EDMONTON — Even playing the last-place Ottawa Redblacks couldn’t help the Edmonton Elks snap their horrendous home slump.
Backup quarterback Caleb Evans scored a pair of short-yardage touchdowns as the Redblacks put together their strongest showing of the season in a 25-18 victory over the Elks on Saturday.
It was only the second win of the CFL season for the Redblacks (2-8), who snapped a two-game skid.
“I thought our defence did a good job getting take-aways and tackling them in space and making their offence uncomfortable. Our special teams did good and popped off a couple of runs. Offensively, Nick Arbuckle did a good job,” said Ottawa head coach Paul LaPolice.
“We had a couple of fumbles that we need to clean up and get better at, but it was a good complete team win.”
It was Arbuckle’s first start as quarterback for Ottawa since being traded there in July by Edmonton and he was 21-for-32 passing for 219 yards.
“It was a lot of fun,” he said of the win. “Just playing with these guys was special and to experience this win as a team was good. It was an added bonus to play here and do it on this field against so many of my brothers (on the Elks) who I went through training camp and the tough days with.”
Arbuckle was 0-3 in his last three CFL starts this season for the Elks.
The Elks (3-8) have now lost 13 consecutive games at home at Commonwealth Stadium, a streak going back to Oct. 12, 2019.
“They controlled the football, I’ve got to do a better job of getting these guys ready to play,” said Elks head coach Chris Jones. “We still have not put together four quarters yet. We came back out in the second half and played better football, but played just good enough to end up losing the football game.
“And that’s not acceptable.”
The record for consecutive losses at home is 14.
“I don’t know, it’s crazy,” Elks corner back Nafees Lyon said. “You should be winning your home games but just, right now, it’s not working out that way.”
Edmonton started the scoring midway through the opening quarter as a 53-yard passing play from quarterback Taylor Cornelius to Kenny Lawler set up a 33-yard Sergio Castillo field goal.
Ottawa made good with a first quarter drive on the heels of Edmonton coughing up the ball on a third down gamble, with quarterback Nick Arbuckle scoring on a one-yard sneak. The convert attempt missed.
The Redblacks kept up the pressure midway through the second as a 10-play drive was capped off by a two-yard TD by Evans.
Ottawa took a 20-3 lead into the half as Evans took in his second major of the game soon after his team recovered its own fumble on the Elks’ one-yard line. Edmonton had a last-second chance to kick a field goal, but it was blocked by Davon Coleman.
Edmonton came back from the break with a second wind and got a four-yard TD run from Cornelius, coming on the heels of a 42-yard passing play to Lawler.
The Elks conceded a safety and Ottawa made a comeback more difficult with a 28-yard Lewis Ward field goal early in the fourth.
With five minutes remaining in the final frame, Cornelius punched in both a one-yard QB sneak, and also a two-point convert. However, that is close as they would get in their comeback bid.
The Redblacks are in Montreal to face the Alouettes next Friday, while the Elks are off until Monday, Sept. 5, when they are in Calgary to face the Stampeders in the Labour Day Classic.
FOOT NOTES: It was the second consecutive meeting between the two teams, with the Elks defeating the Redblacks 30-12 last Friday in the nation’s capital, outscoring Ottawa 21-0 in the second half … It was Arbuckle’s first start as QB for Ottawa since being traded there in mid-July by Edmonton. He was 0-3 in his last three CFL starts this season for the Elks … The Redblacks got a big boost on special teams as kick returner DeVonte Dedmon returned from a stint with the Miami Dolphins to make his 2022 debut. Dedmon was the CFL’s 2021 most outstanding special teams player.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 27, 2022.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
