LIONS SHOCK STAMPEDERS 41-40

CALGARY – B.C. Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke threw for 488 yards and engineered a 41-40 comeback win Saturday over the Calgary Stampeders.

The 24-year-old from Victoria recovered from two early interceptions, which the Stampeders converted into touchdowns, running for a pair of short-yardage touchdowns and throwing a pair of touchdown passes in the exciting CFL contest.

Completing 39 of 52 pass attempts, Rourke broke his own single-game passing record by a Canadian following the 477 yards he posted in last week’s win over Edmonton.

“There’s going to come a time in my life when I’m going to look back and realize how fortunate I was to be able to play with him,” Lions receiver Bryan Burnham said. “I’m just excited to be a part of it.”

Sean Whyte’s 25-yard field goal with two seconds left in the game capped the Lions’ comeback.

The Stampeders led by nine points midway through the fourth quarter when Peyton Logan scored on an electric 99-yard kick return, but the Lions chewed through that deficit.

“It wasn’t pretty by any means but we found a way to win, but credit the guys for staying together and finding a way,” Rourke said. “At this point, I’m just trying to help this team win in any way possible.”

Rourke threw touchdown passes to Burnham and Dominique Rhymes. Whyte also kicked field goals from 19, 38 and 23 yards.

University of Calgary alumnus Jalen Philpot scored his first CFL touchdown, as did defensive lineman Folarin Orimolade on an interception return for Calgary.

Shawn Bane had a touchdown catch and Rene Paredes kicked field goals from 28, 53, 32 and 51 yards in front of an announced 22,229 at McMahon Stadium.

The Lions (7-1) and Stampeders (5-3) rank second and third respectively in the CFL’s West Division behind the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (9-1).

Calgary and B.C. conclude their season series with a home-and-home Sept. 17 in Calgary and Sept. 24 in Vancouver.

Bo Levi Mitchell became the Stampeders’ all-time leader in passing yards with an eight-yard throw on Calgary’s opening drive.

He needed just six yards to vault over Henry Burris (32,191) and reach that milestone in his 10th season and 116th game with Calgary. Burris played 118 games for the Stampeders.

After two straight games without a touchdown pass, Mitchell threw two Saturday. The Stampeders quarterback completed 18 of 32 pass attempts for 206 yards and was interception-free, but he was unhappy with Calgary’s inability to finish the Lions off.

“Bad penalties, bad decisions. Everybody, from sidelines to the guys on the field, everybody was terrible,” Mitchell said. “It was a bad second half. You score 40 points, you can’t lose a game.”

(CP/Photo: CFL)