By Geoff Crane
Stampeders.com

Conditions were less than favourable for big offensive statistics Saturday in Calgary as the Stampeders squared off against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Yet despite the sleet that eventually gave way to heavy snowfall, Calgary’s two running backs thrived, carving up the Winnipeg defence for 214 combined rushing yards in a losing effort.

Jon Cornish, the reigning CFL Most Outstanding Player and current leading rusher, needed a mere 23 yards to become the first player this season to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards. He broke the mark with his third carry of the day and continued to run wild, gaining 105 yards partway through the second quarter.

Cornish had to leave the game on his final carry due to injury, handing the reins to former University of Calgary Dino Matt Walter.

“I feel great,” says Cornish who appeared to hit his head hard off the turf while being tackled. “I go in, get checked out with no real issues but, as a precautionary measure, they took me out.”

Cornish insists this situation is different than the injury he suffered in the home-opener, a concussion that kept him sidelined for six games.

Head coach and general manager John Hufnagel echoed Cornish’s confidence.

“I don’t believe it’s very serious,” he told the media following the game. “He was on the sideline 10 minutes after he went in. He will go through the concussion protocol but I don’t think it will take very long.”

In Cornish’s absence, Walter entered the field looking every bit as dangerous as his rushing counterpart.

Through 11 carries, Walter amassed 109 yards including a gigantic 38-yarder that got a frozen Calgary crowd on its feet. While Walter was glad to get an opportunity to get some touches and work on his skills in preparation for the playoffs, the result stung much more.

“It’s helpful to me as a player,” says Walter of his relief work. “But if we don’t get the win out of it, it’s irrelevant. I don’t feel very good about it at all.”

The weather certainly was a factor in Calgary’s performance as the team uncharacteristically gave up five fumbles.

In a subdued locker room, a very vocal Cornish implored his teammates to remember how the loss feels so that the team’s mistakes are not repeated.

“This is a loss that might be one of the greater disappointments that we’ve had,” says Cornish.

“We have such a great team in this locker room and to see us not perform at the level we need to – the level we know we can – it’s just a disappointment.”

Sentiments echoed by Walter, who knows he and his teammates are capable of much more.

“Next time in the West final, we’re probably going to have pretty poor weather,” says Walter. “We need to remember how this feels and not let that ever affect us like that again.”