BC Lions dominate Alouettes to earn second straight win

| American Football | 08/17/2025

The BC Lions moved back to .500 with a convincing 36-18 win over the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday at Save-on-Foods Field at BC Place.

The Lions put together a complete performance on both sides of the ball, headlined by quarterback Nathan Rourke throwing for over 300 yards for the sixth time in 2025 to go alongside four majors.

Receiver Keon Hatcher Sr. had his best game of the season, catching all 11 passes thrown in his direction for 156 yards and two touchdowns. Fellow pass-catchers Justin McInnis and Stanley Berryhill III added majors of their own in yet another explosive performance for the Lions offence.

On defence the Lions were able to keep the Alouettes away from the end zone for most of the game, forcing Montreal to settle for four field goals by kicker José Maltos Díaz before a late touchdown by receiver Tyler Snead.

The Alouettes had to deal with yet another injury at quarterback, this time to Caleb Evans who was replaced by James Morgan in the second quarter. Morgan finished 20 of 33 for 211 yards and a touchdown but was unable to prevent the Als from dropping their third straight game.

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The hosts started the game by driving down the field for a quick score. Rourke connected with McInnis and Hatcher Sr. to move into Sean Whyte‘s range for an early 3-0 lead.

An acrobatic interception by Alouettes’ linebacker Tyrice Beverette stopped yet another promising drive for the Lions halfway through the first quarter.

Rourke and Hatcher Sr. put together yet another long drive later in the quarter that ended on Whyte’s second field goal of the game.

Amidst a promising second quarter Alouettes drive that ended on a kick by Maltos Díaz, Evans suffered an injury on a sack by BC’s Sione Teuhema and had to be replaced by Morgan.

Whyte made it 9-3 from 46 yards out with 9:20 left in the half.

Morgan led the Alouettes to points in his first drive under centre. The pivot completed a couple of short passes to running back Travis Theis, who also had a big run up the middle to move Montreal into Maltos Díaz’ range to cut the lead to 9-6.

Rourke and the Leos put together their best drive of the first half late in the second quarter. Butler got things going with a 27-yard run and Rourke scrambled for 26 yards to make it first-and-goal before McInnis sealed the deal with a catch over the middle for the game’s first touchdown.

Maltos Díaz made it a one-possession game once more just before halftime.

A long pass interference penalty on Snead early in the second half gave the Alouettes a chance to add points to the board with another kick by Maltos Díaz, but the ball went out after hitting the uprights, keeping the score 16-9 in favour of the Leos.

Later in the third quarter, Rourke and the Lions were backed down on their own 10-yard line, but the pivot uncorked a deep pass to Hatcher Sr. for a 40-yard gain that got BC on the move once more. The pivot then connected with Berryhill III over the middle for an 18-yard gain before going back to Hatcher Sr. for another chunk play. Fittingly enough, the drive ended on a pass from Rourke to No. 4 near the left pylon for BC’s second touchdown of the game.

Montreal responded with a long drive of their own. Morgan found a streaking Snead who added yards after the catch on a 40-yard catch, but a facemask penalty on Snead moved the ball back 15 yards. Maltos Díaz finished the drive with his fourth field goal of the night to make it 22-12.

Rourke found one of his favourite deep targets in Ayden Eberhardt for a 49-yard gain to start the Lions next possession. Two plays later the pivot went to Hatcher Sr. who was wide open down the right for the duo’s second touchdown connection of the game.

The Canadian quarterback wasn’t done, throwing a beautiful rainbow to Berryhill III in the end zone to extend the lead. The point after attempt by Whyte was blocked as the score remained 36-12.

Snead added six points for the Als with a catch-and-run that went for 35 yards with 3:22 left in the game, but Montreal was unable to convert the two-point attempt.

The Alouettes now return home to host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday, August 21. The Lions meanwhile go on the road to face the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday, August 23.

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