SPORTS

Giants edge Blazers 3–1 in Kamloops preseason opener

Published

on

The Vancouver Giants spoiled the Kamloops Blazers’ return to the Sandman Centre on Wednesday night, Sept. 3, taking a 3–1 preseason win behind a stellar tandem performance in goal. Burke Hood started and stopped all 13 shots he faced before Oliver Bryks took over midway through the second, turning aside 23 of 24 to close out the victory. Vancouver’s offense came from Richard Wonyeneh, Torretto Marrelli and Leonardo Domenichelli, with Blake Chorney chipping in a pair of assists. 

Kamloops generated plenty of looks—37 shots in total—but couldn’t solve Bryks late as Vancouver protected a third-period lead. The night doubled as an early look at the Giants’ youth-leaning preseason roster, which included lines centered by Ty Halaburda replacement Riley Olson and featured Domenichelli on the top unit. Puck dropped at 7 p.m. in front of home fans eager for WHL action after the off-season lull. 

For the Blazers, it’s an exhibition setback with some silver linings: the shot volume and stretches of sustained zone time hinted at systems coming together as camp rolls on. For the Giants, banking an organized road effort—with goaltending front and center—sets an early tone for the rest of their four-game exhibition slate. The clubs won’t have to wait long for more tune-ups as Vancouver continues its preseason this week before shifting to the Lower Mainland. 

LOCAL

Why B.C. Lions Fans Are Celebrating After Four Straight Wins at BC Place

Nathan Rourke threw two touchdowns as the B.C. Lions defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 30-16 at BC Place for their fourth straight win.

Published

on

Lions Secure Fourth Consecutive Victory

A crowd of 30,083 spectators gathered at BC Place Stadium on Sunday to watch the B.C. Lions defeat the Saskatchewan Roughriders 30-16. The victory marks B.C.’s fourth consecutive win, bringing their record to 5-5 and placing them in a tie with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for third place in the CFL’s West Division.

Quarterback Nathan Rourke guided the Lions’ offense, connecting on 22 of 28 pass attempts for 355 yards, throwing two touchdowns and one interception. B.C. pulled away during the third quarter by posting two major scores, starting with a four-yard touchdown pass from Rourke to Keon Hatcher Sr. that followed a 33-yard sideline gain by Zander Horvath. Shortly after, Stanley Berryhill hauled in a pass between two defenders for a 58-yard advance, setting up a one-yard touchdown run by Horvath. The score was Horvath’s seventh touchdown across his last four appearances, including six on the ground.

Saskatchewan Stumbles Over Turnovers and Penalties

The defending Grey Cup champion Roughriders dropped their second game in a row to fall to 6-4, though they maintain second place in the division. Saskatchewan committed seven penalties totaling 72 yards while relinquishing multiple turnovers that snuffed out scoring opportunities. Quarterback Trevor Harris completed 28 of 42 passes for 356 yards, throwing one touchdown pass to Dhel Duncan-Busby in the fourth quarter alongside two interceptions.

Saskatchewan missed early opportunities when an underthrown pass in the end zone was intercepted by T.J. Lee, and a potential game-tying 49-yard play to Quali Conley was negated by an illegal block. Deontai Williams also forced a turnover by stripping the ball from Johnny Johnson III after a 36-yard reception. Additional third-quarter setbacks for the Roughriders included a touchdown on a fumbled punt recovery that was wiped out by a no-yards penalty, an interception negated by an offside call, and a later drive to the Lions’ 25-yard line that ended with another interception. Jaxon Ford later recorded an interception for Saskatchewan, setting up their lone touchdown drive.

Early Scoring Exchange

B.C. logged the game’s opening touchdown early in the second quarter. Following a 13-yard run by James Butler and a 24-yard reception by Jevon Cottoy, Rourke threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Cottoy to build a 13-6 advantage prior to their third-quarter surge.

Continue Reading

BC STORIES

BC Lions Extend Winning Streak to Three After Thrilling Fourth-Quarter Comeback Against Stampeders

The B.C. Lions won their third straight game, defeating the Calgary Stampeders 30-26 behind Nathan Rourke’s 301 passing yards and a late T.J. Lee interception.

Published

on

Late Interception Clinches B.C. Victory in Calgary

T.J. Lee intercepted a pass in the end zone with 31 seconds remaining to secure a 30-26 road victory for the B.C. Lions over the Calgary Stampeders on Thursday night at McMahon Stadium. The win marked the third consecutive victory for B.C., pushing their record to 4-5 and dropping Calgary (4-6) to the bottom of the West Division.

Quarterback Nathan Rourke guided the Lions back in the final minutes after two fourth-quarter turnovers had handed Calgary a late lead. Rourke completed touchdown passes to Keon Hatcher and added a rushing score of his own while passing for 301 yards. Running back Zander Horvath delivered a strong performance on the ground, rushing for 102 yards and a touchdown.

Late-Game Drama Follows Turnovers and Injuries

Calgary took a 26-23 lead with 4:02 remaining when Quincy Vaughn scored on a one-yard plunge following an Anthony Johnson interception. Shortly after, the Stampeders recovered a fumble on the kickoff return at the Lions 36-yard line, but kicker Jude McAtamney missed a 39-yard field goal attempt to keep B.C. within three points.

Taking advantage of the defensive stop, Rourke connected with Justin McInnis on a 59-yard play, setting up an 11-yard touchdown pass to Hatcher with 2:09 left on the clock. Kicker Sean Whyte added the extra point to make it 30-26. Calgary backup quarterback Josh Love, who replaced an injured Vernon Adams Jr. in the fourth quarter, drove the Stampeders inside the B.C. 10-yard line before Lee recorded the game-ending interception.

Slow Start Gives Way to Offensive Surge

The Stampeders initially led 9-0 after the opening quarter through three field goals by McAtamney, while B.C. managed just 19 total yards of first-quarter offence. The Lions responded early in the second quarter when Rourke hit Jermaine Jackson for an 85-yard pass, setting up a short touchdown run by Horvath. Erik Brooks caught a touchdown for Calgary, and Rourke found Hatcher for his first touchdown catch just before halftime, sending Calgary into the break with an 18-13 lead.

Rourke gave B.C. its first lead early in the third quarter with a 10-yard rushing score, capped by a 40-yard run from Horvath earlier in the drive. Whyte added a 45-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to put the Lions ahead 23-18 before Calgary’s late surge.

Individual Milestones and Upcoming Schedule

Defensively, Lee posted a team-high nine tackles alongside his game-sealing interception, while linebacker Darnell Sankey achieved his 500th career tackle during the game. Defensive lineman Mathieu Betts brought down Adams earlier in the match for his seventh sack of the season. On offence, Jackson led all receivers with 89 yards, with McInnis registering 86 yards and Hatcher collecting 83.

The Lions return home to face the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sunday, Aug. 23 at BC Place.

Continue Reading

SPORTS

Explosive Fourth Quarter Powers B.C. Lions to 35-19 Victory Over Winnipeg

The B.C. Lions used a 377-yard rushing attack and a 25-3 fourth-quarter surge to defeat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 35-19 on Thursday at Princess Auto Stadium.

Published

on

Lions Dominate on the Ground

The B.C. Lions defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 35-19 on Thursday, July 30, 2026, at Princess Auto Stadium, fueled by a dominant rushing attack that totaled 377 yards. Lions running back Zander Horvath led the ground game with 191 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Making his first CFL start, quarterback Kaidon Salter contributed significantly to the Lions’ performance, rushing for 160 yards on 10 carries and throwing his first CFL touchdown pass—a 24-yard connection to Jermaine Jackson.

Fourth-Quarter Surge Decides the Game

The game remained competitive for three quarters, with Winnipeg holding a 16-10 lead heading into the final frame. However, the Lions surged in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Blue Bombers 25-3. Winnipeg quarterback Dru Brown, who was filling in for the injured Zach Collaros, threw for 180 yards and a touchdown to Tim White before leaving the game with an apparent back injury. Kicker Sergio Castillo accounted for much of Winnipeg’s scoring with four field goals. The Lions’ win brings their record to 2-5, while the Blue Bombers fall to 4-4.

Continue Reading

Trending