WINNIPEG — It was more than the lopsided score that had Zach Collaros proud of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ offence on Saturday. It was the way they did it.
The Bombers quarterback threw for four touchdowns as the two-time defending Grey Cup champions scored on their first eight possessions in a crushing 54-20 win over a Saskatchewan Roughriders squad that was battling a bad stomach virus.
“I think it’s special,” Collaros said of the six touchdowns and two field goals scored in the run of possessions.
“It was really efficient. We were really good on first down and we had a handful of second-and-ones.”
The Bombers (12-1) actually finished the CFL contest scoring on nine of 10 drives in front of a sold-out crowd of 33,234 fans at IG Field for the 18th edition of the Banjo Bowl.
Collaros completed 21-of-25 pass attempts for 273 yards and no interceptions. He was replaced by Dru Brown with nine minutes left in the final quarter.
After Winnipeg kicker Marc Liegghio finally punted with three minutes left in the game, Brown threw his first CFL touchdown pass, an 11-yarder to Dalton Schoen with 42 seconds left in the game.
Winnipeg has clinched the three-game CFL season series with Saskatchewan (6-7) after beating the Riders 20-18 in last weekend’s Labour Day Classic. The third game is in Winnipeg on Sept. 30.
Roughriders quarterback Cody Fajardo said it was a tough outing before the team even hit the field.
“It started with walking into the locker room and it looked like a triage in there,” Fajardo said. “The amount of guys that were sick, throwing up, coming out both ends, it was pretty ridiculous.
“I have a lot of heart for those guys. Our entire offensive line was sick and they went out. We were giving them IVs just to get them on the field. We didn’t have anything else to do.”
Fajardo, who said he only felt weak and didn’t vomit, was 15-of-18 passing for 124 yards with no TDs and no picks. Jake Dolegala replaced him late in the fourth.
Saskatchewan head coach Craig Dickenson estimated 15 players and seven or eight coaches were sick with some type of virus not related to COVID-19. He was one of them.
Dickenson said he went to a Mexican restaurant in Winnipeg Friday night and had a burrito. His stomach felt upset later than night at the hotel. He threw up five times and knew it was more than food poisoning.
“It was a nasty one. I was probably as sick as I’ve ever been for about 12 hours,” he said.
When he talked to the team’s trainer, he was told a lot of players were in the same boat. It meant the roster was juggled.
Backup quarterback Mason Fine couldn’t dress so third-stringer Dolegala was flown in, Dickenson said. Some players dressed but didn’t play, including receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker. Offensive lineman Josiah St. John couldn’t finish the game.
“That group in there gutted it out,” Dickenson said. “We’re not happy with the score and we feel like we are a better team than that, but that was a depleted group in there. The ones that were playing, half of them were sick.
“You’re going to need your best team and your guys healthy to even stay with Winnipeg, let alone beat them at their place. But I’m proud of them. They gutted it out, did the best they could with some real tough circumstances.”
Winnipeg led 6-0 after the first quarter, 27-10 at halftime and 37-20 after the third.
Bombers receiver Nic Demski caught TD passes of 16 and 18 yards. Rasheed Bailey hauled in a 34-yard TD reception and Brendan O’Leary-Orange recorded his first CFL TD with a 10-yard catch. Backup Bombers quarterback Dakota Prukop ran in for two TDs from three and one yard out.
Liegghio booted field goals from 45 and 23 yards, and made six of his seven convert attempts.
Saskatchewan receiver Mario Alford recorded a 92-yard kickoff return for a TD and Fajardo pushed in for a one-yard TD. Kicker Brett Lauther connected on field goals from 53 and 34 yards, and two converts.
Demski said he wasn’t aware some of the Roughriders were ill.
“I talked to a couple of guys after the game that I knew and they told me that,” he said. “Hopefully, they all get better and kudos to them for coming out and playing a hard game.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2022
Vancouver Canucks winger Dakota Joshua is set to make his season debut Thursday after missing time for cancer treatment.
Head coach Rick Tocchet says Joshua will slot into the lineup Thursday when Vancouver (8-3-3) hosts the New York Islanders.
The 28-year-old from Dearborn, Mich., was diagnosed with testicular cancer this summer and underwent surgery in early September.
He spoke earlier this month about his recovery, saying it had been “very hard to go through” and that he was thankful for support from his friends, family, teammates and fans.
“That was a scary time but I am very thankful and just happy to be in this position still and be able to go out there and play,,” Joshua said following Thursday’s morning skate.
The cancer diagnosis followed a career season where Joshua contributed 18 goals and 14 assists across 63 regular-season games, then added four goals and four assists in the playoffs.
Now, he’s ready to focus on contributing again.
“I expect to be good, I don’t expect a grace period. I’ve been putting the work in so I expect to come out there and make an impact as soon as possible,” he said.
“I don’t know if it’s going to be perfect right from the get-go, but it’s about putting your best foot forward and working your way to a point of perfection.”
The six-foot-three, 206-pound Joshua signed a four-year, US$13-million contract extension at the end of June.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2024.
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.
