Lewis' late TD lifts Elks to 23-18 win, season series sweep of Stampeders

Edmonton Elks' Marcus Lewis, centre, tackles Calgary Stampeders' Reggie Begelton, right, as Kordell Jackson looks on during first half CFL football action in Calgary, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh)

Eugene Lewis caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Tre Ford with 1:09 remaining in the game to lead the Edmonton Elks to a 23-18 win over the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium on Saturday.

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Lewis also ran for a touchdown, as did backup quarterback Dakota Prukop for the Elks (6-11).

Edmonton has defeated Calgary (4-11-1) all three times the provincial rivals played each other this season.

The last time the Elks accomplished that feat was in 2002.

Boris Bede kicked a pair of singles for Edmonton, while punter Jake Julien also had one.

The Stamps built up a 5-0 lead in the first quarter thanks to a safety and a field goal by Rene Paredes before surrendering 17 straight points to the Elks.

Jalen Philpot then caught a touchdown pass from starting Calgary quarterback Matt Shiltz, while backup QB Tommy Stevens ran for a TD to put the Stamps up 18-17 with 4:54 to play.

The Stamps had a chance to win as the game clock time expired after Lewis restored the Elks' lead, but Shiltz’s pass to Reggie Begelton in the end zone was incomplete.

After the Stamps couldn’t get anything going on their first drive, Cody Grace booted a 56-yard punt that went out of bounds at the Edmonton five-yard line to pin the Elks deep in their own territory.

Ford dropped back in his own end zone to pass and was promptly sacked by Bailey Devine-Scott for a safety to give Calgary an early 2-0 lead. It was the first sack of Devine-Scott's three-year CFL career.

Paredes then kicked a 21-yard field goal at 4:35 to extend Calgary’s lead to 5-0.

After failing to score in the opening 15 minutes, the Elks responded with 16 points in the second quarter.

Lewis ran for a 15-yard touchdown at 5:15 to cap off an eight-play, 83-yard drive before Bede added a single by booting the ensuing kickoff through the end zone.

After Ford marched the Elks downfield into Calgary territory, Prukop finished off the 10-play, 80-yard drive by plunging one yard across the goal line at 12:38. Bede then added a 97-yard single to put the Elks up 16-5.

Julien accounted for the lone point of the third quarter with a 65-yard punt single.

After failing to get anything going since a 54-yard completion to Begelton early in the game, Schiltz engineered an impressive 12-play, 80-yard drive early in the fourth quarter that he capped off by tossing a three-yard touchdown pass to Philpot at 7:04.

Calgary’s two-point convert attempt failed after Edmonton’s Shawn Oakman picked off a pass by Schiltz that was intended for Begelton.

The Stamps got the ball right back after defensive lineman Clarence Hicks got his hands on a pass by Ford to knock it up in the air before he was able to haul it in before falling to the turf at the Edmonton 29-yard line.

Three plays later, Stevens ran for a four-yard touchdown and the Stamps took an 18-17 lead after Paredes made the convert.

After Lewis scored the game-winning touchdown, the Elks bid for a two-point convert failed when Calgary’s Demario Houston picked off a pass by Ford.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 12, 2024