Wendy Donovan.
