CFL SIM: SASKATCHEWAN 18 BC 13

REGINA – An 84-yard virtual touchdown bomb from Cody Fajardo to Brayden Lenius in the first quarter highlighted an 18-13 victory for the Saskatchewan Roughriders over the BC Lions Friday night in CFL SIM action.

In a computer-generated game on Doug Flutie’s Maximum Football, it was another tough-slugging, low-scoring West Division meat grinder of a game which was sprinkled by big plays and a late Lions rally under SIM passing leader Mike Reilly.

Rider kicker Brett Lauther missed a 50-yard field goal attempt which would’ve opened the scoring at a sold-out Mosaic Stadium, however the Lenius touchdown came with 1:06 remaining in the first quarter which gave Sask a 7-0 lead after 15 minutes.

Things opened up in the second quarter on a steamy summer night as Lions kicker Sergio Castillo got his team on the board with a 27-yarder at the 5:20 mark. 7-3 Riders. However two Lauther field goals (47 and 44 yards) plus a 46-yard Jon Ryan punt single gave the Riders a 14-3 lead at the break.

The halftime show was highlighted by a live performance by Nick Faye, lead singer of Nick Faye & The Deputies. (The national anthem was performed on the Facebook Live broadcast by Sing Like A Star student Brook-Lynn Emery).

The lone scoring in the third quarter was a 47-yard punt single by Jon Ryan giving the Green & White a 15-3 lead going into what would be a wild fourth quarter.

The Riders conceded a safety at the 10:09 mark making it 15-5 Sask, then Reilly led BC on a long, methodic drive culminating with a 16-yard Caleb Holley touchdown. The 2-point conversion was successful as Reilly found Shaq Johnson in the back left corner of the south endzone, making it 15-13 Riders with 1:16 to go.

However Fajardo and the green guys choked the life out of the Lions, mounting an insurance drive which ended in a 45-yard Lauther field goal with 0:23 remaining. 18-13 Riders, and the clock hit 0:00 on the Lions’ last ditch drive.

The victory snapped the Lions’ 5-game winning streak and dropped their record to 5-4. Saskatchewan pulled even with BC in the West at 5-2, however they’re still in arrears of Edmonton (6-1) and Calgary (6-2). The defending Grey Cup champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers are in the West Division cellar for the time being at 2-4.

Other Week 9 CFL SIM games included Winnipeg at Ottawa, Toronto at Calgary and Montreal at Hamilton.

They will be computer simulated at www.twitch.tv/nhacker49.

(Nelson Hackewich/Doug Flutie’s Maximum Football)