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July 24, 2014

Stamps remain undefeated

CP Images/Jason Franson

Max Campbell
Stampeders.com

The Calgary Stampeders moved to 4-0 on the season with a 26-22 win in Edmonton against their provincial rivals due in large part to a stellar performance on special teams and 20 points scored off of Eskimo turnovers.

“We didn’t score touchdowns all the time but we scored points,” says head coach and general manager John Hufnagel. “This was the type of game where you have to do things to try to help the team win football games by making head coaching decisions. I went for third-and-one and I got stopped, so you just have to take those chances and hopefully they will execute.”

After Eskimo returner Jamal Miles muffed a Rob Maver punt following the game’s first series, Calgary fullback and special teams standout Rob Cote recovered the loose ball deep in Edmonton territory. The Stamps offence would sputter though, as Rene Paredes knocked through a 38-yard field goal to open the scoring. 

The first big play of the contest came courtesy of a Kendial Lawrence catch over the middle which the Eskimo rookie running back turned upfield for a gain of 38 yards, but that was the only first down the Green and Gold could muster on their opening drive. Kicker Grant Shaw then came on and was successful from 31 yards out to draw even with the visitors less than five minutes into the contest.

Backup RB Matt Walter, starting for the concussed Jon Cornish, exited the game in the first quarter which left Jock Sanders as the only running back available for the Stamps. 

Calgary recaptured the lead with a blocked punt, recovery and touchdown by National linebacker Keenan MacDougall. It was the second career touchdown for the former Saskatchewan Huskie who was a third-round draft pick of the Red and White in 2012.

Lawrence moved the chains yet again prior the conclusion of the opening 15 minutes, gaining 20 yards off a misdirection handoff in the backfield before being brought down by Jamar Wall in the secondary. 

The Stampeder defence made a costly mistake four plays later when first-year DB Brandon McDonald was flagged for pass interference in the end zone while attempting to deny WR Shamawd Chambers of a touchdown reception. The infraction resulted in the ball being placed at the one-yard line and second-string QB Pat White punched it in from there to tie up the score yet again. 

Stamps DB Fred Bennett then jumped in front of a Mike Reilly pass and returned it into Edmonton territory which led to Paredes’ second field goal of the night. The three points gave Calgary a 13-10 advantage.

With the opening half winding down, SB Adarius Bowman made a leaping catch up to the Stamps’ 47-yard line. Shaw concluded the drive by adding three more points to the scoreboard, this time from a distance of 40 yards.

Edmonton gambled with under 30 seconds remaining until the break when Shaw, in punt formation from behind his own goal line, flipped the ball back to DB Aaron Grymes on a reverse. The University of Idaho alum came up one yard short of a first down and the Stampeders capitalized on the opportunity. Bo Levi Mitchell floated a pass to WR Jeff Fuller in the back of the end zone to take a 20-13 lead after two quarters of play.

After the teams combined for a pair of two-and-outs to begin the third quarter, defensive ends Charleston Hughes and Shawn Lemon combined to bring down Reilly behind the line of scrimmage for the first sack in the 2014 edition of the Battle of Alberta.

On Calgary’s next possession, QB Drew Tate failed to move the chains on a third down sneak. The Eskimos responded immediately with a 32-yard major when Reilly located a streaking Chambers down the sideline. His first touchdown of the year was a result of blown coverage on behalf of the Stamps’ defensive backs and knotted up the game at 20 apiece. 

A subsequent 10-play, 42-yard drive was polished off by yet another Paredes field goal, this time from the 29-yard line, to go ahead by three points with 1:16 left in the third frame.

When the Stampeder offence took the field again, three first downs via penalties to the Edmonton defence and a sky-high snag from Fuller set up a fourth made field goal in four attempts for Paredes. Maver conceded a safety in the final minute, which narrowed the point differential to four.

A late fury from the Esks fell short with a turnover on downs and the victory moved the Stamps into sole possession of first place in the West Division. The only unbeaten team remaining across the entire CFL, Calgary has now won eight straight games at Commonwealth Stadium. 

“It was a great team effort,” said Hufnagel. “Our defence was very strong, our special teams coverage was very good, we just did barely enough offensively and we won the turnover battle. We won a tough football game and we’re playing another good football team next week so there’s no room for rest.”

The Stampeders host the BC Lions on Friday, Aug. 1 at 8 p.m. for Purolator Tackle Hunger night.