OTTAWA — The Calgary Stampeders secured their first win of 2023 on Thursday night as they defeated the Ottawa REDBLACKS 26-15 at TD Place.
With the win Calgary improved to 1-1 on the season, while the REDBLACKS fell to 0-2.
Stampeders quarterback Jake Maier threw an interception and scored a touchdown on the ground. Running back Dedrick Mills, who started the contest in place of an injured Ka’Deem Carey, also scored a major. Defensive back Branden Dozier also had a touchdown after scooping up a REDBLACKS fumble and running it into the end zone.
Defensive back Titus Wall and linebacker Micah Awe both tallied sacks in the victory, while interceptions came at the hands of Awe and Tre Roberson.
Brandin Dandridge scored the lone touchdown for Ottawa in the loss, returning a punt 79 yards to the house. Both Nick Arbuckle and Tyrie Adams saw action at quarterback for the REDBLACKS. Arbuckle completed 13 of 21 passes for 72 yards while Adams connected on seven of his 13 attempts for 88 yards and an interception. Quan Bray led all REDBLACKS receivers with 95 yards on four catches.
The REDBLACKS started the game with the ball in their hands and Nick Arbuckle and co. started moving the chains down the field. Justin Hardy was getting involved in the game early with three plays on the drive, gains of 13, 10, and five yards, respectively, as the REDBLACKS began inching closer to the Calgary end zone.
On the Stamps’ seven yard line, Calgary was called for an offside penalty, pushing Arbuckle and his offence half the distance to the goal. Arbuckle looked for Nate Behar near the goal line from the four, but threw his first incompletion of the contest. Behar was the target once again on their next attempt, but it was incomplete bringing up third down. Ottawa decided to go for it on third, but Titus Wall was in coverage on Behar and knocked the ball away for the first turnover of the contest.
Defences stood strong on the ensuing drives with both teams trading punts. A single was scored on Richie Leone‘s punt, giving the REDBLACKS a 1-0 lead late in the first frame.
It appeared that the first touchdown of the contest was scored by Malik Henry on the first play of the next Calgary drive. However, an offensive pass interference penalty called on Henry, as he pushed off the defender in coverage, negated the score. A few plays later, Calgary did score their first touchdown as Dedrick Mills, who was filling in for an injured Ka’Deem Carey, rushed in for the three-yard score. Tre Odoms-Dukes hauled in the two-point convert, giving Calgary a 8-1 lead just as the opening 15 minutes expired.
On second and one in the second quarter, REDBLACKS quarterback Tyrie Adams came into the game on short yardage looking for the first down, but instead the ball popped loose. Branden Dozier scooped it up and ran it into the end zone for the score. With Paredes’ completed convert, the Stampeders took a 15-1 lead with about 10 minutes left in the first half.
Ottawa’s ensuing drive was a two-and-out, forcing Leone to punt the ball away. Peyton Logan caught the punt but Alonzo Addae ripped the ball away from the Stampeders returner and Adam Auclair jumped on the loose ball, bringing Arbuckle and co. right back onto the field at the Calgary 11 yard line.
The REDBLACKS scored a field goal from the turnover, as Lewis Ward split the uprights with a 13-yard attempt. That score cut Calgary’s lead to 15-4 with six and a half minutes left in the quarter.
Auclair caught an interception inside the three minute warning, hauling in a pass that went off Reggie Begelton‘s hands. The momentum went right back into the Stampeders direction, however, as Micah Awe, who had tallied the first sack of the Stampeders’ season earlier in the half, picked off Arbuckle on the first throw of the REDBLACKS drive.
With a minute left in the half, Brandin Dandridge returned a punt for six, the team’s first major score of the 2023 campaign. The defensive back/returner ran it 79 yards down the field for the score and with the two-point convert complete to Hardy, the REDBLACKS cut Calgary’s lead to 15-12 with 44 seconds on the clock.
Adams finished off the first half at quarterback for the REDBLACKS and started the second in place of Arbuckle.
On the Stampeders’ second possession of the third quarter, Maier and co. began on their own 22 yard line and moved the chains deep into Ottawa territory. On the REDBLACKS’ eight yard line, Mills scampered to the two but was stopped in his tracks by Damon Webb. Maier then called his own number, pushing forward into the end zone for the touchdown. The nine-play, 88-yard drive was capped off with a Paredes convert, increasing the Stampeders lead to 22-12 with six minutes left in the quarter.
As the end of the third quarter was nearing, the fans at TD Place had something to cheer about as Adams aired it out 50 yards to Quan Bray for a chunk play to bring the REDBLACKS to the Stampeders’ side of mid field. After a three-yard gain from Behar, Adams looked for Acklin but the pass was incomplete. Head coach Bob Dyce challenged that there was pass interference on the play but it was unsuccessful.
That brought out Ward to try for a 45-yard field goal but his attempt was wide and the Stampeders held their 22-12 lead as the third frame came to a close.
Another point was added to the Stampeders lead (23-12) midway through the fourth quarter as Cody Grace‘s punt sailed into the end zone for the rouge.
Starting on their own 40-yard line, Adams and the REDBLACKS moved down the field and into Calgary territory on the ensuing drive. Once on the 13-yard line, Adams looked for Hardy in the back corner of the end zone but Jonathan Moxey was called for defensive pass interference. Head coach Dave Dickenson threw the challenge flag. The challenge was successful and it was determined there was no infraction on the play, bringing up second down.
Adams looked for Hardy again, this time on the other side of the end zone, but Kobe Williams was in coverage and knocked the ball out of his hands. Ward booted a 21-yard field goal, cutting Calgary’s lead 23-15 with just over four minutes left in the game.
Calgary added a field goal inside the three minute warning as Paredes connected on his 13-yard attempt, increasing their lead to 26-15.
Tre Roberson picked off Adams on the REDBLACKS’ ensuing drive, bringing Maier back onto the field to close out the game.
Next up for the REDBLACKS is a Week 3 bye while the Stampeders host the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday night at McMahon Stadium.
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.
