Jumal Rolle says his retirement is permanent
Rock’s Dawson NLL Teammate of Year, Forge are in need of some home wins
Jumal Rolle says that he decided to retire from football because he didn’t want to take several months away from his kids — his daughter is 13, his son 12 — at such critical junctures of their lives. He made the decision before not reporting to Montreal, where he’d signed as a free agent after four strong seasons with the Ticats, because of the kids and because the training gym he owns in Charlotte, N.C., “had started to do so well and I want to keep at it.”
He says that although he’s still physically capable of playing he won’t “unretire” down the road: “No chance, I don’t foresee me strapping up again. I don’t like to go back and forth with decisions like that. I like to think things through and just make sure that I’m totally down with it and I won’t have any regrets.”
Earlier this week, Ticats head coach Orlondo Steinauer spoke glowingly of the 2021 CFL all-star defensive back’s leadership and uplifting presence in the locker room and Rolle told The Spec that “Hamilton felt like home.”
“The fan base and the Ticat organization, treat you really well,” he said. “The city of Hamilton wanted to see you at your best. Unfortunately, we couldn’t come home with the Grey Cups they wanted, but they fully supported us. It’s a football town, with a great organization, and you can’t ask for more than that.”
Hamilton United Women get first win of soccer season
Janna Fabbraro had the clean sheet and Sabrina Cunha, Bryanna Caldwell and Malia Carboni scored the goals as Hamilton United collected its first win of the 2023 League1 Ontario Women’s Premier League on Sunday in Burlington. United hosts Simcoe on Wednesday at 8 p.m. at Mac, while Burlington SC also has a Wednesday night home game against Vaughan Azzurri at Corpus Christi.
In men’s Premier League action, Hamilton United got a late goal from Jacob Geyer to tie London United, 1-1, on Sunday, while Christian Ferraro scored two goals in the final eight minutes to push Burlington SC to a 2-1 win Sunday over Master’s FA. On Wednesday, Hamilton is away to Unionville-Milliken and Burlington is on the road at ProStars.
While the Rock’s year ended with disappointment, the Hamiltonbased team has a major presence in the 2023 individual awards
Rock’s Dawson wins Teammate of the Year
Dan Dawson, the Burlington resident who may have played his final NLL game after a brilliant career, was named Tuesday as the league’s Teammate of the Year. Dawson, 41, was co-winner of the Teammate of the Year in 2020 and was the league MVP in 2009 when he played with Boston. He holds the league record for most games played and assists, and is second in total points.
While the Rock’s year ended with disappointment, the Hamiltonbased team has a major presence in the 2023 individual awards, with winners being announced over the next few days. There are three finalists in each NLL award category.
Two Rock stars — Latrell Harris and Brad Kri — are up for Defensive Player of the Year. Team captain Challen Rogers is among the finalists for the Transition Player of the Year, Rock Tom Schreiber and Six Nations’ Lyle Thompson of the Georgia Swarm, are among the candidates for the Sportsmanship Award and team owner Jamie Dawick is a finalist for the GM of the Year. The Rock’s Nick Rose will go against Buffalo’s Matt Vinc and Calgary’s Christian Del Bianco for Goaltender of the Year.
Home has to be sweeter for Forge
Forge FC had its first scoreless CPL regular-season home draw in its four-year history when they couldn’t convert a 71 per cent possession rate against Vancouver FC into any goals against the expansion team over the weekend. The Hammers, who face CF Montreal in the Canadian Championship semifinal Wednesday in Montreal, haven’t lost this season and maintain a one-point lead over Pacific FC atop the Canadian soccer standings. But they’ve already had three draws in four home games and might end regretting those six home points slipping away as the regular-season first-place team gets an automatic berth in the 2024 Champions League.
Perfect name for a running back
Tayon Fleet-Davis, who played at the University of Maryland, is vying to grab one of the precious American spots on the Ticat roster as an understudy to starting running back James Butler, who’s been mentoring him on the Canadian game. He knows he’ll have to show something carrying the ball in Saturday’s home exhibition game against the Argos, but also on special teams, a must for non-starters.
Fleet-Davis, who was given the No. 34 worn by the departed Wes Hills, says of his playing style, “I would describe it as electrifying, and also being able to catch and run great routes out of the backfield. But, also, I’m not scared to run through a guy. I’m 220 pounds, but I play like I’m 185. I’m a big back who can do both.”
Streaking Rebels drop Bengals
The Hamilton Bengals lost a couple of games to teams in front of them in the Ontario Lacrosse Association junior-B standings, with undefeated Six Nations beating the home side, 14-9, last Thursday at Dave Andreychuk Arena, followed by the Bengals’ tight 9-8 loss in Guelph on Friday. The 6-4 Bengals are tied for fifth in the 12-team Western Conference. Noah Cupples had six goals against the Rebels and one in Guelph, while Nathan Jones had three goals over the two losses, Reed Allen and Ben Dietrich a pair each and Josh Lucas and Alex Long singles. Hamilton goes to Elora on Thursday then hosts Point Edward on Saturday and Owen Sound on Sunday, both at 7 p.m.
Duly Noted Although he comes from the same city (Tampa) as newly announced baseball Hall of Famer, Fred (Crime Dog) McGriff, Ticat receiver Justin McGriff doesn’t think he and the former Blue Jays slugger are related. By the way, this is the first time the football McGriff has ever been in Canada … Ethan
Ratke, handling Ticat place-kicking duties as Seth Small is still in Texas with his wife and their newborn daughter, holds the all-time NCAA record for total field goals and career kicking points, set at James Madison … Ticats’ Canadian RB Sean Thomas Erlington is on the six-game injury list … the Ticats’ exhibition game in Montreal on Friday, June 2, is not being broadcast by TSN but will be streamed by the league on CFL PreSeason Live and CFL.ca/Plus, both of which can be linked through Ticats.ca … CFL officials have been working teamon-team drills in some practices. Monday, Ben Major, Jason Maggio, Tom Vallesi and former Mac quarterback Ben Chapdelaine were on the whistles.