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OUR STORY |
1995 & 1996The Gloucester Redskins are founded by John Jones and Brian Casabon. The team wears the burgundy, yellow and white of their NFL namesakes. In their first year the team makes the playoffs and star running back Alain Ghantous is named League MVP. 1997Sandy Ruckstuhl becomes the teams second President. With the liquidation of the Ottawa Roughriders the team adopts the familiar red, black and white colours of the former CFL team. The team name is changed to the Ottawa Junior Riders. Frank Clair Stadium becomes the Junior Rider's new practice and playing facility. Former CFL great Dean Dorsey is recruited as head coach and assembles an impressive coaching staff including former pro-players Stefan Jones, Dan Murphy and Steve Harrison. The Junior Riders finish 3rd in QMJFL with a 6-4 record. After upsetting the North Shore Broncos 33-6 in the first round of the playoffs, the team reaches its first Manson Cup championship game. In a close game the Junior Riders are defeated by cross-town rivals, the Ottawa Sooners, by a score of 13-7. 1998The Junior Riders finish 2nd in the QMJFL with a 6-2 record, with both losses coming at the hands of the Chateauguay Raiders. The team once again defeats the North Shore Broncos in the first round of the playoffs to advance to the Manson Cup Final against the Raiders. Nine interceptions from a stingy defence contribute to a 24-9 win and first-ever Manson Cup for the Junior Riders organization. The team earns 8 All-Stars and QB Tucker McCabe takes home the QMJFL Rookie of the Year Award. Following the 1998 season head coach Dean Dorsey retires with a record of 15 wins and 7 losses, 2 Manson Cup appearances and a Manson Cup victory in his 2 years at the helm. 1999Former NFL and CFL player, Dan Murphy, becomes the new head coach of the Ottawa Junior Riders. The Junior Riders finish 1st in the QMJFL with a 8-0 record with an impressive 256 pts for and only 60 against. A win over the Ottawa Sooners in the semi-finals, sets up a rematch of the 1998 Manson Cup game versus the Chateauguay Raiders. Led by the QB tandem of Paul Pattison and Tucker McCabe the team rolls to a decisive 33-9 victory and back-to-back championships. The dominant season produces a team high 11 QMJFL All-Stars. FS Scott Gordon is awarded the leagues Most Valuable Player and WR Richard Tremblay takes home the leagues Offensive MVP. 2000The Ottawa Junior Riders defeat the OFC's Hamilton Steel City Ironmen (CJFL) 25-7 in a pre-season game. The Junior Riders finish 1st in the QMJFL with a 6-2 record. An 18 game winning streak which started in September 1998 is snapped in a loss to the Chateauguay Raiders (October 2000). The team defeats the Raiders 38-7 in the semi-finals led by the arm of QB Tucker McCabe, racking up 557 yards of total offense. The Junior Riders complete the three-peat by defeating the North Shore Broncos 28-22. The team earns 6 All-Stars, the Coaching Staff of the Year and QB Tucker McCabe takes home the QMJFL Most Valuable Player Award. 2001The Junior Riders finish with a 6-1-1 record. The team advances to the Manson Cup finals for the 4th consecutive season, defeating the North Shore Broncos 56-13 in the semi-finals. In a back-and-forth game, the Ottawa Sooners edge the Junior Riders 18-17 with a late field goal ending their championship streak. The team earns 7 All-Stars and WR Wendel Belony takes home the QMJFL Most Valuable Player Award. 2002The Ottawa Junior Riders organization enters the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) as a member of the Ontario Football Conference (OFC). With many of the players from the Manson Cup run graduating, the Junior Riders struggle in their first year, finishing with a 1-7 record. On a positive note, the team earns 3 OFC All-Stars and DL Dexter Ross is awarded the OFC Defensive Lineman of the Year and is named the teams first ever CJFL All Canadian. 2003Former Ottawa U Gee-Gee's coach Andy McEvoy is named head coach of the Ottawa Junior Riders. The team continues to struggle adjusting to life in the OFC and finishes the season without a win. Once again the team earns 3 OFC All-Stars and RB Joe Constanza is awarded both the OFC and CJFL Rookie of the Year. Following the 2003 season head coach Andy McEvoy is hired by York University as the teams Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator. 2004Former Team Ottawa coach Luigi Costanzo is named head coach of the Ottawa Junior Riders. The Junior Riders end a long losing drought with a 62-35 victory over the London Beefeaters. Overall, the team finishes with a 2-6 record, good for 4th in the conference and their first OFC playoff birth. The Junior Riders draw the powerful St. Leonard Cougars in their quarter-final match up and lose by a 49-0 score to the eventual OFC champions. 2005In celebrating the Ottawa Junior Riders 10th anniversary a new "JR " logo is introduced. After starting the season with a thrilling overtime win against the Burlington Braves, the Junior Riders struggle with consistency and finish with a 2-6 record. Despite a valiant effort, once again the Riders season ends at the hands of the OFC champion St. Leonard Cougars in the playoffs. 2006The Ottawa Junior Riders return to where it all began in the QJFL. Prior to the season former pro player Larry Mohr and Renegades coach Rohan Bansie join the coaching staff. Despite a slow start to the season, the team builds momentum and finishes with a 7-1 record including an impressive 245 points for and only 83 points against. Strong defense, solid special teams play and timely offense all help contribute to the Junior Riders solid second place finish in the QJFL and a first round bye in the playoffs. In the semi-final game the Junior Riders defeat the home town rival Cumberland Panthers 30-0 to earn their sixth birth in the Manson Cup against a very familiar opponent from the past.... the three-time defending champion Chateauguay Raiders. In a hard-hitting affair the team is once again led by their strong defense with 2 sacks and 5 interceptions, holding an impressive Raiders team to only 160 yards of total offense. Offensively, a strong ground game led by Fares El-Sabbagh and Brad Roy and 3 field goals by kicker Luigi DeLellis help seal a 19-2 victory and the teams fourth Manson Cup. 2007The team finishes with a strong 7-1 record for the second consecutive season, splitting games with cross-town rivals, the Ottawa Sooners. Following a win over the Laval Devils in the semi-finals, the Ottawa Junior Riders meet the Sooners in a much anticipated match-up against the league's top two teams in the standings. After a slow start, falling behind 17-0 in the first quarter, the Junior Riders respond with 20 points in the second quarter on two Luigi DeLellis field goals, a 17-yard catch and run touchdown from Danny Dobson to Adam O'Donnell and a two-yard run by Daniel Cama. Following a back-and-forth second half, the final came down to one play: a 'third and an inch' with less than two minutes to play. The Ottawa Sooners failed to gain a first down on the play and the Junior Riders took over on downs. Luigi DeLellis kicked his eighth field goal in two championship games to give the Junior Riders a 29-27 victory and their second consecutive Manson Cup. 2008The Ottawa Junior Riders look forward to the challenge of defending their Manson Cup championship.
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