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Heartbreaker...Lions 44 - Alouettes 46

By 250 News

-by John Goodwin


You say tomato...I say cause of death...

This one would be a test of character.
After going down in flames last Monday to a team who have as of Friday been eliminated from the post season, the Lions looked now to shake the Gorilla from their backs with this visit to the Eastern conference first place (tied with Toronto) Montreal Alouettes.
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Meanwhile the Als’ were riding the wave having “won” three in a row and had not lost since Sept. 17 in Vancouver to these same Lions.

During this period the Leos had averaged just 20 points a game by their offense, while giving up 36.

This one took on added significance with the Eskimo 19-18 win Friday against the Regina Roughriders.

Going into this game BC was just 2 points ahead of Edmonton with four games left to play while the Esks have a bye next week, then finish the season with games against BC in week 19, and Calgary in week 20.

Number two QB Casey Printers would start this one, backed up by fourth stringer Jarious Jackson.

This would be the debut of Mark McLaughlin the CFL’s second leading all time scorer who was coaxed by the silver tongued Lions leadership to come out of retirement.

Casey Printers would return to last years form this game but first both he and his team would start slowly looking fragile and bewildered while finding themselves down 17-0 by 9:06 of the second quarter as Montreal moved freely, going about their business. “As bad becomes worse....performance anxiety takes over every waking thought ‘til the hill becomes a mountain.”


Montreal kicker David Doval starts the early barrage at 6:30 of the opening frame with a three pointer from the 33 yard line on a gift from the BC Lions. The Leos had just gained possession of the ball but were called for too many men on the field.

At this point in the game Printer’s passing was off and when he did hit a receiver on key plays they’d mishandle the ball..

BC ended the first quarter with just 66 yards offense vs. 118 for Montreal. Printers was 2 for 9 for just 33 yards.

Early in the second quarter Terry Vaughn gathered in a pass from Anthony Calvillo for the major, getting in behind DB Ryan Phillips.
The pressure from the Lions on the Montreal QB was all but non existant to this point and he had too much time to pick apart the BC “D”....10-0 Alouettes.

Just four minutes later Robert Edwards took a handoff running it in two yards for a 17-0 Montreal lead....it was clearly gut check time for the Lions who looked as though they couldn’t get anything right as almost every aspect of their game was coming unraveled.

At 7:52 of the quarter just when it seemed BC had played all of their jokers Casey Printers was intercepted at the Montreal 50.

It was at this point in the game (heck, the past three games) that the fortunes of the Lions changed in their favor with an interception by much maligned Tony Tiller who ran it back to the Alouette 50 yard line. The play couldn’t have been better scripted as it not only gave the Lions hope, but events that quickly followed literally ignited and appeared to galvanize this team on both sides of the ball.

Just 45 seconds Later Antonio Warren took a hand off 35 yards for the first BC score of the game....17-7 Als.

On the next Alouette series a punt went 65 yards into the BC end zone resulting in a single. BC would quickly answer as Printers hit Ryan Thelwell for a 65 yard pass and run play for the major. This would be the first TD pass from the arm Casey printers this season.....18-14 Montreal and the Lions resurgence had begun...

At 2:29 Calvillo was intercepted by Tyrone Sanders and the ensuing drive ended with a three yd. TD plunge by Casey Printers, a 21-18 BC lead and the Lions had scored three TD’s in just 3 min. 41 sec. to end the half.

With the start of the second half and two TD’s, one by Stala and another by Anderson by the nine minute mark, a sullen cloud began again to fall on the Leos and what hope and momentum they had built up to that point....ahh but this one wasn’t over yet.

Late in the quarter Casey P. continued to return to his old ways with a keeper going 12 yards for the score...32-28 Montreal.

The Als would up the stakes again as RB Robert Edwards would take the ball from the BC 14 yard line for six and just four minutes later Duval would miss a fourty seven yarder that would go for a single....40-28 Alouettes.

The Lions came storming back taking the ball 75 yards and capped off the drive with an 18 yard major for Geroy Simon, bringing the Leos within five. The drive was largely thanks to great concentration by Jason Clairmont in catching ball after ball in heavy coverage and running up the YACS (yards after catch) in-spite of Alouette tacklers hanging off of him..

To this point in the game the Lions had kept their emotions under control and their focus was in evidence as they had limited their penalties to a more respectable 6 for 70 yards.

With just 44.6 seconds left in the game, Antonio Warren ran the ball in for the TD from the Montreal two yard line and it was beginning to look as though the futility of losing just might be about to end. The Leos capped it off with a two point conversion...43-40 Lions. To put a little
icing on the cake, on the ensuing kickoff Brent Anderson would record a single as it ended up grounded in the Montreal end-zone. This would now force the Als to score a TD if they hoped to win this one.

HEARTBREAK!!!... as Antony Calvillo masterfully marched his Als 71 yds. on 7 plays, and with no time left on the clock he hit Dave Stella for the winner catching the ball deep in the BC end zone over Sam Young’s head.

Four straight losses but the grit, heart and strength needed by this team to return to it’s potential now has a face, as the team led by BC quarter-backing looked the best that it has all season without Dave Dickenson in the line up.






Notes:

Als go to 9 and 6 and sole possession of first place in the East while the Lions continued their fall from grace, now 11 and 4.

Can’t imagine the penultimate game of the season by the Leos against the Eskimos will in anyway mirror the irresponsible slap and tickle, shuck and jive performance at Commonwealth Stadium that started this four game slide.

That contest closely resembled a love in and an opportunity for old friends to meet and exchange frivolous chatter.










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