Cornish returns from injury to key Stamps’ win over Esks
Once we moved past motorcycle-gate and quarterback intrigue, it came down to which defence would be the stingiest and which offence would benefit from its big-play guy.
Check and check, Calgary Stampeders.
Jon Cornish ran for 163 yards and one touchdown as the Stamps wore down the visiting Edmonton Eskimos in a 28-13 Labour Day Classic victory before a sellout crowd of 35,400 at McMahon Stadium.
The win gives the Stamps an 8-1 record, best in the CFL at the midway point of the season, as well as the season series against the Eskimos. The two teams square off again Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium.
Cornish’s major came on a threeyard run at 9:25 of the fourth quarter, which in effect sealed the triumph.
“Last week was the first time I put on shoulder pads in eight weeks,’’ said Cornish. “There was a lot of relearning and getting my legs back. It’s nice to score. When your number’s called, it’s nice.”
“It’s nice to have him back, isn’t it?” grinned Calgary quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell.
“He was getting his legs back last week, but you saw it hit full force tonight. That guy is a very patient football player and when he sees that hole, he hits it.”
Edmonton pivot Matt Nich-- Anthony Allen’s 15-yard touchdown run with 28 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter was the difference as the Saskatchewan Roughriders defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 35-30 on Sunday.
The win was the Riders’ sixth straight as they improved to 7-2 and a second-place tie with Edmonton in the CFL’s West Division. The Blue Bombers dropped to 6-4.
The touchdown was Allen’s second of the game. He also scored on a three-yard run in the third quarter. Will Ford and Taj Smith also scored touchdowns for the Riders, who overcame a six-point, fourth-quarter deficit.
Winnipeg’s Troy Stoudermire’s 64yard punt return for the touchdown late in the third quarter tied the game at 21. Lirim Hajrullahu kicked three fourth-quarter field goals as the Blue Bombers built a 27-21 advantage before Smith hauled in a 59-yard bomb from Darian Durant to put the Riders back in the lead at 28-27. ols got the start in place of Mike Reilly, whose right thumb isn’t totally healed, and his job was made extremely difficult by a dogged Calgary defence, one that sacked him three times and kept the big plays to a minimum. That’s the same defence that had its picture taken with Edmonton coach Chris Jones’s motorcycle after the win in Edmonton in July.
“People don’t even know how good our defence is,” mused Cornish. “When you’re able to stop teams on the goal-line, in the green zone, it’s huge. It demoralizes the other team. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: I do not want to play against our defence.”
Coming out wearing the ‘Outlaw’ signature look uniforms and with a definite bounce in their steps, it didn’t take the Stamps long to make the first thrust. Their initial drive, marshalled neatly by Mitchell, culminated in a QB sneak by Drew Tate into the end zone. But the Eskimos proved opportunistic when, trailing 8-0, Willie Jefferson blocked a Rob Maver punt and it was recovered by Otha Foster, who made his way 57 yards for what would be their lone touchdown.
The Stamps made it an eightpoint game once again when Mitchell found Anthony Parker from 27 yards out, the latter making a leaping grab for his third touchdown of the season.
“I thought we played good football,” commented Stamps head coach/GM John Hufnagel.
“We had to against a team like that. We had our share of adversity with our offensive line, but guys stepped up and we were able to move the ball in the fourth quarter.”
Right-tackle Dan Federkeil suffered an upper body injury in the second quarter, which meant rookie Pierre Lavertu had his share of playing time on the O-line and it did not miss a beat.