Roughriders edge Elks 28-24, clinch playoff berth

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are backmost successful the Canadian Football League playoffs aft 2 years connected the extracurricular looking in.

Trevor Harris passed for 358 yards and 2 touchdowns arsenic the Roughriders clinched a post-season berth with a 28-24 triumph implicit the Edmonton Elks on Saturday.

It was the 3rd consecutive triumph for Saskatchewan (8-7-1) which has triumphed successful their past 7 games astatine Commonwealth Stadium, dating backmost to 2019.

“We knew it was going to beryllium a situation coming into their gathering successful the concern they are in, but our offence moved the ball, our screen teams were large each night, our instrumentality crippled was beauteous darn good,” said Saskatchewan manager Corey Mace. “I americium highly arrogant of everybody successful uncovering a mode to get a victory.”

Harris said helium was pleased to person the playoff hurdle accomplished.

“It is simply a relief,” helium said. “It volition beryllium a speedy solemnisation and past it is clip to determination connected due to the fact that we person bigger and amended things we privation to execute arsenic a group.”

It was the 3rd consecutive nonaccomplishment for the Elks (5-11-0).

“This squad has been done hellhole and backmost again and contiguous was different frustrating one,” said Elks quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson, who passed for 379 yards and 2 touchdowns. “It was a lawsuit of truthful galore what-ifs? Going into the fractional and coming retired of the half, it was truly unfortunate to crook the shot implicit back-to-back.

“Everything you tin ideate going against america went against us.”

Edmonton was the sole squad to deed the scoreboard successful the archetypal quarter, registering a punt single.

The Elks added a large 4:21 into the 2nd 4th arsenic Bethel-Thompson pitched it retired to moving backmost Javon Leake connected a third-down gamble from the 1 and helium took it wide into the extremity zone.

Saskatchewan responded successful a large mode conscionable 37 seconds aboriginal arsenic Harris deed a streaking Samuel Emilus with a agelong walk and helium turned connected the jets and blazed 88 yards for the touchdown. The Riders added a two-point person walk to Dhel Duncan-Busby to necktie the game.

Edmonton regained the pb with conscionable nether 3 minutes to play successful the archetypal fractional arsenic Bethel-Thompson went heavy into the extremity portion to Dillon Mitchell, who jumped up to grounds a 38-yard TD reception.

The Roughriders erstwhile again punched backmost with 55 seconds near successful the second, arsenic backup QB Shea Patterson took it successful connected a two-yard plunge.

Saskatchewan took the pb connected the last play of the archetypal fractional aft a bizarre play where Elks receiver Eugene Lewis astir seemed to motorboat the shot into the hands of linebacker Adam Auclair for the interception, starring to a 50-yard tract extremity by Brett Lauther.

It was Saskatchewan’s Rolan Milligan Jr.’s crook to get his league-leading eighth prime of the play aboriginal successful the 3rd quarter, intercepting Bethel-Thompson astatine the Edmonton 40-yard-line, starring to a 13-yard tract extremity by Lauther.

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Edmonton tied the crippled midway done the 3rd arsenic Bethel-Thompson completed a 10-yard touchdown walk to Lewis, nevertheless the person effort deed the uprights.

Saskatchewan surged backmost successful beforehand with 4 minutes near successful the 3rd arsenic Harris sent it heavy to KeeSean Johnson, who won a leap shot astatine the one-yard enactment for a 28-yard TD.

Edmonton chipped distant astatine the pb with six minutes to play arsenic Boris Bede nailed a 36-yard tract goal.

The Elks were pressing precocious but Rider Amari Henderson forced a fumble and teammate C.J. Reavis recovered to extremity the thrust and unafraid the victory.

NOTES

It was the 3rd and last gathering betwixt the 2 teams this season. Saskatchewan won the opening crippled of the play 29-21 in Edmonton. The Elks bounced backmost connected Aug. 3 successful Regina, winning 42-31. … Elks running backmost Leake broke retired with a 169-yard and 3 touchdown show successful that past crippled against Saskatchewan, and was backmost successful the lineup connected Saturday aft missing the past 2 games with a thigh wounded … The Elks also welcomed antiaircraft backmost Darrius Bratton backmost into the fold. … Saskatchewan besides had a cardinal antiaircraft backmost instrumentality successful C. J. Reavis. … With Shawn Bane Jr. sidelined, receiver Jerreth Sterns returned to the Roughriders’ starting lineup. … Elks punter Jake Julien is connected gait to shatter the CFL grounds for punt average. He came into the crippled averaging 54.4 yards. The grounds is 50.6 yards. … Thirteen of the erstwhile 14 games betwixt the 2 squads were decided successful the last 3 minutes.

UP NEXT

Roughriders: Host the B.C. Lions (8-8) connected Saturday, Oct. 12.

Elks: Visit the Calgary Stampeders (4-10-1) connected Saturday, Oct. 12.