OTTAWA, ON – The Ottawa REDBLACKS welcomed RNation back to TD Place the best way they know how: a convincing, season-opening 40-17 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Thursday night.
A 19-point second quarter and two touchdowns by running back William Powell to start their 2018 campaign whipped the sold-out crowd into a frenzy that didn’t die down until long after the final whistle.
Trevor Harris was firing on all cylinders, completing 26 of 36 passes for 345 yards and two touchdowns. His favourite targets were the usual suspects in Greg Ellingson, Diontae Spencer and Brad Sinopoli as the trio combined for 20 receptions.
The defence was led by an imposing performance from lineman Mike Wakefield, who had one of his team’s two sacks on the day. Noel Thorpe’s men also forced four turnovers, including two crucial interceptions in the end zone.
Saskatchewan got the first major of the game. Zach Collaros aired it out and found rookie Jordan Williams-Lambert for the latter’s first career touchdown. Lewis Ward had hit two chip shot field goals early in the contest, but the 32-yard strike gave the visitors a 7-6 lead after the first 15.
Defensive-back Jonathan Rose electrified the TD Place crowd early in the second quarter. Rose jumped the route of a Collaros pass intended for Shaq Evans. Rose was already at full speed and tore away from any would-be tacklers for a 55-yard pick-six. Harris then found Greg Ellingson in the back of the end zone with a perfectly placed pass to complete the two-point conversion and restore Ottawa’s lead.
The REDBLACKS defence forced another turnover on the very next drive. A Collaros pass to the in the end zone was tipped and grabbed by Loucheiz Purifoy. The back-to-back picks certainly gave Noel Thorpe’s defence some swagger moving forward.
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Harris and the offence made amends quickly, though. A six play, 77-yard drive was capped off with William Powell juking his way to pay dirt. Powell had faked a couple of Roughrider defenders earlier in the possession and was rewarded with his first touchdown of the year. Harris found Ellingson for the two-point conversion.
Collaros took a couple of knocks in the first-half, and Brandon Bridge took over under centre midway through the second. A 44-yard, line drive field goal from Ward capped off the scoring in the first-half with Ottawa up 25-14.
The third quarter was rolling by at a leisurely pace, until Diontae Spencer broke the game wide open. Harris and Spencer connected for a 56-yard catch and run, in which Spencer dashed passed Duron Carter. Carter and Spencer went at it all night, but the Ottawa receiver got the better of his counterpart on that occasion.
Following a Saskatchewan field goal, rookie receiver Noel Thomas Jr. laid out and made an incredible diving catch on a deep pass from Harris. The long completion got the REDBLACKS into the red zone, and following a couple of ‘Rider penalties, William Powell hauled in his second touchdown of the game. The 40-17 score insured there would be no comeback from Saskatchewan.
The REDBLACKS (1-0) are now in first place in the East Division and will visit the Calgary Stampeders next week on Thursday, June 28. Ottawa will be back at TD Place to face the Stamps on Thursday, July 12. The ‘Riders (1-1) will host the Montreal Alouettes next week on Saturday, June 30.
