The 1998 Regina Rams Football Club entered their final season as a junior football team as the reigning champions.
After a dramatic run to the title in 1997, the Rams repeated as champions with significantly less drama to close the book on their time in the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL). The Rams beat the Okanagan Sun 36-13 in Regina to claim a national junior football title for the 15th time.
The Rams finished with a 7-1 regular season record and ended their storied rivalry with the Saskatoon Hilltops with a 48-10 win in the Prairie Football Conference (PFC) championship game.
In the national final, the Rams scored a point on the opening kickoff and led the entire game. Corey Thackeray blocked a punt and a field goal, with Jeff Zimmer recovering the blocked punt for the opening touchdown of the game. Jason Clermont had two touchdown catches as the Rams ended their time in junior football with a decisive home win.
Jason Melnechenko was the Defensive Player of the Game in the Canadian Bowl. Rams quarterback Mike Wong was named the Offensive Player of the Game as he completed 19-of-26 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns.
Frank McCrystal was named the CJFL’s Coach of the Year. Zimmer was named the CJFL’s Outstanding Defensive Player for a second straight season. Chad Zipchian (Most Outstanding Defensive Lineman) and Melnechenko (Most Outstanding Defensive Back) also won CJFL awards. That trio, plus Clermont and Curtis Morgan, were named All-Canadians.
After making the jump to university football as the University of Regina Rams, a number of the core group of the Rams’ final CJFL title teams found further success, leading the Rams to a berth in the 2000 Vanier Cup.
Installed in the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame on September 20, 2025.
The 1998 Regina Rams Football Club
First Row: Erin Klempner, Candice Larson, Cory Borsa, Blair Thompson, Bernie Schmidt, Thomas McCord, Frank McCrystal, Erwin Klempner, Rick Seaman, Paul Dawson, Denis Losie, Shawn Kuster.
Second Row: Mike Wong, Michael Thomas, Ian Bonnell, Troy Gordon, Jarred Kleisinger, Shane Ostapowich, Troy Leach, Cam Strasser, Mike Surkan, Jason Melnechenko, Corrie McKee, Bobbie Markewich.
Third Row: Joe Baker, Chris Ashman, Sheldon Gray, Todd Pinkney, Matt Dean, Neal Hughes, Chris Briltz, Carey Gabrielle, Cory Olynick, Matthew Firnesz, Scott MacAulay, Heather Klempner.
Fourth Row: Jeff Zimmer, Todd Schick, Brett Wagner, Royal Harden, Mischa Bosovich, Derek Wollbaum, James Schiller, Brian Smuk, Neil Coulthard, Todd Krenbrink, Chad Zipchian, Jason Pylatiuk.
Fifth Row: Curtis Morgan, Gary Block, Jon Heathcote, Curtis Lawrence, Jon Klassen, Justin Ermel, Trent Poitras, Kevin Baron, Lee Cherkas, Dallas Kronberg, Tony Plett, Denis Losie Sr.
Sixth Row: Joe McGrath, Nick Srochenski, Doug Hill, Chris Warnecke, Ryan Smith, Derek Ford, Mike Ervin, Derek Woitas, Jason Oglesby.
Seventh Row: Larry Kratt, Ed Bankowski, Sheldon Stener, Bob Pelton, Doug McKillop, Tony Theaker, Gary Treble, Jack Kennedy, Wayne Saxby, Dave Howie, Fred Dulmage.
Not pictured: Jason Clermont, Jared Hoover, Dean Lang, Corey Thackeray, Juan Serrano, Jeff Bollinger, Larry LeBlanc, Bob Dancey, Don Fuchs, Earl Kallichuk, Dean Kleisinger, Gary Mather, Rick McCullough, Don McDougall, Raelene Miller, Marco Ricci, Randy Ryba, Roger Salloum, Norbert Thurmeier, Greg Treble, Doug Tunison, Steve Tunison, Gary Uhren, Cleveland Vann.
