Als’ defence comes up short in semifinal

MONTREAL • The Montreal Alouettes’ season came to an end Sunday, mostly because they were unable to make enough defensive stops.

It also didn’t help that Montreal quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. threw three interceptions, including two late in the game when the Als were trying for one more of their patented comebacks.

The Edmonton Eskimos outscored Montreal 37-29 in the East Division semifinal before a season- high 21,054 spectators. The Eskimos will travel to Hamilton next Sunday with a berth in the Grey Cup on the line.

Eskimos quarterback Trevor Harris put on a clinic during the opening 30 minutes, connecting on 22 consecutive passes before finally throwing an incompletion.

The visitors were forced to punt only once in the opening half.

The Eskimos scored on their opening offensive possession and never looked back, Harris directing them on a seven- play, 88- yard drive that included a 38-yard pass to Ricky Collins.

Montreal thought it had created a turnover when Patrick Levels recovered a Greg Ellingson fumble. But it was ruled Ellingson was down by contact. And Levels was penalized on the play for grabbing a face mask.

C. J. Gable eventually scored on a two- yard run four minutes into the game.

Following an Edmonton punt single, Adams Jr. directed his team on an eight- play, 75- yard scoring drive that included a pair of passes to Dante Absher and another to Jake Wieneke.

On the opening play of the second quarter, William Stanback ran up the middle for a four-yard touchdown.

But the Eskimos scored again, Harris this time directing them on an 11- play, 80-yard drive.

But Mario Alford took the ensuing kickoff, ran up the middle before cutting to the right side and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown, pulling the Als to within two points, 15-13.

The Eskimos went 83 yards in 11 plays on their next series, capped by a four-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Mccarty at 12: 25, increasing their lead to 22-13.

The Als rebounded, thanks to a 51-yard pass play to Quan Bray. That set up a two- yard touchdown run by Stanback at 13:56.

Sean Whyte kicked a 43- yard field goal on the final play of the half for a 2519 advantage. He kicked two more field goals in the third quarter, covering 25 and 35 yards, before Bede completed the period with a 30-yard kick, giving the visitors a 3122 lead into the final quarter.

Whyte increased the lead to 34-22 with a 17- yard field goal early in the period, but then Adams scored on a 10- yard run at 6: 39, pulling Montreal to within five points. That’s as close as they came.