CALGARY — In his first career start, rookie quarterback Jake Meier threw for 304 yards and a touchdown on Friday night as the Calgary Stampeders overcame an 11-point second-quarter deficit and then hung on for a thrilling 28-22 victory over the Montreal Alouettes.
The 24-year-old got the start after two-time Most Outstanding Player Bo Levi Mitchell was placed on the six-game injured list earlier in the week with a fractured fibula.
It was a dubious start as a pair of first quarter interceptions turned into Montreal touchdowns and a 14-3 lead for the visitors, but Maier settled in nicely after that, bolstered by strong defensive play by the Stampeders.
An eight-play, 100-yard drive – that began with a Royce Metchie interception of Vernon Adams Jr. – was capped off by a Ka’Deem Carey one-yard rush that closed the gap to 14-9. Rene Paredes’ second field goal of the game, this one from 52 yards out, made it 14-12 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Calgary limited Montreal to just one first down on four possessions. The Stampeders eventually took advantage of its gradually improving field position by capping off a 41-yard drive with Meier’s first touchdown pass, a four-yard completion to Kamar Jorden.
The starting yard line for that drive, as well as 15 yards of that drive, was the result of Montreal roughing penalties. Another Alouettes penalty, this one for clipping, on the ensuing kick-off resulted in Montreal being pinned deep and punter Joseph Zema yielding a safety, which increased Calgary’s lead to 21-14.
The Stampeders made it 28-14 on Maier’s longest completion of the night, a flea flicker in which he handed the ball to Carey, had it pitched back to him, and tossed a long bomb to Josh Huff, who came back to the football, beat Alouette defensive back Wesley Sutton one-on-one, and ran the ball to the one for an 83-yard pass and catch.
More undisciplined play from the Alouettes opened the door for a second Carey touchdown, as he dove over the goal line from the one. Montreal had the Stampeders stopped at the two-yard line and facing third down on the play previous, but after the play, Tyquwan Glass punched Stampeders receiver Hergy Mayala.
Montreal finished the game with 16 penalties for 149 yards. Calgary had nine penalties for 80 yards.
But the Alouettes would not go down quietly.
A fourth-quarter fumble by Mayala turned the ball over to Montreal on the Calgary 45. Shortly after, Adams hit Quan Bray for a 10-yard touchdown pass to pull the Alouettes within six.
Montreal got a big two-and-out and got the ball back at their own 18. Adams led the Alouettes down the field again. But on the final play of the game from the Calgary 14, Adams completed a pass to Eugene Lewis, but after a diving catch, he was called out at the one-yard line after league video review.
Calgary’s first win of the season improves them to 1-2 while the Alouettes fall to 1-1.
Next up for the Alouettes are the Hamilton Tiger-Cats who Montreal meet on Friday in its home opener. The Stampeders are next in action next Sunday when they hit the road for the first time, travelling to Winnipeg for a clash with the Blue Bombers.
Notes: Stampeders lost a pair of defensive linemen for the game with Folarin Orimolade having to be helped off the field late in the first quarter and Jarrell Owens taken off on a cart in the second quarter, a leg injury the result of a play in which Montreal offensive linemen was handed a clipping penalty… Attendance at McMahon Stadium was 21,199.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2021.
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.
