WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are heading to their fifth-straight Grey Cup.
Thanks to a massive night from receiver Kenny Lawler, who had three touchdowns and 177 yards on the night, Winnipeg defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 38-22 in the Western Final to punch their ticket to the 111th Grey Cup.
Zach Collaros threw four touchdown strikes, three to Lawler and another to Nic Demski, 301 yards, and no interceptions in his team’s win. Brady Oliveira also got in on the scoring with a rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. Oliveira had 20 carries for 119 yards as well.
The defence got in on the action too, forcing three turnovers on downs and as a unit they held Trevor Harris to no passing touchdowns until very late in the fourth quarter. Harris finished completing just 56.8 per cent of his passes for 283 yards, the major score, and no interceptions.
Samuel Emilus scored the late major while running back AJ Ouellette had a rushing touchdown earlier in the contest for the visiting team. Kian Schaffer-Baker led the Riders with 162 yards on 12 catches (17 targets). Brett Lauther was good on all three of his field goal attempts.
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Zach Collaros and the Bombers started on offence and after just a single first down on the drive, a 13-yard pickup by Kevens Clercius, the Riders defence forced them to punt.
Trevor Harris and co. started deep, on their 16-yard line, on their opening possession as the sold out crowd at Princess Auto Stadium roared on. Unlike the Bombers, who did not run on their first drive, the Riders started with a six-yard rush from running back AJ Ouellette before finding Kian Schaffer-Baker for a first down. After Ouellette got a three-yard pickup on the ground, Harris looked to him again through the air, but he wasn’t able to find the first down marker and were forced to punt.
On the Bombers next drive, Demski carried the rock for an eight-yard pickup before Oliveira got his first carry of the game with a five-yard gain for a first down. After a five-yard pass to Demski, Collaros called his own number for a first down to move the Bombers down to the Riders 38-yard line. After a seven-yard run from Oliveira, Kenny Lawler scored the game’s opening touchdown, hauling in a 31-yard catch-and-run major score. With the completed convert, the Bombers took a 7-0 lead with five minutes left in the first quarter.
Following a Saskatchewan two-and-out, Collaros hit a long bomb to Lawler, a 65-yard catch, on the first play of their ensuing drive. On the next play, Collaros connected with Lawler again, who fell while he hauled in the pass and still crossed into the end zone for his second major of the game. With the convert, Winnipeg took a 14-0 lead with 2:23 on the clock.
A big return by Mario Alford had the Riders starting on their own 52-yard line. A few plays into the drive, a pass interference penalty on Evan Holm, who was covering Schaffer-Baker, moved the visitors down to the Winnipeg 32. On first-and-10, Harris looked to KeeSean Johnson in the back of the end zone and after bobbling the pass, it fell in complete. The Riders were offside on the next play and had to settle for a field goal. Brett Lauther was good on his 40-yard field goal and cut into Winnipeg’s lead (14-3) with just seconds left in the first quarter.
The Riders then countered with a big play on special teams, with Caleb Sanders blocking Winnipeg’s ensuing punt. That meant that Harris and co. started their drive on the Bombers’ 26-yard line. They settled for a field goal on the turnover with Lauther connecting on his 33-yarder. That cut Winnipeg’s lead to 14-6 with 12:39 left in the half.
Winnipeg countered with another major score, which was set up by a big play on short yardage. Quarterback Terry Williams, who was lining up under centre on a second-and-one, found the edge and ran for a big 48-yard gain. An unnecessary roughness penalty against Jameer Thurman at the end of the play moved the Bombers down to the Riders’ 13-yard line. On the next play, Collaros tossed his third touchdown of the contest, finding Demski at the front of the end zone. The score and the convert increased the Bombers’ lead to 21-6 with 11:20 left in the quarter.
After that score, the teams traded punts before Harris and the Riders hit the field again with four and a half minutes remaining on the clock. Ouellette started the drive with a 26-yard scamper to take his team down to their own 54-yard line. Harris then found Schaffer-Baker for a 12-yard pick up before Ouellette carried the rock again setting up second-and-seven. The Riders took an offside penalty moving them back to second-and-12. Schaffer-Baker hauled in a 10-yard pass but it wasn’t enough for the fresh set of downs. Lauther connected on his 44-yard field goal to cut the lead to 21-9 with 2:31 left.
On the final drive of the first half, the Bombers moved the chains into Saskatchewan territory. With 11 seconds left on third-and-one on the Riders 23-yard line, Winnipeg sent out the short yardage package to get the first down. Wilson plunged ahead to get a fresh set but eight seconds left, head coach Mike O’Shea elected to kick a 30-yard field goal. Castillo was good on his try, as the Bombers took a 24-9 lead into the half.
Harris and the Riders started on offence in the second half and when it looked like Saskatchewan was going to have to punt the ball away, they had some tricks up their sleeves. It was a fake punt and Adam Korsak ran for a first down to keep the drive alive. A few plays later, Harris found Schaffer-Baker for a 37-yard catch to bring the Riders down to Winnipeg’s 12-yard line. Emilus then hauled in an 11-yard catch to bring the team down to the Winnipeg one-yard line. Ouellette then took the Harris handoff and elevated into the end zone for the team’s first touchdown of the game. With the completed convert, Saskatchewan cut the Bombers lead to 24-16 with 10:43 on the clock.
After the teams traded two-and-outs following the major score, Lawler cashed in on his third major of the contest, as he was wide open to haul in a 57-yard strike. Castillo’s convert was good and the Bombers added to their lead with 5:33 left in the third frame (31-16).
Tyrell Ford added another knockdown to his 2024 resume early in the fourth quarter. The Riders decided to go for it on third-and-three on their own 24-yard line and Harris looked for Johnson, but the Canadian defensive back knocked the pass away, turning the ball over on downs.
On the first play of the Bombers ensuing possession, Oliveira broke free for 21 yards, bringing his team down to the three-yard line. Oliveira then took the hand off and plunged into the end zone for the major score. With the completed convert, Winnipeg increase their lead to 38-16 with 11:27 left on the clock.
Corey Mace threw his first challenge flag of the night with 10 minutes left in the game, looking for a defensive pass interference call. It was unsuccessful, however, and the Riders had to punt the ball away. Lucky Whitehead fumbled the punt and Rolan Milligan Jr. recovered it, giving the ball right back to the visitors.
Starting at the Bombers 33, Ouellette picked up four, before Harris found his favourite target on the evening, Schaffer-Baker, for a pair of first downs to bring the team down to Winnipeg’s five-yard line. On first-and-goal, Jefferson had a second knockdown of the game and on the next play, Kramdi sacked Harris on second down. On third down, Bombers forced yet another turnover on downs, with Holm knocking the ball away out of Johnson’s hands in the end zone.
The Bombers defence held Saskatchewan to a third turnover on downs with two and half minutes left in the game with Harris and the Riders going for it on third-and-nine looking to start some sort of start to a comeback.
Saskatchewan tried once again to move the chains late in the fourth, going for it once again on third down with 1:10 on the clock. This time the visitors were able to convert for a fresh set, as Emilus had the reception. Harris called his own number for a 15-yard gain down inside the 30. Emilus added a late score with a 19-yard touchdown and the Riders decided to go for two, but it was incomplete with the pass intended for Johnson deep in the end zone.
Saskatchewan tried the onside kick but it was unsuccessful, all but sealing the deal for the home team with 22 seconds left.
Now the Bombers now set their sights on the Toronto Argonauts as they battle for the 111th Grey Cup in Vancouver next Sunday.
