PHOTO: The 1995 Vanier Cup at SkyDome in Toronto marks the last time the Calgary Dinos and Western Mustangs squared off in CIS football.
CALGARY – It has been nearly 20 years in the making.
The 2013 Centaur Mitchell Bowl will be a meeting between a pair of two of the most respected football programs in Canadian Interuniversity Sport, the Western University Mustangs and the University of Calgary Dinos. Between them they have 10 Vanier Cup titles – but the schools haven't met since the 1995 Vanier Cup game in Toronto.
This rivalry goes back almost 40 years, with their first meeting coming in 1977. These two great programs have met on four occasions over that span, with either the Vanier Cup or a spot in that game on the line each time. Now these two storied programs meet again, for the first time at McMahon Stadium, as undefeated conference champions.
Kickoff for the Centaur Mitchell Bowl goes Saturday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. at McMahon Stadium, live on Sportsnet 360 and Radio-Canada. The winner will head to the Telus Vanier Cup in Quebec City a week later.
The rivalry began in 1977. The first meeting was at the Forest City Bowl hosted at J.W. Little Stadium in London when the Dinos, lea by then-interim head coach Peter Connellan lost a tough 24-22 game to the Mustangs – still Western's only win in the series.
The 1977 Dinos team was led quarterback by Darrell Moir and had a pair of tough running backs in John McCorquindale and Gordon Goodwin. The offensive line was anchored by All-Canadian Rob Ferguson and the defense starred defensive back Gary Durbeniuk and lineman Rene Deschamps. A rookie starter at linebacker on that team was current Dinos defensive coordinator Wayne Harris, who was joined on that squad by current Dinos kicking coach Jim Hartley, who was the Calgary kicker that day.
The second meeting came in the 1985 Vanier Cup when Calgary defeated Western 25-6 at Varsity Stadium in Toronto. The game began with a Western score on their first possession, but after that the Dinos took control and never looked back. The outstanding defensive performance was led by a defensive line that was anchored by current Dinos defensive line coach Kent Warnock, Rob Prodanovic and Jeff Sawchuk. In the secondary that day was current Dinos defensive backs coach Marcello Rapini. The Dinos were led to victory on offence by quarterback Lew Lawrick and running backs Tony Spoletini and Elio Geremia, giving Calgary is second Vanier Cup in three years.
The 1988 Dinos went 7-1 in the regular season. Calgary defeated Saskatchewan in an epic double overtime battle claiming the Hardy Cup, but then had the daunting task of going to London to face the favoured Mustangs. The Dinos went in to London and came away with a 34-14 triumph thanks to an impressive offensive display. The offensive production was engineered by the late Bob Torrance at quarterback. Current Dinos defensive lineman Matt Carson's father, Paul, was a starting All-Canadian offensive guard on that team.
In 1995 the Dinos and Mustangs met again, this time for the Vanier Cup at Skydome in Toronto as inos coach Peter Connellan and Western coach Larry Haylor locked horns for the third time in a decade. Once again Calgary emerged on top claiming their fourth national title under the Connellan regime with a 54-24 win. Offensively the Dinos were led by Hec Crighton Trophy winner and game MVP Don Blair's four touchdowns. Paul Carson, Wayne Harris, and Dennis Holowaychuk were all members of the coaching staff.
Great coaches and great players create great programs that create great rivalries. Calgary and Western meet again Saturday to renew this battle for a younger generation.
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