EDMONTON — The Edmonton Elks overcame the loss of their starting quarterback to win their second consecutive game with a 33-16 victory against the BC Lions on Sunday.
Quarterback Tre Ford went down in the first half with an injury and was replaced by veteran McLeod Bethel-Thompson, who was able to continue Edmonton’s efficient offensive performance at Commonwealth Stadium.
Ford completed all six of his passes for 96 yards before leaving the game, while Bethel-Thompson went 14-of-18 for 171 yards, a major to fullback Justin Rankin and an interception.
Running back Javon Leake was once again pivotal for the Double E, scoring a rushing touchdown and finishing with over 100 yards from scrimmage for the second consecutive game. Backup quarterback Dakota Prukop scored on a quarterback sneak and kicker Boris Bede made three of four field goals as the Elks improved to 2-7.
The Leos scored a major with fullback David Mackie, while quarterback Jake Dolegala completed 14 of 23 passes for 146 passing yards, no scores or turnovers. Defensive back Ciante Evans grabbed a highlight-reel interception in the second half as BC dropped to 5-4.
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The Lions started the game with a perfect drive. BC sprinkled in two of their best playmakers in William Stanback and Justin McInnis to move the ball 67 yards for the score. Dolegala was three-of-three for 33 yards on the drive that ended with a one-yard major by Mackie.
Edmonton almost answered with a long scoring campaign of their own, headlined by a 24-yard completion from Ford to Tevin Jones that set up the Elks in Lions territory, but a sack by Christian Covington had the Double E settling for a field goal attempt. Bede missed the post to the right for a single.
Sean Whyte extended BC’s lead from 42 yards out halfway through the first quarter.
The Ford-Jones connection showed up once again in the second quarter. The pivot found No. 84 on a crossing route and the receiver broke a couple of tackles to take it to the 12-yard line. From there Leake finished the job with a run through the middle to cut into BC’s lead, 10-8.
Elks defensive lineman Noah Curtis netted his fifth sack on the season after taking down Dolegala later in the first half to force the visitors to attempt a third-and-five at midfield. Dolegala went deep for Hatcher, but the pass fell incomplete and the Leos turned it over on downs.
The home team used the momentum to take their first lead of the afternoon. Ford went deep for Dillon Mitchell who was grabbed in the end zone for a pass interference penalty that positioned the Elks at the one-yard line. Prukop then powered his way into the end zone to take a 15-10 lead with the point after by Bede, who also added another rouge on the ensuing kickoff.
Ford was injured late in the second quarter after being hit during a scramble and the Elks turned to Bethel-Thompson and the veteran positioned his kicker for a 51-yard field goal to close out the first half.
The Lions opened the second half with another field goal by Whyte to cut the lead to 19-13.
Edmonton was marching on their way to another score, but a leaping interception by Evans in the end zone gave the visitors another offensive possession. Running back William Stanback got the Lions moving the ball with a couple of bruising runs, leading to another kick by Whyte that made it 19-16 with under five minutes left in the third quarter.
Bede pushed the lead back to six with a 34-yard field goal early in the fourth.
A special teams penalty of contacting the kicker extended a later Edmonton drive and the Elks took the chance to add more points to the board. Leake caught a 20-yard pass to BC’s 20-yard line before Bethel-Thompson found Rankin for a 17-yard score. Jarious Jackson’s team went for a two point conversion, and after a couple of penalties by both sides, the home team ended up converting on a catch by Mitchell to make it 30-16 with a little under six minutes left in the game.
Bede made it 33-16 with 2:32 left on the clock and defensive lineman Shawn Oakman all but sealed the score by forcing a fumble on Dolegala late in the fourth.
Edmonton now goes on the road to face the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday, August 17. BC meanwhile returns home to host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Sunday, August 18.