Roughriders win 26-16, add to Elks’ home misery
EDMONTON — The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ latest dominance over the Edmonton Elks continued on Saturday.
Mitchell Picton’s fourth quarter landing catch proved to be the distinction because the Roughriders remained good on the younger Canadian Soccer League season with a 26-16 victory over the Elks, their sixth straight win over Edmonton.
“It was a scrappy recreation, we knew it is gonna be powerful,” mentioned Saskatchewan quarterback Cody Fajardo, who handed for 247 yards.
“We knew that they have been gonna be able to play of their house opener, however we are going to by no means apologize for a way we discovered a approach to win. We discovered a approach to rating within the fourth quarter to win the soccer recreation and I really feel like that is what we have been doing the previous couple of years.”
The Roughriders are 2-0, after additionally defeating Hamilton of their opening recreation.
The Elks dropped to 0-2 after dropping 59-15 of their first recreation to the B.C. Lions, and have now gone 9 video games with out a win at house. Edmonton went 0-7 final season at Commonwealth Stadium.
“We did not play ok defensively to win the soccer recreation, and we had sufficient errors each within the kicking recreation and on offence to not permit us to win the soccer recreation,” mentioned Elks head coach and defensive coordinator Chris Jones. “Once you play like we performed, you do not should win.
“We have got to play extra acute soccer. We’re making some strides, we have an excellent locker room.”
Saskatchewan struck for a 50-yard discipline purpose from Brett Lauther on its opening drive.
Edmonton was minus-one yard in offence within the first quarter.
There was no additional scoring till halfway via the second, when Lauther linked for an 18-yard discipline purpose.
After Edmonton’s Matt Thomas recovered a fumble off a missed discipline purpose return on the Saskatchewan 23, quarterback Nick Arbuckle discovered Kenny Lawler for a five-yard landing move to place the Elks up 7-6 with three minutes left within the second body.
Saskatchewan rapidly responded with an unconverted landing of its personal with lower than a minute to play within the first half, as Jamal Morrow scored on a two-yard rush.
The Elks opened the third quarter with a 12-yard discipline purpose from Sergio Castillo, who then added a 30-yarder to shut out the third.
Lauther put his crew again in entrance once more with a 41-yard discipline purpose 5 minutes into the fourth. Castillo made it 16-15 for Edmonton with a 37-yarder halfway via the ultimate quarter.
The Roughriders rapidly responded with a 28-yard TD move from Fajardo to Picton, who additionally reeled within the two-point convert.
“He had a pleasant recreation,” Dickenson mentioned of Picton, who hauled in 4 passes for 56 yards. “It was good to see him have some success. He has been grinding it out for 3 or 4 years straight now.”
Saskatchewan regarded to place the sport away not lengthy afterwards after a compelled fumble restoration by A.C. Leonard, however Lauther missed a 44-yard discipline purpose. He rapidly bought one other probability, nonetheless, and nailed it from 21 yards out.
There was some unhealthy information for the Riders within the late going, although, as veteran offensive lineman Dan Clark needed to be carted off the sector after struggling a decrease physique damage.
Each groups are on the street subsequent week because the Riders head to Montreal on Thursday and the Elks are in Calgary on Saturday.
FOOT NOTES: After final week’s disastrous opening week loss to the Lions in Vancouver, the Elks had 11 new starters of their lineup on Saturday. … The final time Edmonton hosted the Roughriders for its house opener was in 2016, when Chris Jones coached in opposition to his former crew for the primary time with Saskatchewan. Jones in now again with the Elks. … The highest paid offensive lineman within the league, Edmonton’s Mark Korte, missed the sport to attend his personal wedding ceremony. Additionally out for the Elks was receiver Derel Walker. The Riders performed with out slotback Duke Williams.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed June 18, 2022
Shane Jones, The Canadian Press
