97th Grey Cup
Encyclopedia
The 97th Grey Cup
was played on November 29, 2009, at McMahon Stadium
in Calgary
, Alberta
, and decided the Canadian Football League
(CFL) champion for the 2009
season. The Montreal Alouettes
came from behind to defeat the Saskatchewan Roughriders
28-27, on a 33-yard field goal by Damon Duval
as time ran out. Duval had actually missed a first attempt, but Saskatchewan was penalized for having too many men on the field, allowing Duval a second field goal attempt.
Montreal running back Avon Cobourne
was named the Most Valuable Player
of the game. Alouettes slotback Ben Cahoon
received the Dick Suderman Trophy as the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian.
(1975), the 81st Grey Cup
(1993), and the 88th Grey Cup
(2000). The game featured the Western Division Champion Saskatchewan Roughriders
and the Eastern Division Champion Montreal Alouettes
. It was the first time ever that these two teams played each other for the Grey Cup
.
grand marshal of the parade, on November 13. On October 12, it was announced that Blue Rodeo
would be the halftime show. The week's festivities also included the ENMAX
Street Festival and Stage on Stephen Avenue
; the Calgary Herald
Olympic Plaza
Family Fan Fest; the Molson Canadian
Quick Six Saloon at the Telus
Convention Centre; the Scotiabank
Grey Cup
Gala Dinner and Contest at the Pengrowth Saddledome
, featuring Great Big Sea
; and the McMahon Stadium
Pre-Game Party with live entertainment featuring Econoline Crush
.
, Avon Cobourne
, Ben Cahoon
; FGs Damon Duval
(2); 2-point cons., Kerry Carter
; cons., Duval (1); singles, Duval (1).
Saskatchewan Roughriders (27) - TDs, Andy Fantuz
, Darian Durant
; FGs Luca Congi
(4); cons., Congi (1); singles, Louie Sakoda
(1).
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
Montreal
kicker, Damon Duval
made good on his second opportunity to kick the winning field goal to give the Alouettes their first Grey Cup
in seven years with a come-from-behind 28-27 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders
at Calgary
's McMahon Stadium
.
From the start of the game, Saskatchewan dominated the game and led throughout the first 50 minutes. In the first quarter, Saskatchewan's quarterback, Darian Durant
consistently moved the ball by mixing pass and run plays against Montreal's top ranked defence. The first Saskatchewan drive led to a Luca Congi
field goal attempt that sailed wide, however, on their second possession, Congi was successful in his second attempt field goal attempt to give the Riders a 3-0 lead. Furthermore, the Saskatchewan defence also came up with big plays when Marcus Adams
managed to strip the ball away from Montreal quarterback, Anthony Calvillo
, while Keith Shologan
managed to pick up the ball and ran it to Montreal's 8-yard line late in the first quarter. On the next play, Durant found slotback Andy Fantuz
open in the end zone for a 8-yard touchdown pass to give Saskatchewan a 10-0 lead.
In the second quarter, Montreal looked to have gotten their offence back on track as Anthony Calvillo
threw a pair of passes to slotback Ben Cahoon
, which set up a 28-yard Damon Duval field goal to cut the lead to 10-3. Montreal would get another opportunity to gain more points, however, fullback Kerry Carter
would turn the ball over when he fumbled the ball on the Saskatchewan 17 yard-line. Then things would get worse for Montreal when Duval shanked two punts in a row, with the second punt only going for seven yards and out of bounds.
Due to the costly error, Saskatchewan would take advantage as Luca Congi
was successful kicking a 44-yard field goal, which was followed by a Louie Sakoda
single in the ensuing kickoff giving the Roughriders a 14-3 lead. On their next possession, Durant would complete a pass to Andy Fantuz on Saskatchewan's second-to-last play of the second quarter that was spotted on Montreal's 2-yard line. After a video review confirmed that Fantuz stayed in bounds to make the catch, Luca Congi kicked his third field goal to close the first half giving Saskatchewan a 17-3 lead.
In the third quarter, Montreal would force Saskatchewan to punt on their first possession of the second half, and then proceeded to drive down the field, with a key point being a play scrimmaging from the Saskatchewan 51-yard line where Calvillo received pass protection in the pocket and completed a pass to Jamel Richardson
at the Saskatchewan 31-yard line. The Montreal Alouettes capped that 9-play drive with a touchdown when Calvillo completed an 8-yard pass to wide receiver Jamel Richardson
mid-way through the quarter to cut the lead to 17-10. However, nearly seven minutes later, Congi would kick his fourth field goal of the game to put Saskatchewan ahead 20-10. However, on the ensuing Saskatchewan kickoff, Montreal returner Brian Bratton
evaded five would-be tacklers before getting pushed out of bounds by a sixth player of Saskatchewan's kick cover team at the Saskatchewan 50-yard line, giving Montreal a spark on special teams.
After a Damon Duval single 1:42 into the fourth quarter reduced the Saskatchewan lead to 20-11, Saskatchewan added to their lead in a drive that required less than three minutes of game time, completed when Durant rushed 16 yards for a touchdown. A successful single-point convert after the touchdown extended the Saskatchewan lead to 27-11. With the final 10:52 left in the fourth quarter, it looked like the Roughriders would secure their fourth championship as they were effectively running the ball at will against the Montreal defence. However, the Alouettes led by Anthony Calvillo
would battle back to erase Saskatchewan's 16-point lead.
With less than eight minutes to play in the fourth quarter, and Montreal trailing 27-11, Anthony Calvillo
threw from the Montreal-43-yard-line on a 2nd-and-10 attempt, and Brian Bratton
caught the pass at the Saskatchewan 3-yard line. On the ensuing 1st-and-goal play, Avon Cobourne
ran the ball into the endzone for a touchdown. Montreal attempted a two-point-convert, during which Calvillo stepped up in the pocket and successfully completed a pass to fullback Kerry Carter
(with Saskatchewan linebacker Sean Lucas in close coverage of the Montreal fullback) to reduce the Saskatchewan lead to 27-19.
On a play scrimmaging from the Saskatchewan 33-yard-line with under six minutes left in the game, Darian Durant
attempted a pass for Andy Fantuz
that was intercepted by Montreal's Jerald Brown
. On the ensuing Montreal possession, on a 2nd-and-10 from the Saskatchewan 32, Anthony Calvillo
ran the ball to the Saskatchewan 25-yard-line, three yards short of a first down. This set up a 3rd-and-3 situation with 2:34 left to play. Down by eight points, the Alouettes would gamble on third down. Needing to reach the Saskatchewan 22-yard line for a first down, Calvillo completed a pass to Jamel Richardson
in double coverage, and Richardson reached the Saskatchewan 15-yard line for a first down. With under two minutes remaining, on a play starting at the Saskatchewan 11-yard-line Calvillo stepped up in the pocket and threw to an uncovered Ben Cahoon
for a touchdown, bringing Montreal to within a converted two-point attempt from tying the game. The two-point attempt was missed when Donovan Alexander
's pass interference on a Calvillo throw to Jamel Richardson
was not called, and Saskatchewan maintained a 27-25 lead with just 1:45 remaining in the game. On the next Saskatchewan possession, the Roughriders could not manage a first down and were forced to punt after a two-and-out. On the Louie Sakoda
punt, Montreal returner Brian Bratton
fumbled the ball as he was hit by a Saskatchewan special teams player, but the football was recovered by Montreal's Etienne Boulay
, giving Montreal the chance to drive the field with less than a minute to go in the game. Montreal's task was made more difficult since the football went approximately ten yards towards the Montreal endzone before being recovered by Etienne Boulay
, meaning the Alouettes needed to drive down the field even further to be able to score.
With 0:31 remaining, on a 2nd-and-10 from the Montreal 34-yard-line, Calvillo completed a pass to Jamel Richardson
that moved the Montreal offence to the Saskatchewan 53-yard-line with 0:24 left in the game. On the ensuing 1st-and-10 from the Saskatchewan 53-yard-line, Calvillo threw a pass to Montreal receiver Kerry Watkins
, which Watkins caught very close to the ground at the Saskatchewan 40-yard-line, that was ruled incomplete. The play was reviewed extensively with video review and it was judged that there was not sufficient video evidence to overturn the incomplete pass ruling, which set up a Montreal 2nd-and-10 attempt from the Saskatchewan 53-yard-line with 0:10 remaining in the game. Calvillo would again throw to receiver Kerry Watkins
, with Watkins catching the pass and getting tackled at the Saskatchewan 36-yard-line with 0:05 left in the game. With Montreal trailing 27-25, Montreal kicker Damon Duval
missed wide right on a 43-yard field goal attempt that could have given Montreal the victory. Saskatchwan's Jason Armstead
returned the missed field goal kick from inside the Saskatchewan endzone to the Saskatchewan 6-yard-line and kneeled to end the play, at which point Saskatchewan players began to celebrate what they thought was a win. However, Saskatchewan had thirteen players on the field during the Montreal field goal attempt, and the referee made the call of, "Illegal substitution, too many men on the field, Saskatchewan. It's a ten yard penalty, we'll repeat first down". With Saskatchewan's 10-yard penalty for too many men on the field, the Alouettes moved to the Saskatchewan 26-yard-line with 0:00 on the clock (a game cannot end with a penalty) and attempted a 33-yard field goal for the win on the following play. Damon Duval
converted the 33-yard field goal to score three points for a 28-27 Montreal victory.
Venue: Ivor Wynne Stadium
, Hamilton, Ontario
The BC Lions
became the second West Division team to win in the East Semi-Finals by defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
34-27 in overtime, earning the right to play against the Montreal Alouettes
in the East Final.
Former Tiger-Cat quarterback
Casey Printers
threw for 360 yards, rushed for a touchdown
, and threw the winning eight-yard TD toss to Ian Smart
in overtime to seal the win in his return to Hamilton.
Hamilton came into the game as one of the CFL
's hottest teams, having won three straight, whereas the Lions finished the regular season losing three straight and earning the crossover playoff berth only after the Tiger-Cats defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
39-17 to clinch second in the East and eliminate Winnipeg
from post-season contention.
Printers was masterful in leading the Lions on two long scoring marches from inside their own 10-yard line that not only resulted in 10 points for the Lions, but prevented the Tiger-Cats from getting the ball in good field position and kept Hamilton's defence on the turf for long stretches. Printers was also very effective at throwing the ball away whenever he came under pressure from the Tiger-Cat defence, despite being sacked four times.
The biggest question in this game was the Tiger-Cats' decision to not exploit the biggest weakness in the Lions' defence. B.C.
came into the game having the CFL's worst run defence, averaging 138 yards per game. However, the Tiger-Cats ran the ball only seven times for 35 yards. Hamilton running back DeAndra' Cobb, who ran for 267 yards in the two regular-season games the teams played (with Hamilton winning both), had just six carries for 33 yards in regulation.
Still, after trailing 16-6 at halftime, Hamilton eventually tied the game at 16-16 on quarterback Kevin Glenn
's 28-yard touchdown pass to Dave Stala
, who made an amazing diving catch at 9:05 of the third quarter. It came after Hamilton had to settle for a Nick Setta
field goal at 4:24, after a Chris Thompson fumble
recovery and return to the Lions' 20-yard line.
But the B.C. Lions would counter with Rolly Lambala's one-yard touchdown run at 12:14, a major set up by a 34-yard pass interference call on Hamilton's Jykine Bradley
. Printers then took the Lions on an 11-play, 71-yard drive that culminated in a 33-yard Paul McCallum
field goal that put the visitors ahead 26-16 at 3:05 of the fourth quarter.
Although B.C. led 27-16 with 5:00 left, Hamilton booted a field goal with 2:13 remaining to get them within reach. On their next possession, Dave Stala pulled in a nine-yard touchdown pass from Glenn for his second touchdown reception. After the touchdown, the Tiger-Cats scored on a two-point conversion attempt to tie the game when Glenn again threw a pass to wide-open receiver Marquay McDaniel
in the end zone to send it to overtime.
After pulling off a last-minute miracle to tie the game, Hamilton fans became overjoyed as it seemed the momentum had switched to their home team. However, it was not to be.
Before overtime, Hamilton won the coin toss and elected for the Lions to have first possession of the football, which turned out to be a costly decision. On their first possession, Casey Printers and the B.C. offence took two plays to score the winning touchdown when Printers tossed the ball to Ian Smart, putting the Lions ahead 34-27.
The Tiger-Cats had a chance to tie the game but were shut down by Lion defence, which proved to be the difference in the extra minutes of play following the B.C. touchdown.
Emmanuel Arceneaux
was the top Lion receiver on the day, pulling in six receptions for a total of 120 yards, while Paul McCallum was good on all four of his field goal attempts, the longest a 43-yarder. B.C. generated 445 yards in total offence to Hamilton's 440, while the Tiger-Cats picked up 437 aerial yards. Nick Setta was also good on all four of his field goal attempts for Hamilton.
The Lions then headed to Montreal
to play against the Alouettes at the Olympic Stadium
, for a chance to advance to the Grey Cup
.
Venue: McMahon Stadium
, Calgary
, Alberta
The Stampeders opened the post-season the way it ended the regular season in Regina where they had three second-half drives and where within 20 yards of the end zone, but were only able produce just two field goals. In the opening half, the Stampeders again squandered three chances to score touchdown
s from inside the red zone and settled for three Sandro DeAngelis
field goals. Three of those Stampeders drives in the second quarter ended with Calgary quarterback
, Henry Burris
either shedding the ball under pressure or throwing an incompletion, which brought DeAngelis out onto the field.
On the other side, the Edmonton Eskimos were also unable to score a touchdown in the red zone as Stampeder cornerback
, Brandon Browner
stopped Edmonton
's running back
Arkee Whitlock
twice from within five yards early in the second quarter to prevent a touchdown. The Eskimos would depend on their kicker, Noel Prefontaine
to kick for two field goals and a last minute single point for all of Edmonton's first half points.
With both team's inability to score a touchdown during the first two quarters of play, Calgary only had a slim 9-7 lead into halftime.
However, in the third quarter, Henry Burris was able to throw a nine-yard touchdown pass to receiver Arjei Franklin
to take a 16-7 lead at 5:25 of the third quarter, capping an eight-play, 57-yard drive. However, Edmonton
's Skyler Green
would counter Calgary's touchdown score with a 93-yard touchdown return on the ensuing Calgary kickoff.
Heading into the fourth quarter, the Stampeders only led by two points leading only 16-14, before Calgary punter Burke Dales
kicked a 67-yard single 19 seconds in to give Calgary a three-point lead. Then at 2:52 of the fourth quarter, Henry Burris threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Romby Bryant
to increase their lead to 24-14.
Although the Edmonton Eskimos seemed to be out of it, the Stampeders gave them a chance after they were penalized for 35 yards, including two roughing the passer calls on Calgary's Charleston Hughes
, which contributed to the Eskimos second touchdown at 7:44 of the fourth quarter when quarterback, Ricky Ray
rushed in for the 1-yard score and trailed 24-21.
However, Edmonton's chances to get within field goal range to tie the game with four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter would be stopped, after taking two costly holding penalties that would keep them in their end of the field and were forced to punt the ball away, after Calgary's defensive tackle, DeVone Claybrooks
sacked Ricky Ray for a 10-yard loss, which forced Edmonton to rely on their defence to get the ball back. However, the Edmonton defence were unable to stop the Calgary offence who simply played out the clock to eventually win the Battle of Alberta
match-up.
With the win, the Calgary Stampeders ended a three-game losing streak against the Edmonton Eskimos in divisional semi-final games dating back to 2005 and went 4-1 against the Eskimos this season. They will now play the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium for a chance to advance to the Grey Cup
and play in front of their home fans in Calgary.
Henry Burris
would rush for 63 yards and completed 19 passes on 32 attempts for 264 yards and threw for two touchdown passes, while his counterpart, Ricky Ray was 18-for-30 and 162 yards, but no TDs. While Stampeders running back
, Joffrey Reynolds
, the West Division nominee
for the league's most outstanding player
, rushed for 127 yards, which is the fourth-highest in a Stampeder playoff game.
Venue: Olympic Stadium
, Montreal
, Quebec
The Montreal Alouettes
had a dominant 15-3 season while the BC Lions
was only 8-10, but the East final was widely seen as a toss-up due to the strong form of BC quarterback, Casey Printers
after joining the Lions in September and because of the Alouettes previous struggles against their rival from Vancouver
. However, the Alouettes set a franchise playoff record by scoring 56 points and dominated the BC Lions throughout the game.
The game turned only seven minutes in the first quarter, after each team exchanged field goals, BC running back
, Martell Mallett
fumbled the ball on the Lions' 22 that was eventually recovered by Montreal's Shea Emry
. On the next play, Montreal quarterback, Anthony Calvillo
found wide receiver
, Jamel Richardson
all alone in the end zone and threw his first touchdown pass of the game to give the Alouettes a 10-3 lead. On their next offensive possession, the BC Lions would turn the ball over again, when Casey Printers threw an interception to Montreal's Billy Parker
, who would return the ball for 45 yards, which eventually set up a four yard touchdown pass by Calvillo to Kerry Watkins
for a 17-3, Alouettes lead to end the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, BC defensive end
, Lavar Glover
missed his opportunity to tackle Kerry Watkins, which led to a 91 yard return that would set up a seven-yard TD toss by Calvillo to Richardson for a 24-3, Alouettes lead. The Lions would score their first touchdown of the game when Casey Printers threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver, Paris Jackson
that was started when Montreal's Larry Taylor
uncharacteristically dropped a punt return, which was recovered by Lions' safety Tad Crawford
deep into the Alouettes side of the field. However, the Alouettes offence came right back when Anthony Calvillo threw his fourth touchdown of the game to wide receiver, Brian Bratton
to give the Alouettes a comfortable 31-10 lead. Before the end of the second half, BC kicker Paul McCallum
punted the ball into the endzone to give BC an extra point, although the Lions' were trailing by 20 points into halftime.
At 4:54 into the third quarter, Lions' wide receiver and kick returner, Ryan Grice-Mullen
returned a 106-yard punt return to score a BC touchdown to cut the Montreal lead to 13, and broke the previous playoff record
of 103-yards by Eskimos
' legend Henry "Gizmo" Williams
, which was set back in 1992. Momentum could have switched for the Lions at that point, however, Grice-Mullen's touchdown return would eventually be the last time that BC could muster any further offence and scoring in the game.
For the remainder of the game, the Montreal Alouettes would score their remaining 25 points. In the third quarter, Anthony Calvillo threw another (14-yard) touchdown pass to Brian Bratton to tie a league playoff record for throwing five touchdowns in a single game. Later on, in the third quarter, Montreal's Cory Huclack
blocked a Paul McCallum punt, which was recovered by Jamel Richardson, who scored his third touchdown of the game.
In the fourth quarter, Alouettes' kicker, Damon Duval
added a field goal and a single point on a missed field goal to give Montreal a playoff franchise record of 49 points, which broke the previous record of 48 points that they scored against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
in 1956
. Montreal would then score their remaining touchdown on a John Bowman
41-yard interception return off BC backup quarterback, Travis Lulay
, who replaced Printers late in the game.
With the blowout victory the Montreal Alouettes will head into Calgary
to play in their seventh Grey Cup game
in ten years and will try to overcome a disappointing 1-5 record in those games to become champions for the first time since 2002.
Venue: Mosaic Stadium, Regina, Saskatchewan
The defending Grey Cup
champions, Calgary Stampeders
were hoping to win and repeat as champions on their home field at McMahon Stadium
. However, they had to get past the Saskatchewan Roughriders
who after 33 years finished first in the West Division and had home field advantage with the raucous Rider Nation on their side.
In the first half, the Calgary Stampeders showed signs as if they would succeed when kicker, Sandro DeAngelis
opened the scoring on the game's first possession with a 47-yard field goal to make it 3-0 Calgary in the first quarter. Eventually, Calgary would add to their lead when running back
, Joffrey Reynolds
, the CFL rushing leader, rushed for 17 yards for the touchdown to make it 10-0, Stampeders.
However, the Saskatchewan Roughriders would respond at 7:54 in the second quarter, when quarterback
, Darian Durant
threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Chris Getzlaf
to make it 10-7, Calgary. Then at 12:41 of the second quarter, kicker Luca Congi
would kick an 18-yard field goal to tie the game at 10-10. While both teams were able to score 10 points the first half was dominated by both defences, which kept the game tied at halftime.
At the start of the third quarter, Saskatchewan would eventually break the tie breaker as Darian Durant would throw two touchdown passes to give the Roughriders a commanding lead over Calgary. The first touchdown pass came at 2:19 when Durant threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Andy Fantuz
giving the Riders a 17-10 lead. Then at 11:04 of the third quarter, Durant threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Rob Bagg
giving Saskatchewan a commanding 24-11 lead, as Calgary was only able to score a single point in the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Saskatchewan would add to their point total when Congi kicked a 43-yard field goal to give the Riders a 27-11 lead. Late in the game, Calgary would cut the lead to 10, when Henry Burris
threw a 4-yard touchdown completion to Jermaine Copeland at 13:47. However, when Calgary attempted a two-point convert to make it an 8-point deficit, Burris' pass would be intercepted in the end zone which sealed the victory for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and ended Calgary's hope to become repeat champions on home turf.
With the victory, Saskatchewan met the Montreal Alouettes
at the 97th Grey Cup game at Calgary's McMahon Stadium, which also marked the first time that both these teams have ever met in a championship game.
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
was played on November 29, 2009, at McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located in Calgary, Alberta. The stadium is owned by the University of Calgary and operated by the McMahon Stadium Society....
in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, and decided the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
(CFL) champion for the 2009
2009 CFL season
The 2009 CFL season was the 56th season of modern professional Canadian football. Officially, it was the 52nd season of the Canadian Football League. The Montreal Alouettes won the 97th Grey Cup on November 29 with a last second 28–27 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders...
season. The Montreal Alouettes
2009 Montreal Alouettes season
The 2009 Montreal Alouettes season is the 43rd season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 55th overall. The Alouettes won their 6th Grey Cup championship, 28–27 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders....
came from behind to defeat the Saskatchewan Roughriders
2009 Saskatchewan Roughriders season
The 2009 Saskatchewan Roughriders season was the 52nd season for the team in the Canadian Football League. The Roughriders attempted to win their 4th Grey Cup championship but lost to the Alouettes in the Grey Cup final....
28-27, on a 33-yard field goal by Damon Duval
Damon Duval
Damon Duval is a professional Kicker and Punter for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. Raised by his mother, Cynthia, Damon attended Central High School in Harrison, Tennessee. At age 13, he played professional soccer in the United States Indoor Soccer League as a Striker for...
as time ran out. Duval had actually missed a first attempt, but Saskatchewan was penalized for having too many men on the field, allowing Duval a second field goal attempt.
Montreal running back Avon Cobourne
Avon Cobourne
Avon Cobourne is a football running back in the Canadian Football League. He currently plays for the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats...
was named the Most Valuable Player
Grey Cup Most Valuable Player
The Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player award is awarded annually to the player deemed to have the best performance in the Grey Cup Game, the Canadian Football League's championship game.-Grey Cup Most Valuable Player Award winners:...
of the game. Alouettes slotback Ben Cahoon
Ben Cahoon
Ben Cahoon is a former professional Canadian football slotback in the Canadian Football League who spent his entire career with the Montreal Alouettes...
received the Dick Suderman Trophy as the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian.
History
This was the fourth Grey Cup to be held in Calgary; the others were the 63rd Grey Cup63rd Grey Cup
The 63rd Grey Cup was played on November 23, 1975 before 32,454 fans at McMahon Stadium at Calgary. The Edmonton Eskimos won an extremely close game, decided on the last play, against the Montreal Alouettes by the score 9 to 8.-Box Score:...
(1975), the 81st Grey Cup
81st Grey Cup
The 81st Grey Cup was the 1993 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, Alberta...
(1993), and the 88th Grey Cup
88th Grey Cup
The 88th Grey Cup was held in 2000 in Calgary. The BC Lions won the game 28-26 over the Montreal Alouettes...
(2000). The game featured the Western Division Champion Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
and the Eastern Division Champion Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
. It was the first time ever that these two teams played each other for the Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
.
Tickets
The prices for tickets ranged from $195 to $370 (Canadian dollars) for the general public. Stampeders season ticket holders were eligible for reduced rates, with prices between $119 and $295. The game sold out in August 2009.Events
On September 21, 2009, the Calgary Grey Cup committee announced that the 97th Grey Cup would feature the return of an official Grey Cup parade. They later named Elisha CuthbertElisha Cuthbert
Elisha Ann Cuthbert is a Canadian film and television actress. Cuthbert is known as the former co-host of the Canadian children's television series Popular Mechanics for Kids. In 1998, she had her first film role in Airspeed. She followed this in 2003 with a role in Old School...
grand marshal of the parade, on November 13. On October 12, it was announced that Blue Rodeo
Blue Rodeo
Blue Rodeo is a Canadian pop and country rock band, which was formed in 1984 in Toronto, Ontario. They have been signed with Warner Music Group since their debut album Outskirts in March 1987...
would be the halftime show. The week's festivities also included the ENMAX
ENMAX
ENMAX Corporation is a vertically integrated utility that provides electricity, natural gas, renewable energy and value-added services to its customers.-Overview:...
Street Festival and Stage on Stephen Avenue
Stephen Avenue
Stephen Avenue is a major pedestrian mall in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The mall is actually the portion of 8 Avenue SW between 4 Street SW and 1 Street SE. It is open to vehicles only from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m....
; the Calgary Herald
Calgary Herald
The Calgary Herald is a daily newspaper published in the Canadian city of Calgary, Alberta.- History :The paper was first published on August 31, 1883 by Andrew Armour and Thomas Braden as The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate and General Advertiser. It started as a weekly paper with only...
Olympic Plaza
Olympic Plaza (Calgary)
The Olympic Plaza is an urban park and gathering place in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Located around Macleod Trail and 7th Avenue S., it was created as the venue for the medal ceremonies at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games...
Family Fan Fest; the Molson Canadian
Molson Canadian
Molson Canadian is a brand of 5% abv North American lager brewed by Molson, the Canadian division of Molson Coors Brewing Company. The beer was introduced in 1959.-Awards:Molson Canadian has won several beer industry awards, including:...
Quick Six Saloon at the Telus
TELUS
Telus is a national telecommunications company in Canada that provides a wide range of telecommunications products and services including internet access, voice, entertainment, video, and satellite television. The company is based in Burnaby, British Columbia, part of Greater Vancouver...
Convention Centre; the Scotiabank
Scotiabank
The Bank of Nova Scotia , commonly known as Scotiabank , is the third largest bank in Canada by deposits and market capitalization. It serves some 18.6 million customers in more than 50 countries around the world and offers a broad range of products and services including personal, commercial,...
Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
Gala Dinner and Contest at the Pengrowth Saddledome
Pengrowth Saddledome
The Scotiabank Saddledome is the primary indoor arena of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It has a seating capacity of 19,289 people.Located on the Stampede Grounds, on the east end of downtown Calgary, the Saddledome was built in 1983 to replace the Stampede Corral as the home of the Calgary Flames of...
, featuring Great Big Sea
Great Big Sea
Great Big Sea is a Canadian folk-rock band from Newfoundland and Labrador, best known for performing energetic rock interpretations of traditional Newfoundland folk songs including sea shanties, which draw from the island's 500-year-old Irish, English, and French heritage...
; and the McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located in Calgary, Alberta. The stadium is owned by the University of Calgary and operated by the McMahon Stadium Society....
Pre-Game Party with live entertainment featuring Econoline Crush
Econoline Crush
Econoline Crush is a band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada formed in 1992. Originally formed in Seattle, they eventually moved back to Vancouver...
.
Game summary
Montreal Alouettes (28) - TDs, Jamel RichardsonJamel Richardson
Jamel Richardson is a Canadian football slotback for the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. Richardson attended Corcoran High School before he was a two year All-Foothill Conference in Basketball and All-American in Football at Victor Valley College where he led the state in receptions and...
, Avon Cobourne
Avon Cobourne
Avon Cobourne is a football running back in the Canadian Football League. He currently plays for the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats...
, Ben Cahoon
Ben Cahoon
Ben Cahoon is a former professional Canadian football slotback in the Canadian Football League who spent his entire career with the Montreal Alouettes...
; FGs Damon Duval
Damon Duval
Damon Duval is a professional Kicker and Punter for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. Raised by his mother, Cynthia, Damon attended Central High School in Harrison, Tennessee. At age 13, he played professional soccer in the United States Indoor Soccer League as a Striker for...
(2); 2-point cons., Kerry Carter
Kerry Carter
Kerry Carter is a Canadian football fullback for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2003 and drafted by the Alouettes in the second round of the 2003 CFL Draft...
; cons., Duval (1); singles, Duval (1).
Saskatchewan Roughriders (27) - TDs, Andy Fantuz
Andy Fantuz
Andrew "Andy" Fantuz, is a gridiron football wide receiver who is currently a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed drafted by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the first round of the 2006 CFL Draft...
, Darian Durant
Darian Durant
Darian Bernard Durant is a professional American football quarterback who plays for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League . He played college football at the University of North Carolina...
; FGs Luca Congi
Luca Congi
Luca Congi is a punter/placekicker playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League....
(4); cons., Congi (1); singles, Louie Sakoda
Louie Sakoda
Louie Sakoda is a kicker and punter for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. In college, he played for the Utah Utes...
(1).
Scoring summary
First Quarter- SSK - FG Congi 40 (8:03) 3 - 0 SSK
- SSK - TD Fantuz 8 pass from Durant (Congi convert) (13:43) 10 - 0 SSK
Second Quarter
- MTL - FG Duval 28 (2:23) 10 - 3 SSK
- SSK - FG Congi 44 (13:28) 13 - 3 SSK
- SSK - Single Sakoda 85 kickoff, Taylor conceded in end zone (13:34) 14 - 3 SSK
- SSK - FG Congi 9 (15:00) 17 - 3 SSK
Third Quarter
- MTL - TD Richardson 8 pass from Calvillo (Duval convert) (7:13) 17 - 10 SSK
- SSK - FG Congi 23 (14:09) 20 - 10 SSK
Fourth Quarter
- MTL - Single Duval 52 punt went through end zone (1:42) 20 - 11 SSK
- SSK - TD Durant 16 run (Congi convert) (4:28) 27 - 11 SSK
- MTL - TD Cobourne 3 run (2-point convert, Carter 5 pass from Calvillo) (8:14) 27 - 19 SSK
- MTL - TD Cahoon 11 pass from Calvillo (2-point convert failed) (13:15) 27 - 25 SSK
- MTL - FG Duval 33 (15:00) 28 - 27 MTL
Montreal
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
kicker, Damon Duval
Damon Duval
Damon Duval is a professional Kicker and Punter for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. Raised by his mother, Cynthia, Damon attended Central High School in Harrison, Tennessee. At age 13, he played professional soccer in the United States Indoor Soccer League as a Striker for...
made good on his second opportunity to kick the winning field goal to give the Alouettes their first Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
in seven years with a come-from-behind 28-27 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
at Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
's McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located in Calgary, Alberta. The stadium is owned by the University of Calgary and operated by the McMahon Stadium Society....
.
From the start of the game, Saskatchewan dominated the game and led throughout the first 50 minutes. In the first quarter, Saskatchewan's quarterback, Darian Durant
Darian Durant
Darian Bernard Durant is a professional American football quarterback who plays for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League . He played college football at the University of North Carolina...
consistently moved the ball by mixing pass and run plays against Montreal's top ranked defence. The first Saskatchewan drive led to a Luca Congi
Luca Congi
Luca Congi is a punter/placekicker playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League....
field goal attempt that sailed wide, however, on their second possession, Congi was successful in his second attempt field goal attempt to give the Riders a 3-0 lead. Furthermore, the Saskatchewan defence also came up with big plays when Marcus Adams
Marcus Adams (Canadian football)
Marcus Adams is a Canadian football defensive tackle for the Edmonton Eskimos. He was originally signed by the Roughriders as an undrafted free agent in 2003 and played 8 seasons there before being released...
managed to strip the ball away from Montreal quarterback, Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo is a Canadian Football League quarterback, currently playing for the Montreal Alouettes. He is the all-time professional football passing yards leader and first in all-time CFL passing yards...
, while Keith Shologan
Keith Shologan
Keith Shologan is a Canadian football defensive tackle for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League...
managed to pick up the ball and ran it to Montreal's 8-yard line late in the first quarter. On the next play, Durant found slotback Andy Fantuz
Andy Fantuz
Andrew "Andy" Fantuz, is a gridiron football wide receiver who is currently a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed drafted by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the first round of the 2006 CFL Draft...
open in the end zone for a 8-yard touchdown pass to give Saskatchewan a 10-0 lead.
In the second quarter, Montreal looked to have gotten their offence back on track as Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo is a Canadian Football League quarterback, currently playing for the Montreal Alouettes. He is the all-time professional football passing yards leader and first in all-time CFL passing yards...
threw a pair of passes to slotback Ben Cahoon
Ben Cahoon
Ben Cahoon is a former professional Canadian football slotback in the Canadian Football League who spent his entire career with the Montreal Alouettes...
, which set up a 28-yard Damon Duval field goal to cut the lead to 10-3. Montreal would get another opportunity to gain more points, however, fullback Kerry Carter
Kerry Carter
Kerry Carter is a Canadian football fullback for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2003 and drafted by the Alouettes in the second round of the 2003 CFL Draft...
would turn the ball over when he fumbled the ball on the Saskatchewan 17 yard-line. Then things would get worse for Montreal when Duval shanked two punts in a row, with the second punt only going for seven yards and out of bounds.
Due to the costly error, Saskatchewan would take advantage as Luca Congi
Luca Congi
Luca Congi is a punter/placekicker playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League....
was successful kicking a 44-yard field goal, which was followed by a Louie Sakoda
Louie Sakoda
Louie Sakoda is a kicker and punter for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. In college, he played for the Utah Utes...
single in the ensuing kickoff giving the Roughriders a 14-3 lead. On their next possession, Durant would complete a pass to Andy Fantuz on Saskatchewan's second-to-last play of the second quarter that was spotted on Montreal's 2-yard line. After a video review confirmed that Fantuz stayed in bounds to make the catch, Luca Congi kicked his third field goal to close the first half giving Saskatchewan a 17-3 lead.
In the third quarter, Montreal would force Saskatchewan to punt on their first possession of the second half, and then proceeded to drive down the field, with a key point being a play scrimmaging from the Saskatchewan 51-yard line where Calvillo received pass protection in the pocket and completed a pass to Jamel Richardson
Jamel Richardson
Jamel Richardson is a Canadian football slotback for the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. Richardson attended Corcoran High School before he was a two year All-Foothill Conference in Basketball and All-American in Football at Victor Valley College where he led the state in receptions and...
at the Saskatchewan 31-yard line. The Montreal Alouettes capped that 9-play drive with a touchdown when Calvillo completed an 8-yard pass to wide receiver Jamel Richardson
Jamel Richardson
Jamel Richardson is a Canadian football slotback for the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. Richardson attended Corcoran High School before he was a two year All-Foothill Conference in Basketball and All-American in Football at Victor Valley College where he led the state in receptions and...
mid-way through the quarter to cut the lead to 17-10. However, nearly seven minutes later, Congi would kick his fourth field goal of the game to put Saskatchewan ahead 20-10. However, on the ensuing Saskatchewan kickoff, Montreal returner Brian Bratton
Brian Bratton
Brian Bratton is a Canadian football wide receiver for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. Having played with the Alouettes since 2007, he is a two-time Grey Cup champion, after winning in 2009 and 2010...
evaded five would-be tacklers before getting pushed out of bounds by a sixth player of Saskatchewan's kick cover team at the Saskatchewan 50-yard line, giving Montreal a spark on special teams.
After a Damon Duval single 1:42 into the fourth quarter reduced the Saskatchewan lead to 20-11, Saskatchewan added to their lead in a drive that required less than three minutes of game time, completed when Durant rushed 16 yards for a touchdown. A successful single-point convert after the touchdown extended the Saskatchewan lead to 27-11. With the final 10:52 left in the fourth quarter, it looked like the Roughriders would secure their fourth championship as they were effectively running the ball at will against the Montreal defence. However, the Alouettes led by Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo is a Canadian Football League quarterback, currently playing for the Montreal Alouettes. He is the all-time professional football passing yards leader and first in all-time CFL passing yards...
would battle back to erase Saskatchewan's 16-point lead.
With less than eight minutes to play in the fourth quarter, and Montreal trailing 27-11, Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo is a Canadian Football League quarterback, currently playing for the Montreal Alouettes. He is the all-time professional football passing yards leader and first in all-time CFL passing yards...
threw from the Montreal-43-yard-line on a 2nd-and-10 attempt, and Brian Bratton
Brian Bratton
Brian Bratton is a Canadian football wide receiver for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. Having played with the Alouettes since 2007, he is a two-time Grey Cup champion, after winning in 2009 and 2010...
caught the pass at the Saskatchewan 3-yard line. On the ensuing 1st-and-goal play, Avon Cobourne
Avon Cobourne
Avon Cobourne is a football running back in the Canadian Football League. He currently plays for the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats...
ran the ball into the endzone for a touchdown. Montreal attempted a two-point-convert, during which Calvillo stepped up in the pocket and successfully completed a pass to fullback Kerry Carter
Kerry Carter
Kerry Carter is a Canadian football fullback for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2003 and drafted by the Alouettes in the second round of the 2003 CFL Draft...
(with Saskatchewan linebacker Sean Lucas in close coverage of the Montreal fullback) to reduce the Saskatchewan lead to 27-19.
On a play scrimmaging from the Saskatchewan 33-yard-line with under six minutes left in the game, Darian Durant
Darian Durant
Darian Bernard Durant is a professional American football quarterback who plays for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League . He played college football at the University of North Carolina...
attempted a pass for Andy Fantuz
Andy Fantuz
Andrew "Andy" Fantuz, is a gridiron football wide receiver who is currently a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed drafted by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the first round of the 2006 CFL Draft...
that was intercepted by Montreal's Jerald Brown
Jerald Brown
Jerald Brown is a Canadian football defensive back for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League...
. On the ensuing Montreal possession, on a 2nd-and-10 from the Saskatchewan 32, Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo is a Canadian Football League quarterback, currently playing for the Montreal Alouettes. He is the all-time professional football passing yards leader and first in all-time CFL passing yards...
ran the ball to the Saskatchewan 25-yard-line, three yards short of a first down. This set up a 3rd-and-3 situation with 2:34 left to play. Down by eight points, the Alouettes would gamble on third down. Needing to reach the Saskatchewan 22-yard line for a first down, Calvillo completed a pass to Jamel Richardson
Jamel Richardson
Jamel Richardson is a Canadian football slotback for the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. Richardson attended Corcoran High School before he was a two year All-Foothill Conference in Basketball and All-American in Football at Victor Valley College where he led the state in receptions and...
in double coverage, and Richardson reached the Saskatchewan 15-yard line for a first down. With under two minutes remaining, on a play starting at the Saskatchewan 11-yard-line Calvillo stepped up in the pocket and threw to an uncovered Ben Cahoon
Ben Cahoon
Ben Cahoon is a former professional Canadian football slotback in the Canadian Football League who spent his entire career with the Montreal Alouettes...
for a touchdown, bringing Montreal to within a converted two-point attempt from tying the game. The two-point attempt was missed when Donovan Alexander
Donovan Alexander
Donovan Alexander is a Canadian football defensive back for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2008 and drafted by the Montreal Alouettes in the third round of the 2007 CFL Draft. He played college football at...
's pass interference on a Calvillo throw to Jamel Richardson
Jamel Richardson
Jamel Richardson is a Canadian football slotback for the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. Richardson attended Corcoran High School before he was a two year All-Foothill Conference in Basketball and All-American in Football at Victor Valley College where he led the state in receptions and...
was not called, and Saskatchewan maintained a 27-25 lead with just 1:45 remaining in the game. On the next Saskatchewan possession, the Roughriders could not manage a first down and were forced to punt after a two-and-out. On the Louie Sakoda
Louie Sakoda
Louie Sakoda is a kicker and punter for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. In college, he played for the Utah Utes...
punt, Montreal returner Brian Bratton
Brian Bratton
Brian Bratton is a Canadian football wide receiver for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. Having played with the Alouettes since 2007, he is a two-time Grey Cup champion, after winning in 2009 and 2010...
fumbled the ball as he was hit by a Saskatchewan special teams player, but the football was recovered by Montreal's Etienne Boulay
Étienne Boulay
Étienne Boulay is an Canadian football safety playing for the Montreal Alouettes.Boulay signed with the New York Jets of the National Football League for 2008 but was released in pre-season.-Early years:...
, giving Montreal the chance to drive the field with less than a minute to go in the game. Montreal's task was made more difficult since the football went approximately ten yards towards the Montreal endzone before being recovered by Etienne Boulay
Étienne Boulay
Étienne Boulay is an Canadian football safety playing for the Montreal Alouettes.Boulay signed with the New York Jets of the National Football League for 2008 but was released in pre-season.-Early years:...
, meaning the Alouettes needed to drive down the field even further to be able to score.
With 0:31 remaining, on a 2nd-and-10 from the Montreal 34-yard-line, Calvillo completed a pass to Jamel Richardson
Jamel Richardson
Jamel Richardson is a Canadian football slotback for the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. Richardson attended Corcoran High School before he was a two year All-Foothill Conference in Basketball and All-American in Football at Victor Valley College where he led the state in receptions and...
that moved the Montreal offence to the Saskatchewan 53-yard-line with 0:24 left in the game. On the ensuing 1st-and-10 from the Saskatchewan 53-yard-line, Calvillo threw a pass to Montreal receiver Kerry Watkins
Kerry Watkins
Kerry Watkins is a professional Canadian football wide receiver with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He was named a CFL East All-Star in 2005, 2006 and 2008, and a CFL All-Star in 2005. Watkins has played with the Alouettes since 2004 and has won Grey Cup championships in...
, which Watkins caught very close to the ground at the Saskatchewan 40-yard-line, that was ruled incomplete. The play was reviewed extensively with video review and it was judged that there was not sufficient video evidence to overturn the incomplete pass ruling, which set up a Montreal 2nd-and-10 attempt from the Saskatchewan 53-yard-line with 0:10 remaining in the game. Calvillo would again throw to receiver Kerry Watkins
Kerry Watkins
Kerry Watkins is a professional Canadian football wide receiver with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He was named a CFL East All-Star in 2005, 2006 and 2008, and a CFL All-Star in 2005. Watkins has played with the Alouettes since 2004 and has won Grey Cup championships in...
, with Watkins catching the pass and getting tackled at the Saskatchewan 36-yard-line with 0:05 left in the game. With Montreal trailing 27-25, Montreal kicker Damon Duval
Damon Duval
Damon Duval is a professional Kicker and Punter for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. Raised by his mother, Cynthia, Damon attended Central High School in Harrison, Tennessee. At age 13, he played professional soccer in the United States Indoor Soccer League as a Striker for...
missed wide right on a 43-yard field goal attempt that could have given Montreal the victory. Saskatchwan's Jason Armstead
Jason Armstead
Jason Armstead is a professional Canadian football and American football kick returner and wide receiver for the Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2003...
returned the missed field goal kick from inside the Saskatchewan endzone to the Saskatchewan 6-yard-line and kneeled to end the play, at which point Saskatchewan players began to celebrate what they thought was a win. However, Saskatchewan had thirteen players on the field during the Montreal field goal attempt, and the referee made the call of, "Illegal substitution, too many men on the field, Saskatchewan. It's a ten yard penalty, we'll repeat first down". With Saskatchewan's 10-yard penalty for too many men on the field, the Alouettes moved to the Saskatchewan 26-yard-line with 0:00 on the clock (a game cannot end with a penalty) and attempted a 33-yard field goal for the win on the following play. Damon Duval
Damon Duval
Damon Duval is a professional Kicker and Punter for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. Raised by his mother, Cynthia, Damon attended Central High School in Harrison, Tennessee. At age 13, he played professional soccer in the United States Indoor Soccer League as a Striker for...
converted the 33-yard field goal to score three points for a 28-27 Montreal victory.
Notable game facts
- The 97th Grey Cup was watched by 6.1 million Canadian viewers, making it the most-watched telecast in Canada for 2009.
- Both teams played in their 17th Grey Cup game.
East Semi-Final
Date and time: Sunday, November 15, 1:00 PM Eastern Standard TimeEastern Standard Time
Eastern Standard Time may refer to:*North American Eastern Time Zone, UTC-5*Australian Eastern Standard Time, UTC+10*An album by Hip Hop group Kooley High...
Venue: Ivor Wynne Stadium
Ivor Wynne Stadium
Ivor Wynne Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located at the corner of Balsam and Beechwood Avenues, two blocks west of Gage Avenue North in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada...
, Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BC Lions BC Lions The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954... |
3 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 34 |
| Hamilton Tiger-Cats Hamilton Tiger-Cats The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium... |
3 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 0 | 27 |
The BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
became the second West Division team to win in the East Semi-Finals by defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
34-27 in overtime, earning the right to play against the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
in the East Final.
Former Tiger-Cat quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Casey Printers
Casey Printers
Casey J. Printers was a professional American football and Canadian football player. He played college football at Texas Christian University from 1999 to 2001, leading his team to three straight bowl games, before transferring to Florida A&M for his senior year...
threw for 360 yards, rushed for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
, and threw the winning eight-yard TD toss to Ian Smart
Ian Smart
Ian Smart is a CFL kick returner and running back who is currently a free agent. Smart wears number 2 and went to C.W. Post College where he rushed for 2,536 yards in 2001....
in overtime to seal the win in his return to Hamilton.
Hamilton came into the game as one of the CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
's hottest teams, having won three straight, whereas the Lions finished the regular season losing three straight and earning the crossover playoff berth only after the Tiger-Cats defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
39-17 to clinch second in the East and eliminate Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
from post-season contention.
Printers was masterful in leading the Lions on two long scoring marches from inside their own 10-yard line that not only resulted in 10 points for the Lions, but prevented the Tiger-Cats from getting the ball in good field position and kept Hamilton's defence on the turf for long stretches. Printers was also very effective at throwing the ball away whenever he came under pressure from the Tiger-Cat defence, despite being sacked four times.
The biggest question in this game was the Tiger-Cats' decision to not exploit the biggest weakness in the Lions' defence. B.C.
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
came into the game having the CFL's worst run defence, averaging 138 yards per game. However, the Tiger-Cats ran the ball only seven times for 35 yards. Hamilton running back DeAndra' Cobb, who ran for 267 yards in the two regular-season games the teams played (with Hamilton winning both), had just six carries for 33 yards in regulation.
Still, after trailing 16-6 at halftime, Hamilton eventually tied the game at 16-16 on quarterback Kevin Glenn
Kevin Glenn
Kevin Glenn, Jr. is a professional Canadian football quarterback for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders as an undrafted free agent in 2001...
's 28-yard touchdown pass to Dave Stala
Dave Stala
Dave Stala is a professional Canadian football slotback for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted in the 6th round, 50th overall by the Montreal Alouettes as a placekicker in 2003. He played CIS football for the Saint Mary's Huskies...
, who made an amazing diving catch at 9:05 of the third quarter. It came after Hamilton had to settle for a Nick Setta
Nick Setta
Nicholas Setta is a player in the Canadian Football League and is currently a free agent. His primary position is kicker/punter and is classified under CFL rules as an import player.-Professional career:...
field goal at 4:24, after a Chris Thompson fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
recovery and return to the Lions' 20-yard line.
But the B.C. Lions would counter with Rolly Lambala's one-yard touchdown run at 12:14, a major set up by a 34-yard pass interference call on Hamilton's Jykine Bradley
Jykine Bradley
Jykine Bradley is a professional gridiron and Arena football defensive back for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Roanoke Steam as a street free agent in 2003...
. Printers then took the Lions on an 11-play, 71-yard drive that culminated in a 33-yard Paul McCallum
Paul McCallum
Paul McCallum is a professional Canadian football player currently playing as a placekicker and punter for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League...
field goal that put the visitors ahead 26-16 at 3:05 of the fourth quarter.
Although B.C. led 27-16 with 5:00 left, Hamilton booted a field goal with 2:13 remaining to get them within reach. On their next possession, Dave Stala pulled in a nine-yard touchdown pass from Glenn for his second touchdown reception. After the touchdown, the Tiger-Cats scored on a two-point conversion attempt to tie the game when Glenn again threw a pass to wide-open receiver Marquay McDaniel
Marquay McDaniel
Marquay McDaniel is a professional American and Canadian football wide receiver for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League....
in the end zone to send it to overtime.
After pulling off a last-minute miracle to tie the game, Hamilton fans became overjoyed as it seemed the momentum had switched to their home team. However, it was not to be.
Before overtime, Hamilton won the coin toss and elected for the Lions to have first possession of the football, which turned out to be a costly decision. On their first possession, Casey Printers and the B.C. offence took two plays to score the winning touchdown when Printers tossed the ball to Ian Smart, putting the Lions ahead 34-27.
The Tiger-Cats had a chance to tie the game but were shut down by Lion defence, which proved to be the difference in the extra minutes of play following the B.C. touchdown.
Emmanuel Arceneaux
Emmanuel Arceneaux
Emmanuel Arceneaux is a professional American football wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He has also been a member of the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League....
was the top Lion receiver on the day, pulling in six receptions for a total of 120 yards, while Paul McCallum was good on all four of his field goal attempts, the longest a 43-yarder. B.C. generated 445 yards in total offence to Hamilton's 440, while the Tiger-Cats picked up 437 aerial yards. Nick Setta was also good on all four of his field goal attempts for Hamilton.
The Lions then headed to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
to play against the Alouettes at the Olympic Stadium
Olympic Stadium (Montreal)
The Olympic Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics...
, for a chance to advance to the Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
.
West Semi-Final
Date and time: Sunday, November 15, 2:30 PM Mountain Standard TimeVenue: McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located in Calgary, Alberta. The stadium is owned by the University of Calgary and operated by the McMahon Stadium Society....
, Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edmonton Eskimos Edmonton Eskimos The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895... |
0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Calgary Stampeders Calgary Stampeders The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium... |
0 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 24 |
The Stampeders opened the post-season the way it ended the regular season in Regina where they had three second-half drives and where within 20 yards of the end zone, but were only able produce just two field goals. In the opening half, the Stampeders again squandered three chances to score touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s from inside the red zone and settled for three Sandro DeAngelis
Sandro DeAngelis
Sandro DeAngelis is a gridiron football placekicker with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He has also been a member of the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. DeAngelis is the most accurate kicker in CFL history and he won his first Grey Cup championship with the...
field goals. Three of those Stampeders drives in the second quarter ended with Calgary quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, Henry Burris
Henry Burris
Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian and former American football player. Burris plays the quarterback position with the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League's Chicago Bears...
either shedding the ball under pressure or throwing an incompletion, which brought DeAngelis out onto the field.
On the other side, the Edmonton Eskimos were also unable to score a touchdown in the red zone as Stampeder cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
, Brandon Browner
Brandon Browner
Brandon Browner is a cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football league.-High school career:Browner was a Prep Star West All-Region and All-Valley Mission League selection at Sylmar High School as a senior. He also earned Mission League MVP honors. As a junior, Browner played at...
stopped Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
's running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Arkee Whitlock
Arkee Whitlock
Arkee Whitlock is a professional American and Canadian football running back who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
twice from within five yards early in the second quarter to prevent a touchdown. The Eskimos would depend on their kicker, Noel Prefontaine
Noel Prefontaine
Noel Prefontaine is a professional Canadian football punter / kicker with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.- Early years :...
to kick for two field goals and a last minute single point for all of Edmonton's first half points.
With both team's inability to score a touchdown during the first two quarters of play, Calgary only had a slim 9-7 lead into halftime.
However, in the third quarter, Henry Burris was able to throw a nine-yard touchdown pass to receiver Arjei Franklin
Arjei Franklin
Arjei Franklin is a Canadian professional football slotback in the Canadian Football League who has plays for the Calgary Stampeders.Franklin is an alumnus of Agincourt Collegiate Institute....
to take a 16-7 lead at 5:25 of the third quarter, capping an eight-play, 57-yard drive. However, Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
's Skyler Green
Skyler Green
Skyler Green is a professional gridiron football wide receiver and return specialist who is currently playing for the AFL New Orleans VooDoo. He most recently played for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL...
would counter Calgary's touchdown score with a 93-yard touchdown return on the ensuing Calgary kickoff.
Heading into the fourth quarter, the Stampeders only led by two points leading only 16-14, before Calgary punter Burke Dales
Burke Dales
Burke Dales is a professional Canadian football punter for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
kicked a 67-yard single 19 seconds in to give Calgary a three-point lead. Then at 2:52 of the fourth quarter, Henry Burris threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Romby Bryant
Romby Bryant
Romby Bryant is a Canadian football wide receiver for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Tulsa...
to increase their lead to 24-14.
Although the Edmonton Eskimos seemed to be out of it, the Stampeders gave them a chance after they were penalized for 35 yards, including two roughing the passer calls on Calgary's Charleston Hughes
Charleston Hughes
Charleston Hughes is an American football linebacker for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Stampeders as a street free agent in 2008. He played college football for Northwood.Hughes has also been a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.-External links:**...
, which contributed to the Eskimos second touchdown at 7:44 of the fourth quarter when quarterback, Ricky Ray
Ricky Ray
Ricky Ray is a Canadian and American football quarterback who has played in the Canadian Football League and af2, as well as spending time on a roster in the National Football League...
rushed in for the 1-yard score and trailed 24-21.
However, Edmonton's chances to get within field goal range to tie the game with four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter would be stopped, after taking two costly holding penalties that would keep them in their end of the field and were forced to punt the ball away, after Calgary's defensive tackle, DeVone Claybrooks
Devone Claybrooks
Natravis Devone Claybrooks is a professional gridiron football defensive tackle for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2001...
sacked Ricky Ray for a 10-yard loss, which forced Edmonton to rely on their defence to get the ball back. However, the Edmonton defence were unable to stop the Calgary offence who simply played out the clock to eventually win the Battle of Alberta
Battle of Alberta
The Battle of Alberta is a term applied to the intense rivalry between the Canadian cities of Edmonton, the capital of the province of Alberta, and Calgary, the province's largest city...
match-up.
With the win, the Calgary Stampeders ended a three-game losing streak against the Edmonton Eskimos in divisional semi-final games dating back to 2005 and went 4-1 against the Eskimos this season. They will now play the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium for a chance to advance to the Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
and play in front of their home fans in Calgary.
Henry Burris
Henry Burris
Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian and former American football player. Burris plays the quarterback position with the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League's Chicago Bears...
would rush for 63 yards and completed 19 passes on 32 attempts for 264 yards and threw for two touchdown passes, while his counterpart, Ricky Ray was 18-for-30 and 162 yards, but no TDs. While Stampeders running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
, Joffrey Reynolds
Joffrey Reynolds
Joffrey Reynolds is a professional Canadian football running back, currently playing for the Calgary Stampeders...
, the West Division nominee
Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy
The Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy is a trophy awarded to the Canadian Football League West Division's Most Outstanding Player, chosen from the nominees from each team in the division...
for the league's most outstanding player
CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award
The Most Outstanding Player Award is annually awarded to the best player in the Canadian Football League. The Most Outstanding Player award can be compared to the National Football League's Most Valuable Player, otherwise known as the "MVP" award...
, rushed for 127 yards, which is the fourth-highest in a Stampeder playoff game.
East Final
Date and time: Sunday, November 22, 1:00 PM Eastern Standard TimeEastern Standard Time
Eastern Standard Time may refer to:*North American Eastern Time Zone, UTC-5*Australian Eastern Standard Time, UTC+10*An album by Hip Hop group Kooley High...
Venue: Olympic Stadium
Olympic Stadium (Montreal)
The Olympic Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics...
, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BC Lions BC Lions The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954... |
3 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 18 |
| Montreal Alouettes Montreal Alouettes The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions... |
17 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 56 |
The Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
had a dominant 15-3 season while the BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
was only 8-10, but the East final was widely seen as a toss-up due to the strong form of BC quarterback, Casey Printers
Casey Printers
Casey J. Printers was a professional American football and Canadian football player. He played college football at Texas Christian University from 1999 to 2001, leading his team to three straight bowl games, before transferring to Florida A&M for his senior year...
after joining the Lions in September and because of the Alouettes previous struggles against their rival from Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. However, the Alouettes set a franchise playoff record by scoring 56 points and dominated the BC Lions throughout the game.
The game turned only seven minutes in the first quarter, after each team exchanged field goals, BC running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
, Martell Mallett
Martell Mallett
Martell Mallett is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the BC Lions as a street free agent in 2009...
fumbled the ball on the Lions' 22 that was eventually recovered by Montreal's Shea Emry
Shea Emry
Shea Emry is a Canadian football linebacker for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the Alouettes in the first round of the 2008 CFL Draft. He played CIS Football at the University of British Columbia after playing three seasons of NCAA Football at Eastern...
. On the next play, Montreal quarterback, Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo is a Canadian Football League quarterback, currently playing for the Montreal Alouettes. He is the all-time professional football passing yards leader and first in all-time CFL passing yards...
found wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, Jamel Richardson
Jamel Richardson
Jamel Richardson is a Canadian football slotback for the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. Richardson attended Corcoran High School before he was a two year All-Foothill Conference in Basketball and All-American in Football at Victor Valley College where he led the state in receptions and...
all alone in the end zone and threw his first touchdown pass of the game to give the Alouettes a 10-3 lead. On their next offensive possession, the BC Lions would turn the ball over again, when Casey Printers threw an interception to Montreal's Billy Parker
Billy Parker
William "Billy' Parker V is a professional American, Canadian and Arena football linebacker for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League...
, who would return the ball for 45 yards, which eventually set up a four yard touchdown pass by Calvillo to Kerry Watkins
Kerry Watkins
Kerry Watkins is a professional Canadian football wide receiver with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He was named a CFL East All-Star in 2005, 2006 and 2008, and a CFL All-Star in 2005. Watkins has played with the Alouettes since 2004 and has won Grey Cup championships in...
for a 17-3, Alouettes lead to end the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, BC defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
, Lavar Glover
Lavar Glover
Lavar Glover is a Canadian Football League defensive back who is currently a member of the Edmonton Eskimos. He is 5'10", wears number 27 and weighs 180 lbs. He went to the University of Cincinnati and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2002 NFL Draft...
missed his opportunity to tackle Kerry Watkins, which led to a 91 yard return that would set up a seven-yard TD toss by Calvillo to Richardson for a 24-3, Alouettes lead. The Lions would score their first touchdown of the game when Casey Printers threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver, Paris Jackson
Paris Jackson
Paris Jackson is a professional Canadian football slotback for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted sixth overall by the Lions in the 2003 CFL Draft and signed with the team on August 30, 2003...
that was started when Montreal's Larry Taylor
Larry Taylor (Canadian football)
Larry Taylor is a gridiron football wide receiver and kick returner for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He originally signed with the Montreal Alouettes as a free agent in 2008...
uncharacteristically dropped a punt return, which was recovered by Lions' safety Tad Crawford
Tad Crawford
Tad Crawford is a Canadian football safety for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted in the third round of the 2007 CFL Draft by the BC Lions. He played college football at Columbia. He played for the BC Lions from 2007 until 2010...
deep into the Alouettes side of the field. However, the Alouettes offence came right back when Anthony Calvillo threw his fourth touchdown of the game to wide receiver, Brian Bratton
Brian Bratton
Brian Bratton is a Canadian football wide receiver for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. Having played with the Alouettes since 2007, he is a two-time Grey Cup champion, after winning in 2009 and 2010...
to give the Alouettes a comfortable 31-10 lead. Before the end of the second half, BC kicker Paul McCallum
Paul McCallum
Paul McCallum is a professional Canadian football player currently playing as a placekicker and punter for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League...
punted the ball into the endzone to give BC an extra point, although the Lions' were trailing by 20 points into halftime.
At 4:54 into the third quarter, Lions' wide receiver and kick returner, Ryan Grice-Mullen
Ryan Grice-Mullen
Ryan Grice-Mullen is a Canadian football wide receiver for the Edmonton Eskimos. He most recently was a member of the Hartford Colonials. He was signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
returned a 106-yard punt return to score a BC touchdown to cut the Montreal lead to 13, and broke the previous playoff record
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
of 103-yards by Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
' legend Henry "Gizmo" Williams
Gizmo Williams
Henry L. "Gizmo" Williams is a retired American and Canadian football kick returner and wide receiver...
, which was set back in 1992. Momentum could have switched for the Lions at that point, however, Grice-Mullen's touchdown return would eventually be the last time that BC could muster any further offence and scoring in the game.
For the remainder of the game, the Montreal Alouettes would score their remaining 25 points. In the third quarter, Anthony Calvillo threw another (14-yard) touchdown pass to Brian Bratton to tie a league playoff record for throwing five touchdowns in a single game. Later on, in the third quarter, Montreal's Cory Huclack
Cory Huclack
Cory Huclack is a professional Canadian football linebacker for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played CIS Football for the Manitoba Bisons.-External links:*...
blocked a Paul McCallum punt, which was recovered by Jamel Richardson, who scored his third touchdown of the game.
In the fourth quarter, Alouettes' kicker, Damon Duval
Damon Duval
Damon Duval is a professional Kicker and Punter for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. Raised by his mother, Cynthia, Damon attended Central High School in Harrison, Tennessee. At age 13, he played professional soccer in the United States Indoor Soccer League as a Striker for...
added a field goal and a single point on a missed field goal to give Montreal a playoff franchise record of 49 points, which broke the previous record of 48 points that they scored against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
in 1956
1956 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1956:On Sunday, January 22, the Canadian Football Council was formed in Winnipeg and the national negotiation list was introduced. G. Sydney Halter, QC was named as the Canadian Football Council Commissioner....
. Montreal would then score their remaining touchdown on a John Bowman
John Bowman (Canadian football)
John Bowman is a professional Canadian football defensive end for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Daytona Beach Hawgs in 2005. He played college football for Wingate.Bowman has also played for the Rome Renegades.-External...
41-yard interception return off BC backup quarterback, Travis Lulay
Travis Lulay
Travis Lulay is a professional American and Canadian football quarterback for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. In his first season as a full-time starter, Lulay won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award in 2011 and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2011 Grey Cup...
, who replaced Printers late in the game.
With the blowout victory the Montreal Alouettes will head into Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
to play in their seventh Grey Cup game
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
in ten years and will try to overcome a disappointing 1-5 record in those games to become champions for the first time since 2002.
West Final
Date and time: Sunday, November 22, 3:30 PM Central Standard TimeVenue: Mosaic Stadium, Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calgary Stampeders Calgary Stampeders The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium... |
3 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 17 |
| Saskatchewan Roughriders Saskatchewan Roughriders The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor... |
0 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 27 |
The defending Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
champions, Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
were hoping to win and repeat as champions on their home field at McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located in Calgary, Alberta. The stadium is owned by the University of Calgary and operated by the McMahon Stadium Society....
. However, they had to get past the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
who after 33 years finished first in the West Division and had home field advantage with the raucous Rider Nation on their side.
In the first half, the Calgary Stampeders showed signs as if they would succeed when kicker, Sandro DeAngelis
Sandro DeAngelis
Sandro DeAngelis is a gridiron football placekicker with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He has also been a member of the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. DeAngelis is the most accurate kicker in CFL history and he won his first Grey Cup championship with the...
opened the scoring on the game's first possession with a 47-yard field goal to make it 3-0 Calgary in the first quarter. Eventually, Calgary would add to their lead when running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
, Joffrey Reynolds
Joffrey Reynolds
Joffrey Reynolds is a professional Canadian football running back, currently playing for the Calgary Stampeders...
, the CFL rushing leader, rushed for 17 yards for the touchdown to make it 10-0, Stampeders.
However, the Saskatchewan Roughriders would respond at 7:54 in the second quarter, when quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, Darian Durant
Darian Durant
Darian Bernard Durant is a professional American football quarterback who plays for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League . He played college football at the University of North Carolina...
threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Chris Getzlaf
Chris Getzlaf
Chris Getzlaf is a Canadian professional football slotback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League .-Early life:...
to make it 10-7, Calgary. Then at 12:41 of the second quarter, kicker Luca Congi
Luca Congi
Luca Congi is a punter/placekicker playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League....
would kick an 18-yard field goal to tie the game at 10-10. While both teams were able to score 10 points the first half was dominated by both defences, which kept the game tied at halftime.
At the start of the third quarter, Saskatchewan would eventually break the tie breaker as Darian Durant would throw two touchdown passes to give the Roughriders a commanding lead over Calgary. The first touchdown pass came at 2:19 when Durant threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Andy Fantuz
Andy Fantuz
Andrew "Andy" Fantuz, is a gridiron football wide receiver who is currently a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed drafted by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the first round of the 2006 CFL Draft...
giving the Riders a 17-10 lead. Then at 11:04 of the third quarter, Durant threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Rob Bagg
Rob Bagg
Rob Bagg is a Canadian football wide receiver for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.-High School:Bagg attended Frontenac Secondary School in Kingston, Ontario from 1999 to 2003...
giving Saskatchewan a commanding 24-11 lead, as Calgary was only able to score a single point in the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Saskatchewan would add to their point total when Congi kicked a 43-yard field goal to give the Riders a 27-11 lead. Late in the game, Calgary would cut the lead to 10, when Henry Burris
Henry Burris
Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian and former American football player. Burris plays the quarterback position with the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League's Chicago Bears...
threw a 4-yard touchdown completion to Jermaine Copeland at 13:47. However, when Calgary attempted a two-point convert to make it an 8-point deficit, Burris' pass would be intercepted in the end zone which sealed the victory for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and ended Calgary's hope to become repeat champions on home turf.
With the victory, Saskatchewan met the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
at the 97th Grey Cup game at Calgary's McMahon Stadium, which also marked the first time that both these teams have ever met in a championship game.