Alford's 99-yard kickoff return for TD lifts Riders to wild 39-32 win over Argos
Mario Alford's 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with nine seconds to play rallied the Saskatchewan Roughriders to a stirring 39-32 win over the ailing Toronto Argonauts on Friday night.
Alford's return right came after Toronto's Nick Arbuckle made it 32-32. Arbuckle capped a 70-yard, nine-drive with an eight-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Mital, then found Dejon Brissett for the two-point convert.
Arbuckle's heroics came after Brett Lauther missed a 33-yard field goal at 12:58 to put Saskatchewan (3-0) ahead 32-24 and keep Toronto (0-3) in the game.
Tommy Stevens' two-yard scoring run at 4:38 put Saskatchewan ahead 31-21. Lirim Hajrullahu's 25-yard field goal at 8:02 pulled Toronto to within 31-24.
Saskatchewan's wins have all come against East Division teams.
Toronto -- 0-3 for the first time since 2019 -- came into the contest short-handed.
Quarterback Chad Kelly (leg) and receiver/returner Janarion Grant both missed their third straight game for Toronto. Joining them among the Argos walking wounded were linebackers Wynton McManis (knee) and Jack Cassar (adductor), running back Deonta McMahon (ankle), receiver DaVaris Daniels (hip), defensive lineman Demarcus Christmas (Achilles) and offensive linemen Sage Doxtater (knee), Dylan Giffen (back) and Darius Ciraco (foot).
Then in the first half, Toronto lost linebacker Kenneth George Jr. (leg) and defensive lineman Derek Parish (foot).
The contest was a chippy one as the teams combined for 29 penalties for 307 yards (Saskatchewan had 18 for 178 yards, Toronto had 11 for 129 yards) before a BMO Field gathering of 12,025.
Brissett and Jarret Doege also scored touchdowns for Toronto. Jake Herslow added a two-point convert, while Hajrullahu booted a convert and three field goals.
Dohnte Meyers, with two, and A.J. Ouellette scored Saskatchewan's other touchdowns. Lauther kicked five converts and a field goal.
Hajrullahu's 24-yard field goal at 8:42 of the third pulled Toronto to within 24-13. But Doege scored on a one-yard run at 12:59 before Arbuckle hit Herslow for the two-point convert to cut Saskatchewan's lead to 24-21.
Harris opened the second half with a 70-yard TD strike to Meyers at 1:16, giving the Riders a 24-10 advantage.
Hajrullahu's 56-yard field goal to end the second quarter cut Saskatchewan's halftime lead to 17-10. It followed Saskatchewan's goal-line stand with 56 seconds left as Kevin Brown was stopped at the Riders' one-yard line to end a 17-play, 97-yard drive that took 7:25.
Both quarterbacks were sharp as Harris was nine-of-11 passing for 123 yards and a TD, guiding the Riders to 17 points in their first three drives. Arbuckle completed 13-of-16 attempts for 118 yards and a touchdown.
Saskatchewan converted five-of-eight second-down chances while Toronto was 7-of-12. But it was a chippy half as the two teams combined for 15 penalties (Saskatchewan eight for 79 yards, Toronto seven for 79 yards) for 158 yards.
Lauther gave Saskatchewan a 17-7 advantage with a 16-yard field goal at 1:25.
Harris put Saskatchewan ahead 14-7 with a 32-yard TD strike to Meyers at 11:54 of the first. The two-play, 45-yard drive was set up by Alford's 35-yard punt return.
Ouellette capped Saskatchewan's 70-yard, six-play opening march with a 25-yard TD run at 8:26. It was Ouellette's first carry of the contest.
Arbuckle opened the game completing all six of his passes for 80 yards, the last being a five-yard TD strike to Brissett at 4:50. The score capped a solid 80-yard, nine-play march.
UP NEXT
Roughriders: Host the B.C. Lions on Saturday, June 28.
Argonauts: Visit the Ottawa Redblacks on Sunday, June 29.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
National Post
an hour ago
- National Post
Up Close: Meet Roughriders running back A.J. Ouellette
Article content Article content 'I watched a couple games growing up. The (Montreal) Alouettes kind of have that same little 'Ouellette' ending to it. So watched them a little bit. Article content 'My defensive coordinator in college, (Jim) Burrow, played for Montreal. And then I had a couple other coaches that had a couple games up here in the CFL. So I knew of the CFL, I just didn't know who to contact or how to get in. Article content 'And luckily, I got a call mainly because I had a Canadian quarterback (Nathan Rourke) and a Canadian backup running back (Maleek Irons) in college, so they were at most of our games. So, I got some exposure that way.' Article content Did you think you'd be in the CFL this long? Article content 'The first couple (years) you're like, 'Man, I hope I make it back to the NFL.' But I love this league, love the guys here (and) obviously love the fans of Sask. Article content 'I've been very grateful. I had a lot of great things that kind of happened since I've been up here; met some friends I probably would never have met.' Article content 'I just found (a picture) on my phone of me, Andrew (Harris, Saskatchewan's running backs coach) and (Saskatchewan's offensive line coach Edwin Harrison) after we won the Grey Cup with Toronto. Article content 'Coach Ed was the running back coach; Andrew and me were the running backs. And it's us hugging, kissing each other. That's a great memory I have right now. I hope I get a couple more cups.' Article content Article content 'I was better at baseball than football growing up … I don't know how I would be stepping in the batter's box right now, but back in the day (I was OK). Article content 'Started with baseball and T-ball and all of that. And then wrestling. Article content 'Played basketball a little bit, ran track in high school, did some motocross. I raced dirt bikes all the way up until I had to pick between that and football in junior high. So picked football, of course.' Article content Any superstitions? Article content 'They kind of come and go as the years go. The ones in high school were a little different than the ones now. Article content 'In high school, I had to have Subway before every game. Now, home games, it's Booster Juice. Like I don't eat on game day, I have Booster Juice. Article content 'Night before I go to The Keg on home games; get steak and lobster. The night before, I have to have some type of steak, some type of seafood. Article content 'And then my music is kind of set. It's country all day, trying to be chill. And then 30 minutes before is when I switch it over to like a rap/rock/screamo type of thing. Article content 'I put my pads in — left thigh pad, right thigh pad, left knee pad, right knee pad … It's just some weird stuff.' Article content Article content Hidden talent? Article content 'Mario Kart (on Nintendo Switch). I would dominate anyone. I actually went and bought two more controllers because the nephews fly in (this week) and I'm gonna whoop their butt on the projector.' Article content Any other jobs? Article content 'I own a sports performance gym in Ohio. Article content 'When I first started in the CFL in the off-season, I sprayed insulation. So (working on) construction sites when they were redoing barns or houses or whatever.
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Old school baseball carries Blue Jays to top of AL East: 'I think we have a team identity'
The Toronto Blue Jays made a strong case for old school baseball in their series win over the long ball-loving New York Yankees. Bo Bichette's two-run homer capped off a wild victory as Toronto held on for an 8-4 win over the visiting Yankees on Wednesday. The Blue Jays' other six runs came from smart baserunning, heads-up plays, and forcing New York into a handful of errors. "Geez, we can score runs in so many different ways," said infielder Ernie Clement, who went 2-for-4, including a triple, scoring a run and driving in another. "Pitching has been a common theme for the last few years. Those guys just give us a chance to win every single night. "Now we're rounding it out, we've got a little offence to go along with it. I think we really have a team identity. Whether that's old school baseball or just playing the game the right way, I don't know." Toronto benefited from New York's four errors and other fielding miscues, eking out runs on walks, dropped balls, wild pitches, and overthrows. Bichette's two-run blast, his 13th home run of the year, was the Blue Jays' cleanest score of the game as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had led off the inning with a double. Clement believes Toronto's hard-nosed approach put pressure on the Yankees' fielders to play defence faster, leading to their handful of mistakes. "They know we play the game hard," said Clement. "There's no doubt that they pick their heads up [after fielding the ball] and we're halfway to first base, head down, running hard. "As a fielder, that puts all the pressure in the world on you. You've got to be clean. If you bobble the ball at all, I mean, we're safe." The Blue Jays and Yankees have played seven games at Rogers Centre in the past two weeks, with Toronto going 6-1 to take a four-game lead in the American League East, lock up the season series and therefore the tiebreaker should the two teams end the year with identical records. "In these two series, we've given them too many outs and it's cost us," said New York manager Aaron Boone. "You can't give good teams extra outs. "And, again, that's what we've done in these two series." 'Working their butts off' Chris Bassitt (11-4) was solid for 7 1/3 innings, striking out eight and allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits and no walks. Blue Jays relievers Justin Bruihl and Yariel Rodriguez preserved the win. "Every single day, they're working their absolute butts off, and then they go out there and they're giving effort," said Bassitt of Toronto's positions players. "Extremely old school, I would say. "If you know me, I'm a fan of old school. I love this team." By contrast, New York lives and dies by the long ball. All four of the Yankees runs came from homers on Wednesday. New York entered the game with a Major League Baseball-best 162 home runs, five more than the Los Angeles Dodgers. Shohei Ohtani had L.A.'s one homer in its 4-3 win over the Minnesota Twins earlier Wednesday. The Blue Jays travel to Detroit for a four-game series starting Thursday. The Central-leading Tigers play a scrappier style of baseball like Toronto and it shows in their record. The Blue Jays (60-42) are tied with the West-leading Houston Astros for the best record in the American League, with Detroit a half-game behind them. "We're going to play a team that does the exact same thing in Detroit, so you have to be ready for it," said Toronto manager John Schneider. "This game is hard; you know what I mean? This game is hard. "I think that every team is built a little bit differently, so we really pride ourselves on taking care of the baseball." Eric Lauer (5-2) will take the mound for the Blue Jays in Detroit. Reese Olson (4-3) gets the start for the Tigers (60-43), who have dropped eight of their past nine games.
Global News
2 hours ago
- Global News
Saskatchewan Rattlers eliminated from playoff contention for 3rd straight year
A summer without playoffs: it's a feeling the Saskatchewan Rattlers have faced since last making the dance in 2022 and will now reflect on again. The Rattlers were officially eliminated from Canadian Elite Basketball League playoff contention last Friday, dropping a 100-79 decision on the road to the Vancouver Bandits. 'It's tough not going to to the playoffs for I think it's the third consecutive year,' Rattlers guard Devontè Bandoo said. 'I think we just got to finish the season strong, just show the fans that there's hope in the future. Hopefully I can be here next year in the beginning and things can be better than how we started.' The loss to Vancouver dropped Saskatchewan's record on the 2025 season to a sobering 4-14, which has the Snakes sitting dead last in the CEBL's Western Conference. Story continues below advertisement With the Winnipeg Sea Bears (7-10) already taking up one of four playoff spots in the West as hosts for CEBL Championship Weekend, the Rattlers would have needed to catch the Edmonton Stingers (11-7) for third place to qualify. It's the latest in a string of disappointing finishes to the regular season for Saskatchewan, with its last playoff game coming on Aug. 7, 2022 in a 108-96 loss to the Scarborough Shooting Stars. 'Yeah, it's frustrating,' Rattlers head coach Eric Magdanz said. 'We're all in this business to try to win, so to not have that opportunity to go for a championship is frustrating. We're trying to build a level of culture and a level of consistency, I think that's one of the reasons why I was brought in this year was to give some consistency to the coaching staff. So it's something we're going to look at moving forward.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Thanks to the league's expanded schedule of 24 games this season, the Rattlers will have some extra time to reflect on the end to their campaign with six games left on their schedule. 2:06 Saskatchewan Rattlers see playoff hopes dealt massive blow in loss to Calgary Even though playoffs are no longer in the cards this summer, Magdanz is confident his team won't take a mental dip down the stretch and take its foot off the pedal with valuable professional contracts still on the line. Story continues below advertisement 'We're going to make sure that we set them up to the best position possible,' Magdanz said. 'The best way to get a good contract is to win and to compete hard, because everybody is looking for those type of players. I'm not concerned about our level of effort or consistency down the stretch here, it's sort of ingrained in who we are.' For towering forward Grant Anticevich, it's been a challenging first season in the CEBL coming over from his home country of Australia and not seeing the wins pile up this year. When asked about what will be driving him down the final six games of the regular season, however, he credited the team's overall fight and desire to improve as they close off the year. 'It's always difficult when you're not making playoffs and necessarily not playing for anything,' Anticevich said. 'It can sometimes be hard to keep motivation, but we do want to get better as individuals and as a team. We love playing with each other, so I feel like we owe it to each other. No one is going to cave in, or give in, or not care the last part of the season. We've battled throughout the whole season, no one really wants to take the foot off the pedal.' One bright spot for Saskatchewan over its stretch drive to end the season will be the return of guard Jordan Bowden to the lineup, beginning this weekend in Ottawa. Story continues below advertisement Bowden was among the Rattlers' top offensive producers during his tenure before leaving the team earlier this month due to personal reasons, averaging over 17 points per game and recording a 40-point showing in a 93-90 victory over the Blackjacks on July 5. 'Jordan is just another offensive threat, another guy you can give the ball to when you need a bucket,' Magdanz said. 'We refer to it as gravity on the floor, the defence just shifts in his direction whether he has the ball or not because he's such a threat out there. Just another guy who is going to cause the defence to change, adjust and hopefully open up some things for other guys.' For veterans like Bandoo, the franchise's all-time leading scorer who returned to the court mid-season for the Rattlers for the first time since 2022, this final stretch will indicate what kind of team they really haven and how hard they'll play for one another with their goal of playoff basketball once again not coming to fruition. 'I think a lot of us were focused on individual things right now and I think that's what is hurting our nature and our character,' Bandoo said. 'When we practice together as a team, we're a phenomenal team and it's just being consistent with it. I think our goal is just to keep playing the right way for the next six games.' The Rattlers will head to Ottawa for a tilt against the Blackjacks on Saturday afternoon, with a noon tipoff, Saskatchewan time.
