Lindley latest to represent Chatham-Kent at Grey Cup

The 110th Grey Cup will kickoff tomorrow (Sunday) in Hamilton.

The Montreal Alouettes take on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Winnipeg is playing in their fourth consecutive Grey Cup. The kickoff is set for 6 p.m.

Chatham-Kent football will be represented at this game, as Chatham’s Zach Lindley is a second-year player for Montreal. Lindley is a core special teams player for the Alouettes. He was drafted last year by Montreal after a stand-out career with the Western Mustangs football team.

Lindley has missed time over the past few times, dealing with a brain injury. He has returned to practice, but whether he will be taking the field is still up in the air.

Either way, Lindley is on the roster, and joins other players from Chatham-Kent whose teams have been on the big stage of a Grey Cup.

Here is a list of others from the area that have played in a Grey Cup.

Andy Fantuz
After a four-year career for the Western Mustangs, Fantuz was drafted in the 2006 CFL draft third overall by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Fantuz won the Hec Crighton Trophy as the top player in CIS football in 2005.

In the 2007 Grey Cup, Fantuz had four catches for 70 yards and one touchdown in the 95th Grey Cup. Because of his performance in the Grey Cup game, he was named the Grey Cup’s Most Valuable Canadian after the Roughriders won .

In the 2009 Grey Cup, Fantuz had a team-high five catches for 67 yards and a touchdown, which wound up being a 28–27 loss to the Montreal Alouettes.

In 2013, the Tiger-Cats advanced to the Grey Cup against Andy’s former team, as the Roughriders won 45-23. Fantuz led Hamilton with seven receptions for 76 yards in the game.

Fantuz played 12 years in the CFL, split between Saskatchewan and Hamilton. He now lives in Oakville.

Dan Comiskey
Dan Comiskey had a long 13 year CFL career.

Three times during his career he competed for the Grey Cup, winning twice with the Eskimos in 2003 and 2005.

He enjoyed his best season in 2006 when he was named a West Division All-Star for the second time in his career as well as earning his fourth CFLPA All-Star nod. Comiskey was also the Eskimos nominee for Most Outstanding Canadian.

Dan’s younger brother John Comiskey was drafted by Calgary out of the University of Windsor in the 2005 CFL draft.

He played for six years in the CFL, but never played in a Grey Cup.

Randy Rybansky
A running back with the McGregor Panthers in high school, he signed as a free agent by the Toronto Argonauts and played five games for them in 1985 before being released in September of that year. Rybansky signed with Hamilton and did not play any regular season games for them, but played in the East Final and in the 1985 Grey Cup for Hamilton. Unfortunately, the Tiger-Cats lost the Grey Cup that year to British Columbia 37-24 in the game held in Montreal.

Rybansky taught and coached football for the Ursuline Lancers for many years and is now retired.

Phil Cowell
After a strong career as a running back with the Laurier Golden Hawks, Wallaceburg’s Cowell had a short two-year CFL career with Hamilton and Toronto. Cowell appreared in the 1980 Grey Cup with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Cowell was inducted into the Wallaceburg Sports Hall of Fame in the male athlete category in 1990.

Dr. Jack Parry
Dr. Parry was born and raised in Windsor, but spent most of his adult life in Chatham.
Jack Parry was the starting half-back for the 1942 Toronto RCAF Hurricanes, which won 8-5 over the Winnipeg RCAF Bombers.

With most of eligible male population serving in the military due to the ongoing World War II, this was the first non-civilian Grey Cup.

*Are we missing anyone? If we are, feel free to send us a message about any omissions of local players taking part in the Grey Cup.