Blue Bombers hold off Saskatchewan Roughriders’ late-game push for Labour Day win

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Labour Day Classic on Sunday night and moved into first place in the West Division.

The Bombers held off a late-game surge from the Riders for the 35-33 win, despite not having their starting quarterback, Zach Collaros, in the game for the second half.

There was some drama at the end of the contest, as any OK Tire Labour Day Weekend game always provides CFL fans, and a touchdown in the dying seconds of the game brought the Riders within two points.

After a failed two-point convert, Saskatchewan was successful on their onside kick attempt with Adam Auclair recovering the kick. When back on offence, a pass interference penalty against Winnipeg set up Brett Lauther’s 60-yard field goal attempt for the win with no time left on the clock. His kick was short, however, handing the visitors the victory.

Chris Streveler, who took over for Collaros in the final two frames, scored two rushing touchdowns in the win. Nic Demski also scored a touchdown for the visitors. Nick Hallett scored a special teams major, capitalizing on a fumbled punt by Mario Alford.

Collaros connected on 12 of 18 passes for 218 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Streveler was good on four of six passes for 46 yards through the air and 12 yards on seven carries.

Trevor Harris threw three touchdowns to KeeSean Johnson, Shawn Bane Jr., and Dohnte Meyers in the win. The Riders pivot completed 30 of his 49 pass attempts for 368 yards and no interceptions.

Brett Lauther was good on two of his three field goal attempt, including one from 55 yards.

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» Game Tracker: Riders, Bombers by the numbers

The Bombers started the game on offence with Collaros and co. starting deep in their own end zone (25-yard line). The Riders defence, helped out by the noise of the 30,000+ in the stands, held them to a two-and-out and Winnipeg had to punt. That was followed by a two-and-out by Winnipeg’s defence as Willie Jefferson knocked down Harris’ first pass attempt and the Riders pivot’s second pass, a deep shot to Dohnte Meyers, was broken up by defensive back Terrell Bonds.

On Winnipeg’s next possession, the Bombers scored the first points of Sunday’s Labour Day Weekend meeting. The drive started with Collaros finding Kenny Lawler for a first down on second-and-10 to move the team to their own 32-yard line. After Chris Streveler converted a first down on second-and-inches, Collaros, on second-and-long, stretched the field to Ontaria Wilson over the middle for a 45-yard gain. A few plays later, on the Riders’ nine-yard line, Collaros connected with Wilson behind the line of scrimmage for a gain of six-yard gain to set up Streveler’s three-yard touchdown plunge. With the completed convert on the nine-play, 89-yard drive, Winnipeg took a 7-0 lead with just under seven minutes left in the first quarter.

Saskatchewan responded with a scoring drive of their own as Harris found Bane Jr. in the back of the end zone for a major. The drive started on their own 30-yard line and began with back-to-back plays by Hickson, a rush of two-yards followed by an11-yard gain for a first down. A few plays later, Harris called his own number on second-and six, running for the first down. After moving down to the 12-yard line, Harris connected with Bane Jr. for the score. After the completed convert, Saskatchewan tied things up at seven with just under a minute left in the opening frame.

Marcus Sayles picked off Collaros on the second play of the ensuing drive, the defensive back’s third interception of the season, jumping in front of the intended receiver, Wilson. That turnover brought Harris and co. right back to the field on Winnipeg’s 41-yard line.

A few plays, including an 18-yard gain by Meyers, brought the Riders down to Winnipeg’s 18. On second-and-10, Harris connected with Meyers again, this time at the front of the end zone for the receiver’s first CFL touchdown. After the completed convert, Saskatchewan took a 14-7 lead with just under 12 minutes left in the half.

The teams continued to trade touchdowns with Nic Demski scoring on the Bombers very next drive. Winnipeg moved from their own 29 to Saskatchewan’s 44-yard line, thanks to a handful of big plays including a 14-yard catch by Kenny Lawler and a Collaros nine-yard run. Then at the 44, Collaros aired it out to Demski for the major score. With the convert, the Bombers tied things up at 14 with seven and a half minutes left.

The game’s first rouge was scored on the ensuing Sergio Casillo kickoff, with Mario Alford taking a knee in his own end zone, adding a single point to Winnipeg’s score (15-14).

After a Rider two-and-out, Winnipeg punted the ball away and it seemed like Saskatchewan was going to get back on the field on offence. The Bombers special teams had other plans, however.

Sheahan’s punt went off the hands of Alford near the Riders’ goal line and Nick Hallett recovered the ball, running into the end zone for a touchdown. The major and the completed convert increased Winnipeg’s lead to 22-14 with just over three minutes left on the clock.

The Riders were forced to punt on their next drive and Winnipeg went right back to work adding another score to their total. After moving down to Saskatchewan’s 33-yard line, a pass interference penalty on Williams, who was covering Lawler in the end zone, and a roughing the passer penalty on Miles Brown on the same play brought the Bombers right down to the one-yard line. Streveler entered the game and cashed in on his second rushing touchdown of the half. With Castillo’s completed convert, Winnipeg’s lead increased to 29-14 with 1:16 on the clock.

Despite their best efforts, Saskatchewan couldn’t get any points on their next possession as the teams headed to their dressing rooms for half time.

Collaros was ruled out of the game for the second half, so Streveler took over the Bombers offence.

To start the third quarter, the Riders got to work moving the chains down the field and cut into the Bombers’ lead. The drive included a Schaffer-Baker 27-yard catch-and-run to move the team close to midfield and a Johnson 13-yard strike for a first down into Winnipeg territory. But after a Jefferson sack and an incompletion, the home team had to settle for a field goal attempt. Brett Lauther’s 55-yarder was good, and Winnipeg’s lead was 29-17.

Following a Winnipeg two-and-out with Streveler under centre Saskatchewan began to move down the field again on their next drive. Aided by a roughing the passer penalty on Celestin Haba, Harris and co. found themselves down on the Bombers’ 40-yard line. After a pair of first downs, the Riders were inside the 20 looking to add more points to their score. On second-and-nine, Harris tried to connect with Emilus in the end zone near the goal post, but it was incomplete, and they had to settle for a field goal. Lauther’s 25-yard attempt was good, cutting Winnipeg’s lead to 29-20 with just under five minutes left in the third quarter.

On the visitor’s ensuing drive Castillo attempted his first field goal, this one from 52 yards, and it was good. That score increased Winnipeg’s lead to 32-20.

The teams traded punts as the final frame got underway.

Harris and the Rider offence, that included defensive lineman Micah Johnson at right guard because of two injured centres, moved down into Winnipeg territory after starting on their own 30.

On second-and-six on the Winnipeg 16-yard line, Johnson hauled in a 10-yard pass for the first down. Harris looked too Johnson again on the very next play, hauling in a six-yard score in the end zone. With the completed convert, Saskatchewan cut Winnipeg’s lead to 32-27 with seven and a half minutes left in the game.

Saskatchewan’s defence held strong on the next drive, forcing the Bombers to punt the ball away. As did Winnipeg’s defence on the ensuing possession as the Riders had to punt as well with three minutes left in the game.

Once again, the Riders defence put their foot down the next time Streveler and co. hit the field, holding Winnipeg to a 56-yard field goal attempt. Castillo split the uprights, increasing Winnipeg’s lead to 35-27 with 1:39 on the clock.

With the clock ticking down, on third down, Emilus hauled in the pass on the one-yard line. That set up a Harris short yardage sneak and he plunged into the end zone for the touchdown. Trailing by two, Saskatchewan tried the two-point convert with 14 seconds left in the game but Tony Jones knocked it away (35-33).

Saskatchewan tried the onside kick and it was successful, as Adam Auclair recovered the kick, giving the Riders the ball right back.

On the first play of the drive, it appeared that Evan Holm picked off Harris but a pass interference penalty on Holm set up Lauther to attempt a 60-yard field goal attempt to win the game. His boot was short and Winnipeg would walk away with the win.

Next up for these two teams is the rematch of the Labour Day Classic next Saturday in Winnipeg.