The B.C. Lions hosted the Saskatchewan Roughriders at B.C. Place Stadium on Saturday in the Western Semi-Final. This was the third straight playoff meeting, two of them in the Western Semi-Final and last year’s Western Final.
B.C. got the ball to the first quarter on the 35-yard line. On the first play of the game, Nathan Rourke threw the ball to James Butler for 13 yards. Saskatchewan linebacker Jameer Thurman ripped the ball out, and it was recovered by DaMarcus Fields at the 48-yard line. Saskatchewan’s offense went two-and-out, followed by kicker Brett Lauther making a 55-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with 12:59 left.
B.C.’s offense went two-and-out on their next drive. The Roughriders had the ball on the 27-yard line. Running back A.J. Ouellette had three carries for 22 yards and caught a six-yard pass from Trevor Harris, leading the offense to the 18-yard line before kicker Brett Lauther made a 26-yard field goal for a 6-0 lead with 6:05 left.
The Lions had the ball on the 40-yard line. Four plays later, running back Zander Horvath rushed for 40 yards to the 17-yard line. Three plays later, B.C. kicker Sean Whyte made a 26-yard field goal. The Lions trailed the Roughriders 6-3 heading into the second quarter. Saskatchewan’s offense had 67 yards, five first downs, and 3 for 6 on second downs, while B.C.’s offense had 56 yards, two first downs, and 1 for 3 on second downs.
In the second quarter, Saskatchewan kicker Brett Lauther made a 55-yard field goal for a 9-3 lead with 11:22 left. Later, B.C. moved the ball to the 49-yard line. On third down, Saskatchewan’s defense stopped Zander Horvath short of the first down for a turnover on downs. Quarterback Trevor Harris threw four passes for 39 yards to the four-yard line. On the next play, Tommy Stevens rushed up the middle for the touchdown. They went for a two-point conversion with Harris completing a pass to Samuel Emilus. The Roughriders led the Lions 17-3 with six minutes left on a six-play drive for 49 yards. Saskatchewan scored 11 points off turnovers.
The Lions had the ball on the 41-yard line. Two plays later, Saskatchewan’s defense brought pressure. Nathan Rourke scrambled out of the pocket before throwing the ball to a wide-open Stanley Berryhill III for a 69-yard touchdown. The Lions trailed the Roughriders 17-10 with 4:31 left before halftime.
Late in the second quarter, Trevor Harris’s pass intended for Samuel Emilus was intercepted by Robert Carter Jr. at the 40-yard line. Running back James Butler rushed for 15 yards to the 55-yard line. Then, Nathan Rourke threw a five-yard pass to Jermain Jackson to the 50-yard line before the drive stalled.
After Saskatchewan moved the ball to the 45-yard line before punting the ball, B.C. got the ball on the 28-yard line. Nathan Rourke threw four passes for 43 yards to the 39-yard line. Kicker Sean Whyte made a 48-yard field goal. The Lions trailed the Roughriders 17-13 at halftime.
Saskatchewan’s offense had 201 yards, 13 first downs, 7 of 12 on second downs, and 1 for 2 in the redzone. Quarterback Trevor Harris went 11 of 16 for 114 yards and one interception. Running back Thomas Bertrand-Hudon had six carries for 43 yards, while A.J. Ouellette had six carries for 35 yards, and Tommy Stevens had three carries for 12 yards and one touchdown. Wide receiver KeeSean Johnson made three catches for 48 yards, and Kian Schaffer-Baker made three catches for 26 yards.
B.C.’s offense had 197 yards, six first downs, 3 for 9 on second downs, and 0 for 1 in the redzone. Quarterback Nathan Rourke went 9 of 15 for 144 yards and one touchdown. Running back Zander Horvath had five carries for 45 yards, while James Butler had two carries for 15 yards. Wide receiver Stanley Berryhill III made one catch for 69 yards and one touchdown, while Justin McInnis made one catch for 25 yards, and Jevon Cottoy made three catches for 24 yards.
Saskatchewan got the ball to start the third quarter at the 50-yard line. The Roughriders moved the ball to the 20-yard line, followed by B.C. defensive end Mathieu Betts sacking Trevor Harris for a six-yard loss. Kicker Brett Lauther made a 34-yard field goal for a 20-13 lead with 10:19 left.
The Lions had the ball on the 40-yard line. Two plays later, Saskatchewan’s defense brought pressure, allowing Nathan Rourke to throw a short pass to Jevon Cottoy, and he was gone for a 70-yard touchdown, tying the game 20-20 with 9:18 left.
Saskatchewan had the ball on the 37-yard line. Four plays in, Trevor Harris threw a 26-yard pass to Dhel Duncan-Busby to the 33-yard line. The Roughriders continued to move the ball to the 25-yard line before kicker Brett Lauther made a 33-yard field goal for a 23-20 lead with 4:50 left.
Late in the third quarter, the Lions had the ball on the 40-yard line. Nathan Rourke threw the ball three times for 53 yards and rushed for four yards to the 13-yard line. Then, Saskatchewan’s defense pressured Rourke before he threw the ball to Jevon Cottoy, who walked in for the touchdown. The Lions took a 27-23 lead heading into the fourth quarter on a six-play drive for 70 yards.
In the fourth quarter, B.C. kicker Sean Whyte made a 34-yard field goal for a 30-23 lead with 10:25 left. Late in the game, B.C. had the ball on the 36-yard line. Nathan Rourke threw three passes for 52 yards, and James Butler rushed for two yards to the 16-yard line before the drive stalled. Kicker Sean Whyte made a 24-yard field goal for a 33-23 lead with 2:56 left.
The Roughriders had the ball on the 21-yard line. Trevor Harris threw five passes for 52 yards to the 36-yard line. Kicker Brett Lauther made a 44-yard field goal. The Roughriders trailed the Lions 33-26 with 1:36 left. It was Lauther’s sixth field goal of the day. They attempted an onside kick, but B.C. got the ball at the 39-yard line. Saskatchewan’s defense stopped B.C. on second down. Kicker Sean Whyte had a chance to end the game, but he missed a 49-yard field goal wide left.
Saskatchewan quarterback Trevor Harris threw the ball four times for 54 yards to the 34-yard line. On the final play of the game, B.C.’s defense pressured Harris before Hayden Harris sacked him to end the game. The Lions held on to beat the Roughriders 33-26 to book their trip to Edmonton for the Western Final.
B.C.’s offense had 452 yards (366 passing yards, 94 rushing yards, 8 yards lost), 17 first downs, 10 for 19 on second downs, 1 for 3 in the redzone, and the team was penalized twice for 30 yards. Quarterback Nathan Rourke completed 21 of 32 passes (66%) for 366 yards, three touchdowns, and two carries for 30 yards. Running back Zander Horvath had seven carries for 48 yards, and James Butler had four carries for 16 yards.
Wide receiver Jevon Cottoy made eight catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns, while Stanley Berryhill III made two catches for 78 yards and one touchdown. The defense made 53 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks, and one interception.
Saskatchewan’s offense had 403 yards (309 passing yards, 102 rushing yards, 8 yards lost), 24 first downs, 14 for 26 on second downs, 1 for 3 in the redzone, and the team was penalized seven times for 65 yards. Quarterback Trevor Harris completed 29 of 40 passes (72.5%) for 309 yards and one interception. Running back Thomas Bertrand-Hudon had nine carries for 54 yards, while A.J. Ouellette had nine carries for 39 yards, and Tommy Stevens had four carries for 12 yards and one rushing touchdown.
Wide receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker made seven catches for 73 yards, and Dhel Duncan-Busby made four catches for 66 yards. The defense made 33 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
The B.C. Lions visit Commonwealth Stadium next Saturday against the Edmonton Elks at 7:30 pm on TSN and CFL+.
