If you like big plays, you would have loved Monday’s Labour Day game.
There were plenty of electric moments in the annual Battle of Alberta matchup between the Calgary Stampeders and the Edmonton Eskimos.
A McMahon Stadium crowd of 31,440 saw the Stampeders win 45-24.
Calgary’s 21-point win matched their lead early in the second quarter, accented by a Roy Finch 85-yard punt return as time ran out in the first. That was just over a minute after Anthony Parker caught a 17-yard pass from Bo Levi Mitchell.
“It wasn’t a fast start, it wasn’t a good start,” said Eskimos head coach Jason Maas. “We didn’t play well enough as a team to win and they did. We have to learn from our mistakes and repay the favour Saturday.”
Edmonton responded with a couple of big plays of their own as quarterback Mike Reilly made his first target to Derel Walker a good one for a 36-yard TD pass.
Reilly added a late-game scamper from 19 yards out.
“What’s on my mind right now is how we cannot duplicate this performance,” said Reilly. “Obviously, we’re capable to playing better than we did today. It’s one thing to talk about it, it’s another to go out and do it. They’re a good football team. They’re in first place for a reason. I didn’t feel like we were anywhere near our best performance.”
With 29 seconds left in the half, Eskimos line backer Kenny Ladler earned his first career pick six, returning the ball 65 yard and helping his team close to within 24-17 at the half in a 17 points in just under three minute explosion.
“The defence made the play and turned the momentum around,” said Maas. “The defence stood on their heads for a few series. We got behind the eight-ball in the fourth quarter and couldn’t come back. When you play against a great team at home and don’t make the plays, you’re going to lose. We weren’t good enough.”
The Eskimos defence held Calgary to three early field goals, keeping the game from getting out of hand.
“We showed what we were made of a lot of times in that red zone,” said linebacker J.C. Sherritt. “At the same time, we’ve got to make more plays … They’re the top team in the league for a reason. When you make mistakes, they capitalize. When you don’t take advantage of an opportunity, they capitalize.”
With the only two games of the season between these teams happening this week, it’s a chance to even things up that Sherritt is looking for.
“We definitely look forward to them coming to our place,” said Sherritt. “We enjoy these games. If you love football, you love these games. We’re looking forward to the matchup.”
Calgary scored a late third-quarter touchdown on a 21-yard catch from Bakari Grant.
Jerome Messam bulled in from nine and 47 yards in the fourth.
Edmonton hosts Calgary at The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium Saturday in the second half of the Labour Day series, presented by Nissan. Tickets start at $30.
