CFL FRIDAY PRESEASON: REDBLACKS, ELKS VICTORIOUS

OTTAWA – The Ottawa Redblacks had some late-game heroics to squeeze out a 23-17 win over the visiting Toronto Argonauts Friday night at TD Place. In the first pre-season CFL game since 2019, Ottawa scored 16 fourth quarter points to rally the victory.

The Argos started off slow, but seemed to find their rhythm as the game went on, but it was the Redblacks who came up big when it counted.

Jeremiah Masoli was 8 for 11 for 105 yards and one touchdown in his Ottawa debut. Caleb Evans was 9 for 17 for 116 yards and one interception.

Third-string QB Tyrie Adams was the game hero finishing 6 for 9 for 68 yards with one interception and a rushing touchdown which came with 20 seconds remaining.

Antonio Pipkin got the start at quarterback for the Argos going 7 for 9 for 60 yards and one interception and shared the workload with Chad Kelly who was 7 for 12 for 78 yards. Austin Simmons also got in on the action finishing 2 for 5 for 19 yards.

The Redblacks held a 7-3 lead at the half, but struggled to generate momentum in the second half until the final minute.

The Argos took a 10-7 lead early in the fourth quarter as Javon Leake ran in a four-yard TD and Toshiki Sato added the convert. The back-breaker was a Jamal Peters 58-yard interception in the fourth quarter that he ran all the way back to give Toronto a 17-7 lead.

Ottawa made things close as Adams connected with R.J. Harris for an 11-yard touchdown pass to make it 17-14 with five minutes remaining.

The Argos, pinned deep, conceded a safety to make it 17-16 with 1:21 remaining and it came back to bite them as the Redblacks drove down the field culminating with Adams punching in a one-yard TD.

The Redblacks dressed 85 players, the most ever for a pre-season game.

WINNIPEG – Nick Arbuckle passed for a pair of touchdowns and 145 yards as the Edmonton Elks downed the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 30-20 in pre-season action on Friday.

It was Arbuckle’s first game action with the Elks. The three-year veteran was acquired last October in a trade with the Toronto Argonauts, but never got into a game with his new teammates.

Both teams were assessing their quarterbacks in front of 20,518 fans at IG Field.

The back-to-back Grey Cup-champion Bombers played a number of their starters on both sides of the ball, but sat starting quarterback Zach Collaros.

Second-year Bombers quarterback Dru Brown was 10-of-13 passing for 108 yards. Former Elks quarterback Dakota Prukop was 5 of 14 for 81 yards with two interceptions for his new club.

Elks head coach and general manager Chris Jones hasn’t declared his starting quarterback and took a look at four options: Arbuckle, Taylor Cornelius, Tre Ford and Kai Locksley. Most of Edmonton’s starting offensive line suited up to help with the auditions.

Receivers Caleb Holley and Ka’Ron Ashley caught touchdown passes for Edmonton, and Cornelius kept the ball on a successful quarterback sneak.

Elks kicker Gregory Hutchins connected on field goals from 44, 15 and 24 yards and made two convert attempts. Rafael Gaglianone was also good on a convert but went wide on a 49-yard field-goal attempt.

Winnipeg got touchdowns from Dalton Schoen, Prukop and Brown. Kicker Ali Mourtada made one convert and hit the upright on another. Marc Liegghio was good on his one convert attempt.

Edmonton led 10-7 after the first quarter, 17-14 at half-time and 24-20 after three quarters.

All CFL teams have to cut their rosters to 75 players by 10:59 CT on May 28.

(Canadian Press/Photos: CFL, Dave Petrishen)