Lauther performs hero as Riders clip Redblacks 26-24 on late 54-yard area objective

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REGINA — Brett Lauther capped a wild fourth quarter with a 54-yard area objective within the dying seconds to offer the Saskatchewan Roughriders a 26-24 CFL victory over the Ottawa Redblacks on Sunday in Regina.

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Ottawa overcame a 23-11 deficit, taking a 24-23 lead with 1:04 remaining within the fourth quarter on an eight-yard area objective by Lewis Ward.

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Mario Alford returned the following kickoff 37 yards to the Saskatchewan 50-yard line with 56 seconds remaining. The Riders moved into Ottawa territory however had been compelled to deliver on Lauther when their drive stalled on the Ottawa 47-yard line.

Lauther, who entered the sport 0-for-3 this season on area objective makes an attempt longer than 50 yards, nailed the kick and the Riders defence held on to safe the victory.

Lauther, who was 4-for-4 on the evening, stated it was necessary to not let the second be overwhelming.

“You go at it prefer it’s the primary kick of the sport. Should you make it larger than what it’s, then it’s going to be larger than what it’s,” stated Lauther. “And for me, I see the onerous work that’s put on this group and I owe it to everybody in right here to attempt to come by way of.”

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The 32-year-old kicker, in his fifth season with the Riders, admitted the feelings change after making a game-winning kick.

“It’s one thing you all the time wish to do. That’s what I dwell for. I imply, I can’t actually evaluate it to anything. I’m not going to be taking part in for endlessly so we’re simply making an attempt to get pleasure from it whereas we are able to. It’s an unimaginable excessive to be on the market in entrance of everybody and to get a win for the blokes. It feels good,” stated Lauther.

Saskatchewan quarterback Mason Superb was dissatisfied that the offence couldn’t put Lauther in a greater place for the kick.

“I wasn’t glad. I used to be upset that we couldn’t get Brett nearer. Fifty-four yards is not any gimme. I do know Brett’s a fantastic kicker and he’s clutch however we’ve acquired to do a greater job as an offence to get nearer,” stated Superb, who completed 23 of 37 passing for 296 yards and one landing.

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“We will’t depend on a 54-yard area objective however credit score Brett and the sphere objective ops for making it.”

Saskatchewan answerable for the sport till a few disastrous third-down performs enabled the Redblacks to get again into the competition.

Early within the fourth quarter, Riders backup quarterback Jake Dolegala fumbled on a quarterback sneak. Ottawa defensive again Josh Valentine-Carter scooped up the free ball and returned it 45 yards for a landing to scale back the Redblacks’ deficit to 23-21.

Then, with 2:06 left within the fourth quarter and the Riders holding on to the two-point lead, they confronted a third-and-one from their very own 19-yard line. Dolegala got here up brief on the hassle and the Redblacks took over on the turnover.

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Ottawa drove to the Saskatchewan one-yard line. Fairly than playing on third down and going for the landing, Ottawa head coach Bob Dyce determined to kick the sphere objective. When requested why he chosen that choice, Dyce supplied a direct reply.

“Kick the sphere objective. Get the factors and go up. I had nice confidence in the way in which our defence was taking part in,” stated Dyce.

Regardless of the loss, which dropped the Redblacks to 3-5, Dyce refused to be disillusioned.

“I couldn’t be extra happy with this crew. They proceed to battle each single time they play. We’re by no means out of any recreation,” stated Dyce. “We didn’t begin as quick as we’d have appreciated to, however on the finish of the day we had been we had been up in a important state of affairs.”

The victory ended a three-game shedding streak for the Riders, who enhance to 4-4 with the win. The victory additionally marked the primary win as a beginning quarterback for Superb, who took over the reins of the Saskatchewan offence after Trevor Harris suffered a tibial plateau fracture of his proper knee on July 15 towards the Calgary Stampeders.

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Though the Riders earned the victory, Superb was dismayed that the offence wasn’t as constant as he would really like.

“I wished to start out quick and I’m extra dissatisfied that we couldn’t maintain that going, particularly within the first half. Within the third and fourth quarter, it felt like we might’ve put much more factors on the board,” stated Superb, who related with Shawn Bane Jr. on a 42-yard landing cross on the opening drive of the third quarter.

“I used to be annoyed at instances, particularly once we acquired down there within the crimson zone … I simply want we’d’ve carried that momentum extra all through the entire recreation.”

The Riders sacked Ottawa quarterback Dustin Crum six instances. Anthony Lanier had three sacks with Micah Johnson, Charbal Dabire and Lake Korte-Moore having one every. For Korte-Moore, it was the rookie’s first CFL sack.

Bane led the Riders with six receptions for 88 yards whereas rookie Jerreth Stearns, taking part in in his first CFL recreation, had seven catches for 71 yards. Jamal Morrow gained 47 yards dashing on 13 carries and scored on a five-yard run on Saskatchewan’s opening drive of the sport.

Crum was 16 of 20 passing for 174 yards. Ward had 5 area targets for the Redblacks.

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The Roughriders head to Montreal on Friday to play the Alouettes (4-3), whereas Ottawa travels to Toronto to face the Argonauts (6-1) on Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Aug. 6, 2023.

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