CALGARY — The Edmonton Elks have put themselves in the battle for a post-season spot with a 35-20 win over the Calgary Stampeders on OK Tire Labour Day Weekend.
Calgary scored on a late punt return touchdown by Peyton Logan to make it a one-score game in the fourth quarter, but receiver Tevin Jones caught a 73-yard touchdown on the very next play to all but secure the win for the Double E.
Pivot McLeod Bethel-Thompson threw a trio of scores to Eugene Lewis and Jones – who went for over 200 receiving yards and two majors – and the defence tallied four interceptions, two by Devodric Bynum and Loucheiz Purifoy each. Backup quarterback Dakota Prukop added a one-yard major as the Elks moved to 4-8.
It was Edmonton’s fourth win in their last five games as the team continues to make a push in the West Division.
Stampeders’ quarterback Jake Maier threw a touchdown pass to running back Kylin Hill, but struggled with turnovers as Calgary lost only their second home game of the season to drop to 4-7.
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The game started with a single for the Elks on a booming punt by Jake Julien for an early 1-0 lead.
Bynum picked off a heave from Jake Maier down the left sideline to regain possession for Edmonton halfway through the second quarter. It led to a second rouge by Julien to make it 2-0 in favour of the Elks.
Receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr. caught a 34-yarder to get the Elks across midfield and kicker Dean Faithfull converted from 41 yards to push the lead to 5-0 early in the second quarter.
Rene Paredes cut into Edmonton’s lead with a 57-yard field goal with 8:44 left in the first half.
Faithfull missed a field goal through the back of the end zone for the Elks on the following drive, pushing the lead to 6-3 with a little over five minutes to go in the second.
Edmonton mounted a late first-half drive to extend their lead before halftime. Bethel-Thompson connected with Jones for 32 yards before finding Gittens Jr. for a couple more first downs. The pivot then threw a back-shoulder ball to Lewis near the right pylon for the first major of the game and a 13-3 lead.
Maier and the Stamps offence got the ball back with a little over a minute to go and went to work. The pivot found Begelton deep for a 38-yard gain before Hill converted a crucial second-and-six with a short catch that left only seven seconds on the clock. Maier threw an incompletion on first down, forcing Calgary to send in Paredes to make it a one-possession game going into the half.
The Elks found a way to stretch the lead halfway through the third quarter with a 14-play, 91-yard drive. Running backs Javon Leake and Kevin Brown moved the chains to get the offence going and Bethel-Thompson completed a couple of passes to Gittens Jr. and Jones to move the ball all the way to the red zone. The pivot then connected with No. 84 in the end zone for his second touchdown pass of the afternoon.
Calgary responded by marching down the field for a score. Begelton caught a short pass to move the chains and Jalen Philpot broke out through the right side for a 44-yard gain as the Stampeders knocked on the visitors door. Maier then threw a sidearm pass to Hill for the 11-yard score. The scoreboard showed 20-13 with under 20 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Stamps were back at it after forcing a quick punt by Edmonton’s offence, with Maier guiding a fast-paced passing attack across midfield. The pivot then went deep down the left sideline, but Purifoy got there before receiver Ishmael Hyman to net the interception.
Edmonton turned the turnover into seven points. Bethel-Thompson connected short with Lewis, but the veteran receiver fumbled the ball deep into Edmonton territory. What could have been a disaster for the visitors became a big play when Jones scooped it up and ran it all the way to the one-yard line of the Stamps, making it first and goal. Prukop then finished it off with a one-yard score to push the lead to 27-13 with 10:02 to go in the fourth.
Bynum came down with his second pick of the game on a tipped pass meant for Hyman to halt a promising Stampeder drive with under seven minutes left in the game.
When all seemed lost for Calgary, Logan took a punt back 104 yards to the house to make it a one-score game once more with 3:34 left on the clock.
The momentum lasted only one play though, as Bethel-Thompson’s first pass found a streaking Jones for a 73-yard touchdown to make it 34-20 with the point after.
Purifoy caught his second pick in the game on the next possession to all but seal the win and tie the Labour Day Classic series 31-31-1 between the two teams. There was still time for Julien to add his third and final single of the game.
Elks and Stamps meet again in Week 14, this time at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.
