Quarterback Nathan Rourke scored on a spectacular 70-yard touchdown run, leading the B.C. Lions to a 37-24 win over the visiting Edmonton Elks in CFL action Friday night at B.C. Place.
Rourke also threw for 338 yards and a touchdown as the Lions (10-7) won their fifth straight game. The Lions have clinched a playoff spot and sit second in the league's West Division. Keon Hatcher, James Butler and Robert Carter Jr. also had touchdowns for the Leos, with kicker Sean Whyte kicking two field goals and three converts.
QB Cody Fajardo threw for 230 yards and a TD for the Elks (7-10) who are eliminated from playoff play. Fajardo added another touchdown on the ground, with Binjimen Victor adding a major and Vincent Blanchard booting a field goal and three converts.
The Lions scored the only points of the first quarter on a safety, when Ben Hladik hauled down Fajardo in the end zone with just under six minutes to play and gave B.C. a 2-0 lead after 15 minutes.
Edmonton bounced back, scoring 10 straight second-quarter points off a six-yard rushing touchdown by Leake (converted by Blanchard) and a 44-yard field goal from the Elks kicker.
B.C. evened things at 10-10 just before the half. Butler capped a long drive with a five-yard TD run with 12 seconds left and then carrying it in for a two-point convert.
The Lions took the lead early in the third quarter, when Carter Jr. intercepted Fajardo and took it 50 yards for the touchdown. Whyte's convert made it 17-10 B.C. He added another field goal, this time from 38 yards out, to up the lead to 20-10.
The play of the game came with six minutes left in the quarter. Rourke broke free for an electric 70-yard touchdown run, with Whyte booting the conversion to give the Lions a comfortable 27-10 lead.
Edmonton showed signs of life as the quarter expired, culminating an 11-play 61-yard drive when Fajardo connected with Victor on a 12-yard touchdown. Blanchard added the convert to pull the Elks within 27-17 with one quarter to play.
Early in the final quarter, Edmonton's Brandon Barlow picked off Rourke at the Esks' 30-yard line. The Lions quickly got it back when T.J. Lee returned the favour, intercepting Fajardo at the B.C. 23.
Rourke led the Lions quickly down the field, finishing the drive with a touchdown strike to Hatcher from 16 yards out. Whyte added the convert to boost B.C.'s lead to 34-17.
Fajardo, who came into the game having thrown only three interceptions all year, then tossed up his third pick of the game, this time to B.C.'s Jackson Findlay.
Whyte followed with a 33-yard field goal to give B.C. a 20-point lead at 37-17.
With 52 seconds left, Fajardo scored on a 15-yard scramble, with Blanchard's convert rounding out the scoring.
NOTES: The Lions, who have already clinched a playoff spot, wrap up their regular season on Saturday, Oct. 25 (4 p.m.) when they visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders... Hatcher finished with nine catches for 97 yards, while Butler had 15 rushes for 82 yards... Hladik led the Lions with nine tackles.
