Stampeders Start Pre-Season Strong with 26-16 Win Over Lions
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By Noan Gagnon
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Summary:
- The Calgary Stampeders defeated the B.C. Lions with a 26-21 victory in their first CFL pre-season game.
- The Lions struggled with discipline, taking 11 penalties for 187 yards.
- Stampeders showed depth at quarterback and running back in the pre-season opener.
The Calgary Stampeders kicked off their CFL pre-season with a solid 26-16 win over the B.C. Lions on Monday night at Starlight Stadium, powered by a balanced offensive effort and sharp defence.
Heated Action
Running backs Ludovick Choquette and Tiyon Evans each found the end zone, while quarterback Quincy Vaughn added a rushing touchdown of his own on a short-yardage sneak.
Veteran kicker Rene Paredes showed he’s still got a leg, drilling two field goals, one of them a booming 52-yarder.
B.C. got touchdown passes from both Chase Brice and Jeremiah Masoli, and kicker Mark McNamee chipped in with a field goal, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Stamps’ steady pressure on both sides of the ball.
The Stamps’ defence made its presence felt early and often, notching three sacks and keeping the Lions’ offence from finding much rhythm.
Lions Flagged 11 Times
Calgary led 10-6 at halftime and 20-13 after three quarters, and while the total yardage between the two teams was close, David Dickenson’s side finished with 247 net yards to B.C.’s 257, proving discipline was a major factor.
The Lions were flagged 11 times for a whopping 187 yards, while Calgary committed just six penalties for 57 yards.
At quarterback, Calgary spread the work around. Phillip Walker Jr. went 8-for-16 for 77 yards, Josh Love completed 3-of-4 passes for 26 yards, and Logan Bonner was 4-for-5 for 22 yards with one interception.
On the ground, Choquette led with 47 yards on six carries, while Evans added 44 on 11 touches. Eno Benjamin chipped in with 34 yards. Ishmael Hyman led all Stamps receivers with three catches for 34 yards.
For the Lions, Brice had a solid outing, going 14-of-20 for 135 yards, and Masoli threw for 43 yards on 3-of-5 passing.
Nathan Rourke, who’s projected to be the starter, saw limited action with just one completion for seven yards.
Zander Horvath and Jordan Terrell led the Lions’ run game with 34 and 31 yards, respectively, while Jermaine Jackson stood out through the air with four catches for 54 yards and a touchdown.
Last season, Calgary finished at the bottom of the West Division and missed the playoffs, while B.C. placed third and was knocked out in the West semifinal by the Roughriders.
Up next, the Stampeders are getting ready to host the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, while the Lions will travel to Edmonton to face the Elks on May 30 ahead of the 2025 CFL season which kicks off in June – Get all the best odds ahead of the new season with selected CFL Canadian sportsbooks
