By Canadian Press

William Stanback steps up in Montreal return as Lions beat Alouettes

Sep 6, 2024 | 8:50 PM

MONTREAL — William Stanback led the way on a strange night for Nathan Rourke as the B.C. Lions defeated the league-leading Montreal Alouettes 37-23 on Friday.

The former Alouettes running back rushed for 128 yards — including a 38-yard touchdown in the third quarter — on 20 attempts before a sellout crowd of 23,035 in his first game back at Molson Stadium.

Rourke had 304 passing yards on 22-for-28 completions, throwing for one TD and running for another. But the 2022 CFL outstanding Canadian also threw three interceptions.

The Lions (7-6) won their second in a row to take sole possession of first place in the West Division. They also ended a five-game Montreal (10-2) win streak despite committing four turnovers.

Cody Fajardo was 27-for-37 for 240 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception for Montreal, which clinched a playoff spot while on a bye last week.

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The Alouettes played without star receiver Austin Mack, who was placed on the six-game injured list after sustaining an ankle injury in practice this week.

Montreal kicker Jose Maltos went 3-for-3 on field goals, including a 41-yarder. B.C.’s Sean Whyte was also 3-for-3.

Stanback made it 27-16 with 6:06 left in the third quarter, bulldozing through multiple defenders for his rush into the end zone.

The Alouettes cut into the lead as Dominique Davis squeezed into the end zone with 9:48 remaining in the game.

Fajardo found Jose Barbon for an 11-yard gain on a third-down gamble two plays earlier to set up the score, but Montreal missed the two-point conversion.

The Alouettes kicked short and managed to recover the ball on the ensuing play to build momentum. The home side, however, went two-and-out and punter Joseph Zima scored a rouge.

Rourke then rushed 18 yards on third down to restore B.C.’s 11-point lead with 5:03 remaining.

An Interception by B.C.’s T. J. Lee with 3:32 left all but sealed the deal.

The Lions opened the scoring on the game’s first drive. Fullback David Mackie ran 23 yards for his sixth rushing touchdown of the season to complete a six-play, 66-yard drive 3:03 into the game.

Rourke was picked off with 5:07 left in the first quarter when Montreal’s Bryce Cosby collected a pass that deflected off the hands of B.C. receiver Justin McInnis.

Whyte kicked a field goal to put the Lions up 10-0 after the first quarter.

Up 10-3, Rourke threw another interception that deflected off a teammate. His pass bounced off Stanback and into the hands of Montreal safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy.

The Alouettes would settle for a field goal to make it 10-6 in the second quarter.

Rourke bounced back with a nine-play, 70-yard touchdown drive. He found Ayden Eberhardt on a 15-yard TD pass with 3:41 left to give the Lions an 11-point lead.

But the turnovers didn’t stop there.

On the next B.C. possession, Kabion recovered Stanback’s fumble at Montreal’s 16-yard line. Stanback was initially ruled down but officials overturned the play after an Alouettes challenge.

Fajardo then led the Alouettes downfield on an 11-play, 91-yard drive, culminating in a six-yard TD pass to Cole Spieker deep in the end zone with less than a second left on the clock. The Lions led 17-13.

UP NEXT

Alouettes: Visit the Calgary Stampeders on Aug. 14 for the first of three straight games on the road.

Lions: Host the Toronto Argonauts next Friday to open three consecutive games at home.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 6, 2024.

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press