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Features September 1, 2023

Playoffs Mentality

There’s something different about Labour Day Monday.

Especially this year.

Micah Awe will be playing in his first Alberta Labour Day Classic on Monday (McMahon Stadium, 5 p.m., BUY TICKETS HERE), and says it’s so much more than just another regular-season game, especially this season with the Stampeders fighting for their playoff lives.

“This is playoffs for us,” he said. “The same we feel going into a game like the Labour Day Classic is going to be very similar going into the Western Finals or a Grey Cup.

“This is why the CFL is so great,” Awe continued. “Normally you’re 3-8 in another league your team is done. But in our league, you can be a 3-8 team and actually have a shot at making the playoffs, so every game from now on is preparation for if we can get to the Grey Cup and it starts with the Labour Day Classic.”

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Stamps defensive lineman Derek Wiggan is no stranger to the biggest rivalry game of the regular season. Calgary is the only CFL team he’s ever known after being drafted in 2014.

He helped guide the Stampeders to a 26-18 win last season with strong play up the middle, two tackles and a fumble recovery.

“It’s a big game,” Wiggan said. “It’s Labour Day, you don’t get to play on many Mondays, people are off work so the stands will be packed. You always want to show out on Labour Day because those moments are ones that people remember.”

Calgary is 29-26-1 all-time in the LDC, and have won nine of the last 10 meetings. However, the Stamps are looking to end a three-game skid against a suddenly hot Elks team.

“They’ve played well led by Tre Ford and the defence,” Awe said of the opposition. “They finally put it together and found a formula. For us I feel like we’ve been playing pretty good on defence.

“We’ve just got to take what they do and counter it. As long as we remove the mental mistakes we will be more than fine.”

Pregame festivities kick-off two-hours before game-time on the Southside of McMahon stadium at Gridiron Gardens. Fans are encouraged to wear their black Stampeders gear as part of the Stampeders Labour Day Blackout event.