Stampeders Win First Pre-season Game

It’s that time of year again!

Stampeder football was back at McMahon Stadium for the start of the pre-season. There weren’t many veterans on the field tonight as 131 players battled for spots on the rosters for both teams.

Despite the completion on the field, head coach Dave Dickenson said Bo Levi Mitchell will still be the starting QB.

The task now is to find a replacement for Drew Tate who left for Ottawa in the offseason.

It was a quiet first quarter with both teams trying to figure things out; neither team managed to score.

With ratios not in play, everyone had a chance to impress their respective coaches.

The second quarter saw the games’ first injury as Stamps Line Backer Todd Thomas was helped off the field.

A 56-yard kick was returned 41 yards by the Stampeders but it was brought back due to a holding penalty.

Calgary made it to the board first with a 35-yard touchdown by Jacobi Green, the single point was good and it was 7-0 Stampeders.

And then again, just after the three-minute warning, the Stamps come back as Derek Wiggan fell on a fumble for another touchdown and with the kick it was 15-0 Calgary.

With 13 seconds left, the BC Lions made it on the board with a field goal making it 15-3 at the half.

To kick off the third quarter, the Stamps put up a few more points as Reggie Begelton lunged into the end zone and it was 21-3 Calgary.

A missed field goal gave the Stamps another point, widening the lead to 22-3.

Another Stampeder on the defensive line, James Vaughters went down halfway through the third with problems in his right calf. The third quarter ended and it was on to the fourth.

To start the fourth, the Stamps broke up a play on their one-yard line picking up a fumble by the Lions.

Calgary called a time out after they realized there were 13 men on the field, for the first time in this game for either team.

The Lions racked up a few more points on the board, making the score 22-5.

And then the Lions finally had a touchdown thanks to running back Josh Harris with 9:25 left in the quarter.

With the snap, it was 22-12 for Calgary. And a third injury for the Stamps as Begelton went down hard on his left knee and was carted off the field.

He had a touchdown in the third. With a failed field-goal attempt, Calgary racked up one more point making it 23-12.

Minutes later, the other Harris, RJ had his own touchdown for the Lions making it 23-18 Stampeders.

And that did it for the first pre-season game, with the Calgary Stampeders beating the BC Lions 23-18.

Next game goes Sunday June, 11 pre-game show at 3:30, kick-off at 5pm.