Red-hot REDBLACKS defeat Lions at home

OTTAWA — Dru Brown and the Ottawa REDBLACKS offence flexed their muscles on Saturday night in a home win over the BC Lions. The hosts unleashed 22 second-half points against their opponent to secure a 34-27 victory and remain undefeated through their past six games.

Brown recorded 390 passing yards, three touchdown completions, and one interception at TD Place in his return from a one-game injury absence. Receiver Justin Hardy caught 11 of his 12 targets for 114 yards while rookie Nick Mardner had 95 yards and a pair of touchdown catches.

Nathan Rourke put in an improved showing in his second start of the season, going 22-31 with 234 passing yards and one interception. William Stanback rushed for 99 yards on 15 touches and Justin McInnis led BC’s pass-catchers with 79 receiving yards.

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It took no time for Rourke and the BC offence to get going, taking the game’s first drive for a touchdown. A pair of first-down pickups to McInnis kept the chains moving early in the game, while a one-yard rushing score from David Mackie put the Leos up.

The REDBLACKS looked to strike back on their first possession, and Brown completed a pass deep right to Bralon Addison good for 42 yards. After getting inside the red zone, Ottawa failed to find another first down, instead settling for a field goal to eat into BC’s early lead.

BC kept their foot on the gas on their follow-up drive, with Rourke’s passing again powering the offence. William Stanback got involved on the ground and McInnis caught two more passes to extend his lead at the top of the league’s receiving yards leaderboard. Rourke’s end zone look to Keon Hatcher Sr. didn’t drop, resulting in a 16-yard Sean Whyte field goal to make it 10-3 for BC.

The REDBLACKS were the first team to punt, and a 37-yard return by Terry Williams gave the Lions offence a short field to work with, starting their next possession at Ottawa’s 44. Whyte’s streak of 46 consecutive made field goals ended because of a block from Jovan Santos-Knox. BC notched another point after DeVonte Dedmon failed to bring the ball out of the end zone, making it 11-3.

Stuck with a second-and-long after being sacked for a loss of six deep in his own half, Rourke produced the game’s first turnover. Frankie Griffin picked off his pass to the left sideline with the intended target Hatcher swarmed by defenders. Ottawa took full advantage of the interception, making the Lions pay with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Jaelon Acklin. Going for the two-point conversion to tie up the score, Brown’s attempt to Addison fell incomplete, leaving the game at 11-9.

On the ensuing drive, Rourke turned on the afterburners for a 51-yard run down the right sideline to bring his Lions into the red zone. After Stanback dropped a pass three yards out from the goalline, a Whyte field goal from 21 yards made it 14-9.

Another big completion to Addison for 30 yards looked like it would get Ottawa rolling on their next possession, but Brown threw an interception the way of Emmanuel Rugamba. A short-lived possession by the Lions meant that they had to punt the ball away, but their defence came up with another turnover, forcing the ball away from Ryquell Armstead.

Santos-Knox batted down a pass from Rourke to limit the Lions to a field goal try. Whyte’s attempt from 35 yards out was good to give BC a 17-9 advantage. Before halftime, a season-long effort from Ottawa’s Lewis Ward chipped into that lead, making it 17-12 for the Lions at the interval.

Shortly after the break, the REDBLACKS took their first game lead. A monster 64-yard house call by Mardner made it 18-17 Ottawa before Armstead ran the ball in for a successful two-point conversion.

Just moments after going up by three, the REDBLACKS got the ball right back. Damon Webb came up with a strip sack on Rourke and Kene Onyeka got onto the loose ball. The hosts thought they had another touchdown courtesy of a catch-and-run by Acklin, but the play was brought back for offensive pass interference after a successful challenge from BC head coach Rick Campbell. Forced to settle for a field goal, Ward’s kick from 36 yards out hit the upright with the score remaining at 20-17.

Ottawa got back into scoring range on their next drive and this time they would come away with seven points. Mardner brought down his second touchdown catch of the night for 22 yards to cap off a seven-play, 69-yard drive as the REDBLACKS went up by double digits.

The Lions finally got into a groove in the second half late in the third quarter. Ayden Eberhardt converted on third-and-seven to keep the chains moving and a few plays later, Mackie leapt into the end zone for his second touchdown of the game. Whyte’s extra point brought it back to a three-point game.

With the REDBLACKS again pressuring inside the red zone, Acklin was involved in a scary situation after landing awkwardly in the end zone with the Ottawa receiver eventually exiting the field in an ambulance. After the game restarted, the REDBLACKS finished their possession with a one-yard rushing touchdown by Dustin Crum.

Back-to-back fumbles by both offences left the Lions offence at their 45-yard line as they searched for a much-needed score. Following the three-minute warning, Whyte put up a 17-yard field goal to make it a one-possession game with 2:01 to go. The REDBLACKS would be able to grind out the clock to hang on to a 34-27 win.

The REDBLACKS and Lions will go at it once again in Week 13. The Lions will host the REDBLACKS at Victoria’s Royal Athletic Park for Touchdown Pacific as part of OK Tire Labour Day Weekend.