VANCOUVER – Rookie quarterback Nathan Rourke proved he is a very good CFL starter on Friday, main his BC Lions to a pivotal 43-10 win over the Edmonton Elks in Vancouver.
VANCOUVER – Rookie quarterback Nathan Rourke proved he is a very good CFL starter on Friday, main his BC Lions to a pivotal 43-10 win over the Edmonton Elks in Vancouver.
Victoria-born Rourke threw 359 yards and related with a move landing and two interceptions on 23 of 34 makes an attempt. He additionally ran in three TDs in his second CFL begin.
However the College of Ohio alum nonetheless sees room for enchancment.
“It was not at all an ideal achievement. There have been two interceptions and you may’t have that within the CFL, groups are too good. So you need to study from it, “stated Rourke.
“But it surely’s good to enter the low season realizing that I can play on this league, I’ve proven it. I may also help this crew to win. However there may be nonetheless quite a bit that I left on the sector. And that is thrilling as a result of there’s quite a bit to do within the low season and I am motivated to try this. “
Friday’s recreation was a season finale for BC (5-9) and Edmonton (3-11), with each groups lacking the playoffs and ending the season in fourth and fifth place within the West Division, respectively.
Nonetheless, it was a much-needed consequence for a Lions crew that misplaced 4-2 after seven video games after the marketing campaign began.
“I am glad that we performed with quite a lot of dedication and keenness and that we have been heading in the right direction,” stated head coach and co-managing director Rick Campbell. “The season did not go the way in which we needed it to, however I feel there are quite a lot of actually good characters and gamers who can win quite a lot of video games for the BC Lions and we are going to work laborious to enhance.”
The BC protection additionally confirmed a powerful efficiency on Friday with 5 interceptions, three passes and two sacks.
Halfback TJ Lee stated it was a “principally something” recreation.
“We name this a marketing campaign recreation you are selling subsequent 12 months,” he stated. “It is concerning the future, it is about longevity. You play for a lot of issues, you play in your final title. ”
Elk’s quarterback Taylor Cornelius was changed in the course of the second quarter after throwing simply 27 yards and three interceptions. Dakota Prukop had 183 passing yards and threw a landing relieved, however had picked up two passes from the BC Protection.
In a large first half, the Lions took a 34-0 lead earlier than Edmonton may muster a single level.
The offense was quieter within the second, either side restricted themselves to discipline targets.
Nick Vogel recorded 43 and 44 yard kicks for BC within the third quarter, then added a 24 yarder within the fourth quarter. Edmonton kicker Sean Whyte scored a 12-yard discipline purpose early within the third, marking his crew’s ultimate factors of the evening.
The Elks ultimately obtained seconds forward of the board within the first half after Prukop despatched an arcuate 45-yard bomb to Armanti Edwards throughout the sector, giving Edmonton a primary down on BC’s 13-yard line. Prukop topped the scoring drive with a three-yard throw at Jalen Toliver in the long run zone and Whyte made the convert.
“In a recreation like this, you need to come out actually quick to get some adrenaline, some juice that may actually assist you. And we did not,” stated Elks head coach Jamie Elizondo.
Edmonton celebrated a 13-7 win towards the Toronto Argonauts on Tuesday, enjoying their third recreation in lower than every week. Elizondo admitted that his group was run by smoke.
“There is not any doubt we struggled to get our legs underneath us. It confirmed up in missed tackles, it confirmed up in drops, it confirmed up in particular groups. So it confirmed up in quite a lot of totally different areas,” stated he.
“However I am proud that these guys tried to do one thing that has by no means been carried out in soccer. They got here out and tried to offer us their finest and on the finish of the day there was simply nothing left within the tank. ”
Fortunate Whitehead recorded BC’s fifth landing of the evening in the direction of the top of the second quarter.
Simply minutes earlier, Lions defender Anthony Cioffi had put his crew in purpose place when he performed a move from Cornelius and lined 25 yards.
Rourke adopted the interception with a 33-yard move to Dominique Rhymes and topped the drive with a two-yard run for his third TD of the evening.
It was the second time a Lions interception become a landing on Friday.
Early within the quarter, TJ Lee picked up a move and went for a 14-yard run. BC labored their approach down the sector earlier than Rourke sprinted 5 meters into the top zone to offer the house facet a 20-0 lead.
There have been some tense moments in the course of the second half when BC’s rookie returner Quadree Henderson went down with a severe leg damage. Gamers on each groups instantly knelt because the coaches stormed onto the sector and the previous Pittsburgh Steelers recipient gave a thumbs up when it was faraway from a stretcher.
By the top of the primary quarter, the Lions had already taken a 14-0 lead.
Whitehead appeared to leap over the purpose line in the course of the body to play a significant, however the recreation was reviewed and officers discovered he had been knocked out by contact. The ball was positioned on the Edmonton one-yard line as an alternative earlier than Rourke muscled it for a landing.
A trick recreation helped BC open the scoring. Vogel appeared prepared to try a 52-yard discipline purpose in the course of the primary quarter, however participant Stefan Flintof as an alternative kicked it throughout the sector to Jevon Cottoy and gave the Lions a primary down on the Edmonton 30-yard line.
Rourke ended the 10-game, 77-yard scoring drive with a 10-yard throw at a large open Bryan Burnham in the long run zone.
NOTES: Rourke obtained the beginning rather than veteran BC quarterback Michael Reilly, who’s on the injured listing in six video games with a persistent elbow drawback. … Vogel has made all of his eight discipline purpose makes an attempt since becoming a member of the Lions earlier this month.
This report from The Canadian Press was first revealed on November 19, 2021.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
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