Ask anyone, there is nothing like coming home.
Ottawa Redblacks’ placekicker and punter, Zach Medeiros can remember the exact moment that the football touched the turf in overtime of the 104th Grey Cup on November 27 against the Calgary Stampeders.
“Third down in overtime. I was holding onto Chris Milo, who was injured and that play felt like an eternity. Everything seemed like it was in slow-motion. You could tell the play was going to be incomplete, but I waited for the ball to actually hit the ground. My eyes were fixated on it. Then people were running onto the field and confetti was coming down and we had won.”
Still, it is virtually impossible to process a championship victory right away. All of the work that went into it. All of the things that had to go right for your team to win.
The real realization tends to arrive over a period of time. You could be driving in a car or walking down the street, or perhaps, bringing the Grey Cup back to your hometown and the high school you attended that helped to make you into a player good enough to have a shot at winning it all in the Canadian Football League.
Medeiros admits, the trip to St. Thomas and St. Joseph’s, where he was known for booting a 54-yard field goal and also for catching a pass on a trick play called “Kicker Special” that helped to win an A/AA OFSAA title, gave the words Grey Cup champion new meaning for him.
“The past couple of days here have helped everything to soak in … because even after the championship game, it’s all just a whirlwind and you need those weeks and months to go by. It’s amazing. No words for it.”
Medeiros is not a wily vet yet and didn’t have to wait years to find himself hoisting a trophy over his head. In fact, he was still getting used to his place in the CFL when the Redblacks began their magical run back to the championship game.
“This was the first year that I was on an active roster for the entire year.”
After leaving southwestern Ontario for the Université de Montréal, Medeiros wound up returning to play for the Western Mustangs, taking over from the all-time points leader in Canadian University Football, Liram Hajrullahu.
Medeiros also spent time with the London Beefeaters and was drafted by the Edmonton Eskimos in the 2014 CFL Draft.
He didn’t end up catching on with the Eskimos, but an early-season injury in Ottawa in 2016 gave him a shot with the Redblacks and Medeiros ended up with a contract and he will soon own a shiny Grey Cup ring.
“We get those soon,” Medeiros said with a smile.
Looking back, the Redblacks had taken all the right steps, they were just missing that final one after coming within 3:22 of winning in 2015. They exorcised that demon in the playoffs last November and that had the entire team believing they could just a little bit further.
“I knew the sky was the limit,” Medeiros said thinking about last season. “But I think it was the moment after we beat Edmonton in the Eastern final. It was just crazy.”
That game was followed by one of the wildest finishes in CFL history as Ottawa outlasted Calgary 39-33 in overtime at BMO Field in Toronto.
The emotions of being in your first year and going to a Grey Cup. You can’t ask for a better scenario than that.”
A quick stop at home will come to an end. The day that Medeiros has had with the Grey Cup will end with it and then the focus turns to 2017, but heading into what he hopes is his second full season on a CFL roster, Medeiros brings along experience that not everyone can get. He has also worked hard in the off-season but has been careful not to overdo it.
“I think in past years I have overworked my leg and I have spent more time on technique where you aren’t actually even kicking the ball.”
As defending champions who return most of their roster, it will be Ottawa’s goal to be playing late into November again.
Knowing the feeling, Medeiros wants to be ready for when that leg of his is needed.
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