Calgary Stampeders roll to decisive win over Edmonton

EDMONTON — The Calgary Stampeders got the best of the Edmonton Elks on Saturday night and they did it with two quarterbacks.

Jake Maier ran the show for the majority of the night, making 20-26 passes for 287 yards and a touchdown, but Tommy Stevens came in for four short yardage scores, as the Stamps rolled over the Elks 56-28. It marked the first time a Stampeder had four touchdowns in a game since Jon Cornish did it nine years ago.

The win gives the Stamps a sweep in the four-game season series with their arch rivals.

Taylor Cornelius made 23 of 30 passes for 292 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Kevin Brown rushed for 91 yards for the Elks and receiver Dillon Mitchell had five catches for 120 yards.

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Calgary found a way to make an immediate impact on the game. Stampeders’ defensive back Trumaine Washington stepped in front of Cornelius’ third pass of the night and took it back 45 yards for the touchdown, just 2:51 into play. Rene Paredes’ convert made it a 7-0 game.

The Elks looked to grab momentum back just a few minutes later. Jon Ryan‘s 34-yard punt got away from Peyton Logan and was recovered by Edmonton long snapper Peter Adjey, setting the Elks up at the Stamps’ 22-yard line. After a Calgary offside moved the play up five yards, Cornelius found fullback Tanner Green for a short pass that Green ran and powered into the end zone, going through defensive back Kobe Williams for just the second touchdown of his career. Sergio Castillo‘s convert tied the game up at 8:02.

The tie would be short lived. Aided by a defensive pass interference call against Elks’ defensive back Ed Gainey, Calgary took the ball at Edmonton’s one-yard line. Tommy Stevens came in on short yardage for the Stamps and forced his way over the goal line, with Paredes sending his second convert of the quarter through at 11:54.

The Stamps’ special teams got in on the act to help close out a high-scoring first quarter. Charlie Moore got a hand on Ryan’s punt attempt and recovered the ball at Edmonton’s one-yard line. Stevens came back in off the bench for more short yardage work and provided the game’s fourth touchdown at 14:19. After Paredes’ convert, Calgary took a 21-7 lead into the second quarter.

The two rivals went from swapping touchdowns in the first quarter to field goals in the second quarter. Sergio Castillo connected from 24 yards at 2:16 and Paredes answered with a 15-yarder at 5:06, keeping the Stamps up a couple of scores, 24-10.

With the first half ticking away, Cornelius had a great connection with receiver Dillon Mitchell, good for a 67-yard gain. That drive was snuffed out by a Shawn Lemon sack and the Elks settled on a 32-yard Castillo field goal that made it 24-13 at 12:25.

A Kai Locksley penalty wiped out the Elks’ final drive of the half and opened the door for the Stamps. Reggie Begelton broke the 100-yard receiving mark on the ensuing drive, with just his third catch of the game and the Stamps got a 20-yard field goal from Paredes to go into the half up 27-13.

After Duron Carter conceded a safety on the Elks’ opening drive of the third, the Stamps took a familiar path to the end zone. A pass interference call on Scott Hutter brought the Stamps back to the one-yard line and Stevens picked up his third short yardage major of the game. Parades’ extra point pushed the score to 36-13 at 5:36.

After taking punches, the Elks doled one out. Cornelius capped a six-play, 52-yard drive off at 11:55 of the third with a four-yard toss to Jalin Marshall. Castillo’s extra point made it a 36-20 game.

Maier and the Stamps worked their way down the field and put a response together. Back in short yardage, Stevens picked up his fourth touchdown the tough way. Paredes’ convert sailed through at 3:54 and pushed the score to 43-20.

After watching Stevens find the end zone so many times, Maier got his first of the night on a 50-yard connection with Malik Henry, who shook off Elks’ defensive back Duron Carter to get the major. Paredes pushed the Stamps to an even 50 points on the night, giving them a 30-point lead.

Cornelius cut into that with a late 11-yard run and Locksley added a short yardage two-point convert to make it a 50-28 game at 12:50.

With Stevens in for Maier to close out the game, he threw an excellent block to free up running back Ka’Deem Carey for a 40-yard touchdown run at 13:50. Paredes missed the convert, leaving his team exactly doubled up on the Elks at 56-28.

Both teams move on with some West Division competition next week. The Elks will travel to Saskatchewan to face the Roughriders, while the Stamps will host the BC Lions.