It was a proud day for Humboldt residents on Sunday when the Grey Cup paid a visit along with the athletes who earned it. Fans from all over came to get autographs from Saskatchewan Roughriders, take pictures with the cup, and enjoy a lively hockey game that pitted the Roughriders against the Humboldt Collegiate Institute's (HCI) Mohawks football team.
"It was a very exciting moment for me and probably the whole community, as we don't usually get the major sports teams coming to Humboldt," said Samuel Fritsch, a Mohawks teammate. "They were very welcoming and very personable."
The front lobby of the HCI was packed almost as soon as the autograph signing began at 10 a.m. Sunday morning. Fans lined up with their friends and family for a chance to hold the Grey Cup and get their photo taken or speak with their favourite athlete(s).
"They're a hometown team, when they win it's a big thing for the whole province," said Logan Seipp, another Mohawks teammate. "I think it's inspirational. It shows people that they can win, that the team from Saskatchewan is aware of our support."
There were at least 10 Roughriders in total who sat at the long tables set up next to the Cup. Rey Williams in particular was a favourite. He smiled at everyone who came to see him, stood with them for pictures, and threw paper airplanes with his teammates in between seeing fans. Everyone was having a good time.
The Mohawks also didn't just stand idly by. A few had other duties to perform before the game as well.
"Our team did security for the Grey Cup; we did setup and everything," said Fritsch. "There were quite a few people who came in for autographs and to see the Cup. (For the game), about half of the arena was filled."
The subsequent hockey game between the Roughriders and the Mohaws was both a surprising and energetic event. Quite a few expectations were either surpassed or unsatisfied.
"I was collecting tickets at the door," said Terry Schlitz. "There weren't as many people as I expected; I thought there would've been a lot more people there."
Nevertheless, Schlitz said the game was fun and entertaining. It was also a surprise, as he didn't anticipate professional football athletes would play as well as they did. He wasn't the only one."Atmosphere was a lot of excitement and fun with no competitiveness at the beginning, but that changed at the halfway point, becoming more focused and wanting to win," said Fritsch, who played goalie for the Roughriders. "The riders were very laid back, but you could see they wanted to win in the end. I was surprised by the amount of skill some of them had."
The game came to a close with the Roughriders winning by a 7-4 lead. One of those goals was scored by a very young SaskCanola child, whose diminutive stature induced cheers and applause from the audience.
All in all, the day ended on a high note and many people returned home with cherished mementos.
"I think for Humboldt it was a very majestic moment," said Fritsch. "Considering we did win the cup this year, it made them more of a Saskatchewan team, not just a Regina team. It was a community moment."
