After getting shut out in their 2011 Canadian Football League pre-season debut, the Calgary Stampeders scored early and often in Friday’s tune-up finale at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium.
The Stamps chalked up 21 first-quarter points en route to a 37-22 victory over the Eskimos as Calgary squared its pre-season record at 1-1. Edmonton drops to 0-2.
“The offence came out and I think they had something to prove,” said Stampeders head coach and general manager John Hufnagel. “They did a good job, especially early in the football game.”
The Stamps wasted little time getting on the board as they scored a touchdown on their first drive thanks to a 63-yard hook-up between Henry Burris and Romby Bryant.
The Eskimos actually thought they had scored first on a Will Harris fumble recovery and touchdown return but replays showed that Calgary ball-carrier Joffrey Reynolds’ knee was clearly down before the ball was stripped away. Two plays later, Bryant was in the end-zone.
After the Stampeders forced the Eskimos offence into a two-and-out, Calgary went on a long touchdown march that was capped by Reynolds’ two-yard run.
Then, after the Eskimos turned the ball over on downs after a bad snap on a punt play, the Stamps immediately capitalized thanks to a 28-yard scoring pass from Burris to Ken-Yon Rambo.
After Andrew Fabian’s 21-yard field goal made it 24-0 for the Stamps, the Eskimos hit the scoreboard thanks to a 29-yard touchdown pass from Ricky Ray to Jason Barnes.
Fabian booted another field goal — this one a 45-yarder — to make it 27-7 for the visitors and then the Esks picked up another passing major, this one a three-yarder from Ray to Fred Stamps.
In one half and one series of work, Burris completed 15 of 21 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Backup Drew Tate completed eight of 11 throws for 85 yards before getting shaken up on a sack and leaving the contest.
After the starters gave way to the younger players and roster hopefuls in the second half, the Stamps added a touchdown in the third quarter thanks to a blazing 46-yard run by rookie LaMarcus Coker.
Edmonton’s Kerry Joseph hit Ray Fisher for a 62-yard catch-and-run score in the fourth quarter. Fabian closed out the scoring with his third field goal of the evening, a 24-yarder.
Fabian, a Calgary Colts product who was temporarily filling in for 2010 CFL scoring champion Rob Maver, was three-for-three in field and added four extra points for 13-point night.
“Andrew did a nice job,” said Hufnagel. “He was out working on the farm last week and he was kicking for the Calgary Stampeders tonight. He took advantage of the situation. It was a great experience for him.”
The Stamps will open the regular-season schedule on Canada Day — Friday, July 1 — when they entertain the Toronto Argonauts at McMahon Stadium. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
INDIVIDUAL STATS
PASSING
Cgy: Burris 15-21-197-2-0, Tate 8-11-85-0-0; Edm: Ray 11-19-160-2-1, Joseph 7-15-121-1-0
RUSHING
Cgy: Coker 4-58-1, Cornish 5-27, Reynolds 6-19-1, Tate 5-16, Talley 1-14, Burris 1-2, Walter 2-1, Mitchell 1-(-4); Edm: Porter 1-10, McCarty 3-10, Messam 3-8, Ray 2-7, Joseph 1-0
RECEIVING
Cgy: Bryant 1-63-1, Rambo 3-46-1, Talley 2-28, Lewis 3-24, Allen 3-22, Murphy 2-17, Forzani 2-15, Reynolds 2-15, Parker 1-15, Mitchell 1-14, McNeal 1-10, Cote 1-8, Coker 1-5; Edm: Fisher 2-107-1, Bowman 3-49, Henry 2-42, Stamps 4-29-1, Barnes 1-29-1, Nowacki 2-20, James 2-11, Beavers 1-0, Messam 1-(-6)
NOTABLES
Cgy: Fabian 3-3 FG 4-4 XP 13 PTS, Hughes 2 TKL 1 STT 1 INT, Jackson 2 TKL 1 SK, McCune 3 TKL 1 STT, Tisdale 3 TKL, Raymond 2 TKL 2 KD, Long 1 TKL 1 SK; Edm: Munoz 5 TKL, Bonner 4 TKL 1 KD, Sharun 3 TKL 2 STT, Cornell 4 TKL 1 STT 1 SK 1 KD