VANCOUVER – T. J. Lee knew the exact mindset the B.C. Lions defence needed against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
asserted
defence → know → Roughriders
“Grit,” said the veteran defensive back.
asserted
back → say → ?
Quarterback Nathan Rourke threw two touchdown passes and the B.C. defence forced several key turnovers for a 30-16 victory over the Roughriders on Sunday.
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defence → throw → Sunday
Lee and Stantley Thomas-Oliver both had interceptions.
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Lee → have → interceptions
Defensive end Lorenzo Mauldin sacked ‘Riders quarterback Trevor Harris twice, while defensive tackle Casey Sayles also had a sack.
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Sayles → sack → sack
“Our biggest thing with the front seven was put pressure on (quarterback) Trevor Harris,” said Mauldin, who came out of retirement last month to join the Lions.
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who → put → Lions
“Be able to understand he likes to get the ball out quick, so we need to be able to collapse the pocket and make sure he doesn’t step up.
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step → understand → pocket
“If we do our job, everybody will come out with a win.”
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everybody → do → win
Lions head coach Buck Pierce praised his defence for making big plays at the right time.
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Pierce → praise → time
“One of the best things about them is they’re able to stay in the moment, refocus after a big play,” said Pierce.
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Pierce → ’re → play
“To take the ball away like they did and continue to work.
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they → take → ball
It’s a group that’s hungry to be great.”
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that → ’ → ?
Rourke finished the night completing 22 of 28 passes for 355 yards and one interception.
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Rourke → finish → yards
He threw a 23-yard touchdown to Jevon Cottoy and a four-yard toss for a major to Keon Hatcher Sr.
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He → throw → Sr
Running back Zander Horvath also scored on a one-yard plunge.
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Horvath → score → plunge
The touchdown was Horvath’s seventh in the last four games, with six of them coming on the ground.
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six → come → ground
Cottoy finished the night with six catches for 110 yards.
asserted
Cottoy → finish → yards
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A crowd of 30,083 at BC Place Stadium watched the Lions win their fourth straight game to improve to 5-5 and move into a third-place tie with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the CFL’s West Division.
asserted
Lions → get → Division
Sean Whyte kicked field goals of 25, 35 and 44 yards.
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Whyte → kick → yards
Rourke was happy with the win, lauded his defence, but was disappointed with his own play.
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Rourke → laud → play
“Our defence is playing incredible,” said last year’s Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian.
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Player → play → ?
“I think we owe this one to them.
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we → think → them
I don’t particularly feel like I played the way I know I’m capable of playing.
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I → feel → way
Our defence made a ton of great plays to keep us in it.
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defence → make → it
I just feel like I’ve got to be better in this stretch.”
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I → feel → stretch
A brilliant catch by Stanley Berryhill set up one of the Lions touchdowns.
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catch → set → touchdowns
Berryhill caught the ball between two Saskatchewan defenders, took a big hit, and still managed to turn the play into a 58-yard gain.
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Berryhill → catch → gain
Harris completed 28 of 42 passes for 356 yards, one touchdown and the two picks.
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Harris → complete → yards
He connected with Dhel Duncan-Busby on a 32-yard scoring play in the fourth quarter.
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He → connect → quarter
Alex Hale hit on field goals of 47, 25 and 24 yards.
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Hale → hit → goals
It was the second consecutive loss for the defending Grey Cup champion Roughriders, who remain in second place with a 6-4 record.
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who → defend → record
The Riders were their own worst enemy, giving up turnovers and taking costly penalties.
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Riders → give → penalties
Saskatchewan was flagged for seven penalties for 72 yards.
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Saskatchewan → flag → yards
In the second quarter Saskatchewan was moving the ball on the possession after the Lions first touchdown when Harris looked for slotback KeeSean Johnson in the end zone.
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Harris → move → zone
The pass was underthrown, allowing Lee to record his third interception of the year.
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Lee → underthrown → year
Later, Saskatchewan looked to have tied the game but a 49-yard pass and run to Quali Conley was called back due to an illegal block penalty.
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pass → look → penalty
On the next series Harris hit Johnny Johnson III for a 36-yard gain, but Lions defensive back Deontai Williams stripped the ball away.
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Williams → hit → ball
Early in the third quarter the Riders thought they had recovered a fumbled punt for a touchdown, but the play was called back for a no-yards penalty.
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play → think → penalty
“Turnovers hurt us,” said Saskatchewan head coach Corey Mace.
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Mace → hurt → us
“We took three costly penalties.
asserted
We → take → penalties
…and 2 more, not listed.
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