RIDERS TOP LIONS
Upset league leader 27-21 at Mosaic Stadium.
Weston Dressler refused to be slowed by a heavy heart.
The veteran slotback caught two first-half touchdown passes Saturday as the Saskatchewan Roughriders upset the first-place B.C. Lions 27-21 before 32,690 spectators at Mosaic Stadium. Dressler finished with nine receptions for 160 yards on Saturday, one day after attending his grandfather’s funeral in Bismarck, N.D. Lambert Dressler, 95, died on Tuesday.
“He was one of the best men I knew and he was amazing,’’ Dressler said Saturday. “I went home because I wanted to be there for my dad (Rick). I definitely felt (Lambert’s) presence. He has only been up for one game since I’ve been here because of his age it didn’t work for him. I felt he had the best seat in the house (Saturday) and he got to see a game.’’
Dressler had a game worth watching. The 160 receiving yards helped Dressler reach an even 1,000 for the season, the fourth time he has reached that plateau in his five-year CFL career. Dressler, with 5,314 yards, also passed Joey Walters to move into fifth spot on the Riders’ all-time receiving-yard-age list. Dressler said his grandfather followed his CFL exploits from afar.
“He was always asking me about how football was going in Canada,’’ said Dressler, whose parents, Rick and Val, were both at Saturday’s game. “His biggest concern wasn’t about me scoring touchdowns or winning games. He just hoped that I didn’t get hurt. I felt like I had a guardian angel protecting my body (Saturday).’’
Dressler’s performance in the first half exceeded even his high standards. As the half progressed, it became clear that Dressler was playing at a different level and the Lions wouldn’t be able to slow him down.
He scored on a 13-yard pass from quarterback Darian Durant that broke a scoreless tie early in the second quarter. Dressler then scored on the first down of the Riders’ next possession. Dressler and receiver Greg Carr were both in the vicinity of a Durant pass. Dressler cut under Carr to catch the ball, and then ran into the end zone to complete a 53-yard touchdown that provided the Riders with a 14-0 lead after a Sandro DeAngelis convert.
“I saw Dressler and I saw Carr right behind him,’’ Durant said. “I knew that either one could get it.’’
Dressler’s performance helped the Riders grab a 18-1 first-half lead after a scoreless opening quarter. It was an advantage the Riders would need because the Lions roared back in the second half while limiting Dressler to one reception for five yards.
Lions quarterback Travis Lulay completed two touchdown passes to Marco Iannuzzi, covering 23 and 15 yards. The Riders responded with a 46-yard touchdown strike to a wide-open Carr under the goalpost.
The Lions, trailing 27-21, then executed a successful onside kick when Taj Smith of the Riders wasn’t able to slap the ball out of bounds. After a review by CFL control in Toronto, it was determined that the ball hit B.C.’s Anton McKenzie before heading out of bounds.
The Riders’ defence withstood three consecutive long pass attempts by Lulay. Defensive back Chris McKenzie snuffed B.C.’s last-gasp attempt at a win with an interception.
“It was tough when it came down to the wire,’’ said Riders linebacker Tyron Brackenridge. “They are a veteran team and they know how to move the ball. They snuck a couple of big plays on us, but when we needed to, we buckled down.’’
The Lions attempted the comeback without the services of receivers Arland Bruce and Geroy Simon, both of whom were injured in the first half. Bruce left in the first quarter with concussion symptoms after a hard hit by defensive back Milt Collins. Collins also left the game with an injured left shoulder. Simon suffered a hamstring injury in the first half.
“Losing one receiver is tough and two is tougher, but that’s no kind of an excuse.’’ Lulay told reporters. “We’ve got to be better.”
The Riders lost running back Jock Sanders, who suffered a knee injury in the third quarter. Sanders had seven receptions for 65 yards, four punt returns for 41 yards and one kickoff return for 32 yards. Durant was impressed with the contributions of Sanders before he left the game.
“Jock took a lot of attention off of Dressler,’’ Durant said. “The corner bit on Jock and that allowed Dressler to get wide open. We have playmakers out there and they all did a great job.’’
Running back Kory Sheets was among that group. Sheets had 17 carries for 103 yards. It was the second time this season Sheets surpassed 100 yards. Sheets, who had 19 carries for 106 yards in a 52-0 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Sept. 2, has 922 rushing yards this season.
The Riders (7-6) snapped the Lions’ three-game winning streak while winning their second in a row. The Riders hung on for a 30-25 victory over the Calgary Stampeders on Sept. 23. B.C. dropped to 9-4, good for first place in the West Division and in the CFL’s overall standings. The Riders, who travel to Toronto to play the Argonauts on Oct. 8, are alone in third place.