CALGARY — The Saskatchewan Roughriders came away with a 29-26 overtime victory over the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday night, capping a thrilling game from McMahon Stadium.
Rene Parades kicked a 53-yard field goal with 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter to tie the game and force overtime. The two teams traded field goals in the extra frame, then went ahead on a Brett Lauther 20-yard field goal, before Nic Marshall intercepted Jake Maier in the end zone on the next drive to seal the Riders’ victory.
Jamal Morrow had an excellent game on the ground, finishing with 22 carries and 133 yards rushing.
Trevor Harris finished 20-30 for 273 yards and a touchdown.
Maier finished 18-35 for 288 yards and a touchdown but threw three interceptions.
Rene Paredes was clutch when the Stamps needed him, with a 53-yard field goal to send the game to overtime (Dave Chidley/CFL.ca)
Parades put the Stamps in front on their first drive, nailing a 47-yard field goal to give the Stamps the early three point lead, 2:14 into the game.
Harris was taken down by Derek Wiggan on the Riders’ first snap of the game. It was the veteran defender’s first sack of the 2023 season.
Morrow fumbled the ball on the Riders’ second possession, but after a review it was determined his knee was down before the ball came out. Harris also fumbled the ball later in the drive, but after it bounced around on the field between both teams, Jake Wieneke recovered the loose rock.
Lauther tied the game late in the first quarter with an 18-yard field goal of his own, but Parades put the Stamps ahead again at 3:16 of the second quarter with a 46-yard field goal.
The Riders were keeping the ball on the ground in the first half, with Morrow amassing 87 yards rushing by the break.
Mario Alford showed his speed on a Riders’ punt return, getting tripped up close to midfield before he could pull away from the Stamps defenders.
Calgary got to Harris three times in the first half, with Wiggan, Mike Rose and James Vaughters each recording a sack.
Former Rider Cameron Judge picked off Harris early in the third quarter, but the Stamps gave it right back on the ensuing drive when Rolan Milligan Jr. picked off Maier and took it 56 yards to the one-yard line. Shea Patterson would punch it in from there on a short yardage play to put the Riders up by three.
The Stamps finally found the end zone in the third quarter when Maier connected with Malik Henry for a 52-yard touchdown, putting them in front 13-9.
The Riders punted the ball 90 yards through the end zone late in the third quarter, which would cut their deficit to just three, making it a 13-10 game.
Marshall almost came away with an interception late in the third quarter, but couldn’t get both hands on the ball.
The Riders retook the lead on the final play of the third quarter after Harris connected with Tevin Jones for a touchdown, giving the Riders a 17-13 lead after Lauther added the extra point.
Calgary looked to take the lead, but a Maier touchdown pass attempt to Cole Tucker was bobbled and picked up by Larry Dean in the end zone after the ball was kicked up accidentally by his teammate, C.J. Reavis.
On the ensuing drive, the Riders extended their lead after a 60-yard play by Shawn Bane Jr. brought the Green and White to the one-yard line. From there, Patterson took it in for his second touchdown of the game, giving the Riders a 23-13 lead. Morrow added a six-yard run on the same drive that put him at 100 yards rushing in the game. The Riders attempted a two-point conversion but didn’t score.
With around five minutes to go in the game, Maier ran the ball in himself for the touchdown, with Paredes’ convert making it a three-point game. Paredes strode back onto the field with 11 seconds left in regulation and drilled the clutch field goal, setting the stage for the Riders’ dramatic overtime win.
With the win, Riders’ head coach Craig Dickenson is now 2-6 all-time as a head coach against his brother, Dave, the Stamps’ head coach and general manager.
Calgary’s leading receiver Reggie Begelton also sat this game out after suffering a rib injury in last week’s game against the REDBLACKS. He’s been moved to the six-game injured list.
The Stamps and the Riders both head into a bye week, as Week 4 of the CFL season features just three games. The Riders will host the Edmonton Elks on Thurs. July 6, while the Stamps will travel to Winnipeg to face the Blue Bombers on Fri. July 7.
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.
