Bombers’ Medlock hopes to put boot to Stamps
CALGARY — Justin Medlock is glad he’s not watching the CFL playoffs from his couch.
The Blue Bombers kicker had contemplated retiring after last season, but he instead signed a one-year contract with Winnipeg after a chat with head coach Mike O’Shea reinforced his desire to continue playing.
Now the eight-year veteran will try to give the Bombers points and great field position in today’s West Division final in Calgary.
“It’s good. I put the hard work in in the off-season,” Medlock said last week. “Once I decided to come back, I was 100 per cent committed.
“It looks like I’ve had a really solid season. That was kind of my whole goal. I’ll try to keep it up the rest of the way.”
Winnipeg defeated Saskatchewan 23-18 in last weekend’s semifinal, the club’s first playoff victory since the East Division final in 2011. That was also the last year the Bombers made it to the Grey Cup, losing to B.C.
Winnipeg hasn’t won the championship since 1990.
“It was good to get a win for the team and city. Now we’re on to the next one,” said Medlock, who made three field goals against the Roughriders and missed a 54-yard attempt.
“Obviously, we’ve got to beat the big dogs, and Calgary’s the big dogs.”
Medlock shed about 15 pounds before his third season with the Bombers by having a more-structured workout routine and better eating habits.
The 35-year-old connected on 42 of 47 field-goal attempts (89.4 per cent), the longest from 50 yards out. It tied his careerhigh percentage from 2015 when he was with Hamilton.
Last year, he was good on 80 per cent of his field-goal tries (56 of 70).
Medlock was the league’s only regular kicker to make every one of his 52 converts. He also worked on improving his punting and finished with a career-best average of 44.5 yards while his net went up about a yard to 36.7 yards. Many of his punts pinned the opposition deep in their own territory.
The way Calgary and Winnipeg rolled into the playoffs has set the stage for a close match.
The Stampeders, who lost the past two Grey Cup games, led the league with a 13-5 regular-season record, but lost three straight before winning their season finale against B.C. that clinched first place.
Winnipeg won five in a row and then lost to Edmonton to finish with a 10-8 record.
Calgary beat the Bombers 39-26 in late August, but Winnipeg secured its third straight playoff berth with a 29-21 victory over the Stampeders at home on Oct. 26.