Elks rally in final quarter to edge Stampeders 25-23

Calgary Stampeders' Darius Williams (45) and Charlie Moore (43) try to stop Edmonton Elks' CJ Sims (16) during first half CFL action in Edmonton on Saturday, September 9, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson)

Dean Faithfull kicked a 42-yard field goal as time expired as the Edmonton Elks gave the Calgary Stampeders a taste of their own medicine, coming from behind to record a 25-23 victory on Saturday.

The Elks, who blew a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter in Monday’s Labour Day loss to Calgary, kept their faint playoff hopes alive, improving to 3-10.

The Stampeders (4-9) have lost four of their last five.

The Elks had a strong start to the contest with a touchdown on their first possession as Kevin Brown found a seam up the middle and scampered 45 yards into the end zone.

Calgary quarterback Jake Maier responded by finding Markeith Ambles for a 35-yard passing play, eventually setting up a 37-yard Rene Paredes field goal.

The Stampeders took the lead midway through the second quarter when Maier completed a short three-yard TD pass to William Langlais.

Calgary took a 17-7 lead into the dressing room at the half after Maier hit Reggie Begelton for a 10-yard touchdown catch with five seconds remaining in the second frame.

Edmonton quarterback Tre Ford, who was rattled by a hit late in the second, remained in the game to start the third but had a pass picked off early in the quarter by Brad Muhammad, setting up a 25-yard Paredes field goal.

Paredes added a 29-yard field goal late in the third.

The Elks clawed back into the game with a one-yard TD plunge by backup quarterback Taylor Cornelius on a third down gamble to start the fourth. The two-point convert attempt failed.

After having only passed for 26 yards to that point in the game, Ford finally found his arm on successive big passes, hitting Eugene Lewis for a 33-yard catch and then Dillon Mitchell for a 32-yard TD with nine minutes to go in the fourth. However, Faithfull’s convert kick was wide, keeping the Stamps up by four points.

Edmonton kept up the comeback bid, getting a 40-yard Faithfull field goal with five minutes to play to make it a one-point game.

The Elks got the ball back late and drove down the field to allow Faithfull to kick the game-winning field goal as time expired.

UP NEXT

The Elks are in Saskatchewan to face the Roughriders next Friday. The Stampeders have a bye week.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2023.