FOOTBALL IS BACK
Leos stamped out in warm-up
Jacobi Green and Reggie Begelton each made an impression in their bids to become Calgary Stampeders.
Both scored touchdowns for Calgary in a 23-18 pre-season win over the visiting B.C. Lions on Tuesday.
Toronto native Derek Wiggan also contributed a defensive touchdown for the Stampeders in front of an announced 25,139 at McMahon Stadium.
Josh Harris and R.J. Harris both scored fourth-quarter majors and Ty Long kicked a field goal for the Lions.
Begelton had a big second half with five catches for 88 yards, including a 41-yard reception.
The 23-year-old out of Lamar University needed help off the field in the fourth quarter, however, after he was tackled hard by B.C.’s Adrian James. Green, a 24-yearold Richmond product, totalled 54 yards in six carries.
Calgary coach Dave Dickenson rested quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell because of the fierce competition for the open backup job between Canadian Andrew Buckley, Mitchell Gale and former NFL prospect Ricky Stanzi.
Dickenson wanted to give the three men ample time to compete for it Monday.
Buckley completed 6-of-8 passes for 59 yards in just over a quarter of work to start the game. The former University of Calgary star also rushed for 20 yards and was sacked three times before he was relieved by Gale. The 27-year-old, who has spent time in the Saskatchewan, Hamilton and Toronto organizations, was 5-for-9 in passing for 87 yards and a touchdown pass. Stanzi went 8-for-12 for 87 yards in the fourth quarter.
All four B.C. quarterbacks saw action, including No. 1 Jonathon Jennings who completed three of eight passes for 28 yards in just under a quarter of work.
Keith Price was 9-for-12 in passing for 49 yards, plus another eight yards on two carries. Price was intercepted once and twice stripped
of the ball. Veteran Travis Lulay played most of the third quarter completing four of five passes for 31 yards.
Alex Ross was 7-for-14 for 134 yards and a touchdown pass. He was picked off throwing into the end zone in the fourth quarter.
Precision punting by Calgary’s Rob Maver in the first half had B.C.’s offence starting within seven yards of their goal-line four times. Maver missed a pair of field-goal attempts, however.
Ross connected with R.J. Harris on a 40-yard touchdown with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to pull the Lions within a touchdown. Ross’ attempted two-point convert pass was knocked down. Harris ran the ball in from 38 yards for a B.C. touchdown at 6:40 of the fourth.
Begelton caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Gale 10 seconds into the third for a 21-3 lead.
Lions kicker Long was good on a 46-yard field attempt with a second left in the first half, but went wide on a 43-yard try to end the third quarter.
Calgary’s Jameer Thurman stripped Price of the ball, which rolled into the end zone for Wiggan to fall on for a major late in the second quarter. Green found an extra gear on a 35-yard sprint to the end zone on a Gale hand off midway through the quarter.
B.C.’s 2016 season ended at McMahon with a 42-15 loss in the West Division final. The Stamps were upset 39-33 by the Ottawa Redblacks in overtime in the Grey Cup.
Calgary’s season-opener is June 23 against the host Redblacks in a Grey Cup rematch. The Lions are home to the Eskimos the following day for their respective seasonopeners.