Struggling Stampeders can't keep up with the Joneses or Elks in 35-20 Labour Day loss

Edmonton Elks' Tevin Jones (84) runs a fumbled ball past Calgary Stampeders' Branden Dozier (3) and Ben Labrosse (29) during second half CFL football action in Calgary, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh)

Tevin Jones caught a pair of touchdown passes from quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson to lead the Edmonton Elks to a 35-20 win over the Calgary Stampeders on Monday at McMahon Stadium.

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Eugene Lewis also had a receiving touchdown, while backup quarterback Dakota Prukop ran in another for the Elks (4-8), who had lost the previous two Labour Day Classic games — and 10 of the last 11 — to their provincial rivals.

Bethel-Thompson completed 25-of-36 passes for 486 yards to go with his three TD passes.

Dean Faithfull kicked a field goal and a single, while punter Jake Julien booted three singles.

Jake Maier tossed a touchdown pass to Kylin Hill in a losing cause for the Stampeders (4-7), who have dropped three straight games.

Peyton Logan returned a punt 104 yards for a touchdown, while Rene Paredes kicked a pair of field goals, including the longest one of his CFL career from 57 yards out.

Maier, who completed 22-of-34 passes for 297 yards, had a rough outing as he was picked off four times, including twice by Elks' defensive back Loucheiz Purifoy.

Julien accounted for all of the scoring in the first quarter as he kicked an 87-yard punt single followed by one that travelled 74 yards.

Faithfull put the Elks up 5-0 at 3:03 of the second quarter with a 41-yard field goal before Paredes responded with his 57 yarder.

Faithfull then had to settle for a single to put the Elks up 6-3 after his 29-yard field goal attempt sailed wide to the left.

Bethel-Thompson then engineered an eight-play, 84-yard drive that he ended by tossing a 10-yard touchdown pass to Lewis at 13:47 of the second quarter.

Maier responded by driving the Stamps down to Edmonton’s six-yard line before Calgary coach Dave Dickenson called a timeout with seven seconds left in the half. After Maier threw an incomplete pass, the Stamps had to settle for a 13-yard field goal by Paredes.

The Elks boosted their lead to 20-6 thanks to a seven-yard TD catch by Jones at 11:19 of the third quarter to cap off an impressive 14-play, 91-yard drive.

Hill caught a 12-yard pass from Maier for his first CFL touchdown with 34 seconds left in the third quarter to pull the Stamps within seven points.

Early in the final frame, Purifoy picked off an errant pass by Maier at Edmonton’s three-yard line.

On the next play, Lewis caught a pass from Bethel-Thompson and ran for a 25-yard gain before he fumbled the ball.

Jones adeptly picked up the loose ball and ran a further 81 yards before he was tackled by Calgary’s Kobe Williams. Prukop then ran in for a one-yard TD to put the visitors up 27-13.

After Logan got the Stamps back in the game with his punt-return TD, Jones secured the victory for the Elks when he caught a pass from Bethel-Thompson at midfield and ran the rest of the way for a 73-yard score.

Julien rounded out the scoring with a 63-yard single with 1:13 left on the clock.

Up next

Elks: Host the Calgary Stampeders (4-7) on Saturday in back end of home-and-home series.

Stampeders: Visit the Edmonton Elks (4-8) on Saturday in back end of home-and-home series.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 2, 2024