After opening the scoring with a field goal in the first quarter, the Stamps quicky lost — and never regained — the lead as they fell to the Roughriders 35-13 in the Western Final at McMahon Stadium on Sunday.

Calgary turned the ball over seven times and surrendered 534 yards of offence as the Stamps’ season came to a disappointing end.

“Our offence didn’t play well enough and our defence didn’t play well enough and our special teams didn’t play well enough,” said Stampeders head coach and general manager John Hufagel. “Obviously, we’re a little bit in shock with the way the game unfolded — having that many turnovers to ruin the game, to have that type of tackling by our team . . . it’s hard to explain.”

Calgary’s seven turnovers included four lost fumbles.

“It was a lack of attention to detail,” said Hufnagel. “Give Saskatchewan credit — they got the ball out — but we have to do a way better job of protecting the ball.”

On the game’s opening drive, Kevin Glenn threw an interception into the arms of DE Jermaine McElveen who returned it 15 yards across midfield before being brought down.

The Stampeders’ second possession didn’t fare much better, as a second down fumble on a reverse to WR Maurice Price led to a Rob Maver punt.

DB Brandon Smith was the first to register a sack on Darian Durant, and followed that impressive effort with a 51-yard punt return deep into Roughriders territory. The Stamps were then forced to settle for three points courtesy of a Rene Paredes field goal from 13 yards out. 

With 2:57 remaining in the first quarter, Saskatchewan capped off an eight-play drive with a three-yard touchdown pass to WR Rob Bagg.

The Calgary offence responded with a 47-yard pass to WR Joe West on first down followed by a short completion over the middle to Canadian wideout Jabari Arthur. Parades split the uprights on a 36-yard attempt to pull within one just before the opening 15 minutes expired.

On the next series, Durant located Chris Getzlaf at the goal line for a seven-yard major as Saskatchewan marched 75 yards downfield to extend their lead to eight.

Glenn then found WR Jeff Fuller down the sideline who made a leaping grab over the Rider defender but couldn’t survive contact, committing the second turnover of the game when DB Terrell Maze recovered the loose ball.

The Stampeders gave up a punt single after a Roughrider penalty on the previous play to give Saskatchewan a 15-6 advantage.

Calgary nearly cut into the deficit as Price appeared to be heading for the end zone after a catch-and-run of 57 yards before DB Tristan Jackson forced a fumble for the second consecutive series. The play proved to be costly as SB Weston Dressler caught the Riders’ third touchdown pass just two plays later.

Glenn was again picked off when Maze jumped in front of a pass intended for West. Saskatchewan would eventually fumble at the goal line on the final play before the half which was recovered by Jamar Wall. The second-year defensive back was knocked out of bounds after a 43-yard runback as the clock struck zeros.

Drew Tate was under centre to open the third quarter and he handed off to RB Jon Cornish on back-to-back plays for identical gains of seven yards. WR Brad Sinopoli caught a pass on a crossing pattern, but yet another fumble ended the threat.

After a Roughriders two-and-out, Tate executed a four-play, 63-yard drive which concluded with a much-needed touchdown pass to a wide open West.

Dressler then caught a 36-yard pass over his shoulder as he dove out of bounds. DB Eric Fraser couldn’t hold on to an interception in the end zone, but K Chris Milo had his subsequent field goal deflected by a leaping DB Fred Bennett.

A block from Tate sprung Cornish for a run of 32 yards after reversing fields behind the line of scrimmage. Maver would come in to punt the ball away after the offence failed to move the chains any further.

Milo split the uprights two more times — from 12 yards and 39 yards — to bring the score to 28-13.

Sheets added another touchdown on a one-yard run with just over a minute left in the game.

“Guys worked hard,” said Stampeders middle linebacker and defensive captain Juwan Simpson. “I can’t take anything away from my team. We worked hard, we prepared hard, but we fell short.”

The Roughriders advance to the 101st Grey Cup in Regina, where they will face off with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday, Nov. 24.