Edmonton Elks Secure Thrilling Victory Over Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Edmonton Elks defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 27-25 in a Week 17 matchup at Play Alberta Field at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday night. The Elks secured the win by stopping a two-point conversion attempt by the Roughriders on the game's final play, keeping their playoff hopes alive.
Game Summary
Cody Fajardo led the Elks offense, completing 18 of 23 passes for 305 yards. Justin Rankin had a standout performance with two rushing touchdowns and 82 rushing yards on 14 carries. Cole Snyder added another rushing touchdown, and kicker Vincent Blanchard connected on both of his field goal attempts. Kaion Julien-Grant led the receiving corps with 89 yards on four catches.
The Roughriders' Trevor Harris completed 33 of 46 passes for 351 yards, but threw two interceptions. AJ Ouellette rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown for Saskatchewan. The game was closely contested throughout, with both teams scoring two touchdowns and one field goal in the final quarter.
The Elks honored their late owner, Larry Thompson, who passed away this week, with tributes throughout the game. Elks coach Mark Kilam expressed pride in his team's performance and dedication to the Thompson family.
Key Moments and Turning Points
The first quarter was chaotic, featuring four turnovers, including two on the same play when Kenneth Logan Jr. intercepted Harris before fumbling the ball back to the Riders. Jake Julien's single gave Edmonton an early 1-0 lead.
In the second quarter, Blanchard's 47-yard field goal extended the Elks' lead to 4-0. A 47-yard pass from Fajardo to Julien-Grant set up a touchdown run by Snyder, making it 11-3 at halftime.
The Roughriders closed the gap in the third quarter with a touchdown run by Ouellette. The fourth quarter saw a flurry of scoring, with Rankin scoring two touchdowns for the Elks and Tommy Nield catching a touchdown pass for the Roughriders.
With just 48 seconds remaining, Blanchard kicked a 30-yard field goal to give the Elks a 27-19 lead. Harris drove the Roughriders down the field, resulting in a touchdown by Tommy Stevens as time expired. However, the subsequent two-point conversion attempt failed, sealing the victory for the Elks.
Post-Game Reactions
"We played with heavy hearts tonight, losing your owner who has poured nothing but his heart and soul into this organization," Fajardo said in a post-game interview. "I told the boys after the game, I said, look, I’ve only been here a year, and I felt the love from Larry and Deb, and we wanted to do everything we could to win for him and win for Deb."
Morgensen commented on the electric atmosphere at the stadium, noting the energy brought by both Elks and Roughriders fans.
"I saw a lot of guts, I saw some really good performances, I saw a lot of challenges that we are going to have to continue to overcome," said Kilam, praising his team's resilience.
Statistical Highlights
| Statistic | Edmonton Elks | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
|---|---|---|
| Passing Yards | 305 | 351 |
| Rushing Yards | 89 | 134 |
| Total Offense | 366 | 476 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 4 |
Looking Ahead
The Edmonton Elks (6-9) will have a Week 18 bye before hosting the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on October 11. The Saskatchewan Roughriders (10-4) will visit the Ottawa Redblacks next Friday.
