Rams’ Picton pivoting toward U Sports record
Noah Picton keeps playing leapfrog.
The University of Regina Rams’ star quarterback moved up two spots to second on U Sports’ alltime passing list Friday, while guiding his team to a 19-17 Canada West victory over the UBC Thunderbirds at Mosaic Stadium.
Picton completed 21 of 27 passes for 313 yards, increasing his all-time total to 10,931 heading into Friday’s game in Saskatoon against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.
“It’s pretty neat to sit and realize that you’re potentially on the brink of doing something that nobody has ever done before,” Picton said, “but my mind is truly only focused on Saskatoon right now.”
The Rams’ fifth-year pivot moved past two graduated passers — Dan Brannagan of Queen’s (10,714) and Michael Faulds of Western (10,811) — on Friday and is now 546 short of the all-time record, owned by former Sherbrooke star Jérémi Roch (11,477).
The priority for Picton, though, is to help his team win — as he did Friday night, when the Rams survived five lost fumbles, including two inside UBC’S five-yard line.
Despite the miscues, Regina was able to prevail thanks to a 10-yard field goal by Aldo Galvan on the final play of the game.
“It obviously was a little bit closer than we would have liked, but they say that good teams can win ugly,” Picton said. “The defence really stood on their heads and kept us in it and Aldo did what he needed to do at the end.
“I thought we moved the ball well on offence, but we need to score the football. Nineteen points won’t be good enough down the road, but I think we’re all happy with the win for now.”
Regina led 16-4 before UBC scored 13 consecutive points. Greg Hutchins’ convert after a 25-yard touchdown pass from Michael O’connor to Trivel Pinto put the Thunderbirds ahead 17-16 with 2:09 left.
Picton was sacked, resulting in another lost fumble, on the Rams’ next possession. However, UBC was unable to move the ball and forced to punt.
A 20-yard punt return by Ryan Schienbein gave Regina a first down on its 47-yard line with 38 seconds left before 2,094 spectators.
Picton moved the Rams 30 yards in four plays to put Galvan in position for his first of two attempts at a game-winning field goal.
He missed a 40-yard attempt, but UBC was called for two 15-yard penalties — one for contacting the centre and another for unnecessary roughness — giving Regina the ball on the three-yard line.
The subsequent chip-shot field goal improved the Rams’ record to 2-1. UBC fell to 1-2.
Regina got touchdowns from Kyle Borsa (33-yard run) and Bennett Stusek (23-yard pass from Seb Britton).