B.C. Lions 22, Edmonton Elks 0: House aspect doesn't fairly placed on a present, however will get the job executed

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All Rick Campbell wanted within the first half was somewhat Sean Whyte and somewhat Love.

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His kicker offered all of the offence they’d want — hitting 5 discipline objectives on the night time — because the B.C. Lions rolled to a dominant-ish 22-0 shutout victory over the Edmonton Elks Saturday night time at B.C. Place.

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LL Cool J was Saturday’s theme, with the ageless rapper giving an lively and perspiratory efficiency earlier than the staff’s first house recreation of 2023. And he had a fan within the Lions’ coach.

“My recreation in highschool was having ‘I Want Love’ on the combo tape — which was in cassette, by the best way,” stated Campbell. “That was at all times my music again within the day. I don’t know if that actually goes with soccer however that’s the place it goes for me.”

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SHOW THEM SOME LOVE

The sport began with 30,000-plus followers within the stadium, however the crowd slowly dwindled all through the primary half, with a slogging, stop-start penalty-fest not doing something to entice them to remain.

However in the long run, they missed the Leos defence pitching a shutout — the primary time that had occurred since they blanked the Toronto Argonauts 30-0 at Empire Area on Aug. 23, 1977.

“I used to be six years previous,” Campbell mused, when instructed of the date.

“That’s superb. That doesn’t occur fairly often on this league.”

B.C. has now received 5 straight in opposition to Edmonton — outscoring them 201-53 in that span — and handing the Elks their first shutout since Aug. 15 1976 (40-0 vs Saskatchewan).

Edmonton QB Taylor Cornelius had one other irritating night time below centre, going 13-of-22 for 92 yards, together with his staff netting simply 149 yards in offence.

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Elks coach Chris Jones lamented two second-quarter fumbles that derailed his staff. The primary got here after they picked off Vernon Adams, however Jevon Cottoy punched the ball unfastened from Ed Gainey. They pressured B.C. right into a 2-and-out, however then operating again Kevin Brown misplaced the ball to B.C.

“Any time you don’t rating factors within the CFL recreation, it’s definitely regarding,” stated Jones. “These (fumbles) are two scores. At the moment it’s 9-0. We rating these two occasions and it’s primarily a distinct recreation popping out of halftime.”

NEXT GAME

Thursday

B.C. Lions vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers

5:30 p.m., IG Area, TV: TSN, Radio: AM730

SHOW SEAN SOME LOVE

“Wow, first time ever,” cracked the Lions kicker as he sat right down to his podium name post-game.

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The Surrey native had hit 5 of six discipline objectives (16, 48, 46, 51, 42, missed from 52) and some extent after on Saturday night time, arising shy of Lui Passaglia’s single-game file of seven.

“I lastly obtained a whole lot of alternatives, which made my day. I had lot of enjoyable, had a whole lot of family and friends within the crowd tonight. So it was enjoyable to placed on a present,” he stated. “I don’t know (once I final had six makes an attempt); it’s been a very long time. Final yr with (Nathan) Rourke, I feel I had two alternatives in 4 weeks. Numerous PATs although.”

Whyte got here again to B.C. in free company in 2022 after six years in Edmonton, and it’s by no means felt as home-like as Saturday, when he obtained a giant cheer when his face was flashed on the Jumbotron’s beginning lineup.

“For me, it’s a dream come true. My mother and pop have sacrificed so much of their lives for me to go after my dream,” stated Whyte. “Again in 2003, that’s when Wally Buono instructed my household I had a chance to play soccer for a dwelling, they did the whole lot they might to to get me the place I wanted to be.

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“And to see them, day in time out, at video games now and my dad crushing popcorn and his beers, and my mother — … she’s at all times nervous each time I kick — I can see her up there waving her arms having a superb time. For me that’s enormous. They deserve the whole lot and I simply hope they’re having fun with their time. I don’t hope — I do know they’re having fun with it.”

MAMA SAID KNOCK (THE PENALTIES) OUT

A flag-fest of a primary half sapped any vitality out of the begin to Saturday’s recreation. From the primary play — a Cornelius interception Garry Peters that was deemed cross interference — to a Quincy Mauger fumble return landing that was overturned by the command centre 5 performs later, the referees appeared decide to insinuate themselves into the sport story.

By the point the opening half-hour had been within the books, the Lions had misplaced a landing, a sack and two turnovers to flags. A Whyte discipline objective with 1:26 left went from a 38-yard try and a 48-yarder after a time depend violation tackled on one other 10 yards.

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The Lions had seven for 65 yards within the first half, and completed the sport with 9 for 80 yards.

“It’s worthwhile to hold going,” stated Campbell. “We talked about it. We have to minimize out a few of these penalties. The return ones had been irritating as a result of we had been truly performing some good things within the return recreation.”

ZONED OUT

The Elks defence got here out with heavy zone protection, dropping 9 gamers and speeding three, and it caught Adams off guard to begin the sport.

His checkdowns had been, by his personal admission, too gradual. His timing seemed off, he was sacked on a three-man rush, and didn’t hit any passes for over 20 yards till the top of the second quarter.

“The entire offence got here collectively at halftime. We knew we needed to make changes. The (Elks) defence got here out doing various things we didn’t suppose they had been going to do,” he stated. “We made these changes and we got here out within the second half and did somewhat bit higher. … However credit score to the defence, man. They put up a zero. They did an excellent job; so pleased with the defence pleased with this staff. (We’re) 1 and 0 this week.”

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Adams completed the night time with a quiet 312 yards on 25-of-35 passing, however did discover Dominque Rhymes for a significant within the third quarter when his receiver made one other patented ‘Mr. Headtop’ catch at the back of the top zone.

One other brilliant spot: Operating again Taquan Mizzell had one other robust outing in simply his second CFL recreation, going for 93 yards on 18 carries.

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GRIND IT OUT OR GO FOR IT

Twice, the Lions confronted a third-and-one in Edmonton territory, and twice Campbell elected to go for a discipline objective.

They weren’t selections that sat properly with the points-starved house crowd, however there was logic to it, Campbell stated. “They had been enjoying rather well on defence and couldn’t actually get in a move of issues. However being up on the scoreboard 9-0 was a giant deal. It simply a type of video games the place you’ve obtained to maintain enjoying, hold grinding.

“I believed factors had been a premium. I thought of if we might get forward within the recreation, we had been going to place them in a bind. And that may be a recreation by recreation resolution. It’s not one thing that you simply simply do mechanically.  And you would see as the sport went on, you would see that factors had been like gold, and it proved that approach.”

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