2 days ago
Alford's last-minute 99-yard kickoff return TD lifts Riders to wild 39-32 win over Argos
Mario Alford's 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with nine seconds to play rallied the Saskatchewan Roughriders to a stirring 39-32 win over the ailing Toronto Argonauts on Friday night.
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Alford's return right came after Toronto's Nick Arbuckle made it 32-32. Arbuckle capped a 70-yard, nine-drive with an eight-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Mital, then found Dejon Brissett for the two-point convert.
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Arbuckle's heroics came after Brett Lauther missed a 33-yard field goal at 12:58 to put Saskatchewan (3-0) ahead 32-24 and keep Toronto (0-3) in the game.
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Tommy Stevens' two-yard scoring run at 4:38 put Saskatchewan ahead 31-21. Lirim Hajrullahu's 25-yard field goal at 8:02 pulled Toronto to within 31-24.
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Saskatchewan's wins have all come against East Division teams.
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Toronto — 0-3 for the first time since 2019 — came into the contest short-handed. Quarterback Chad Kelly (leg) and receiver/returner Janarion Grant both missed their third straight game for Toronto. Joining them among the Argos walking wounded were linebackers Wynton McManis (knee) and Jack Cassar (adductor), running back Deonta McMahon (ankle), receiver DaVaris Daniels (hip), defensive lineman Demarcus Christmas (Achilles) and offensive linemen Sage Doxtater (knee), Dylan Giffen (back) and Darius Ciraco (foot).
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Then in the first half, Toronto lost linebacker Kenneth George Jr. (leg) and defensive lineman Derek Parish (foot).
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The contest was a chippy one as the teams combined for 29 penalties for 307 yards (Saskatchewan had 18 for 178 yards, Toronto had 11 for 129 yards) before a BMO Field gathering of 12,025.
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Brissett and Jarret Doege also scored touchdowns for Toronto. Jake Herslow added a two-point convert, while Hajrullahu booted a convert and three field goals.
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Dohnte Meyers, with two, and ex-Argo A.J. Ouellette scored Saskatchewan's other touchdowns. Lauther kicked five converts and a field goal.
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Hajrullahu's 24-yard field goal at 8:42 of the third pulled Toronto to within 24-13. But Doege scored on a one-yard run at 12:59 before Arbuckle hit Herslow for the two-point convert to cut Saskatchewan's lead to 24-21.
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Harris opened the second half with a 70-yard TD strike to Meyers at 1:16, giving the Riders a 24-10 advantage.
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Hajrullahu's 56-yard field goal to end the second quarter cut Saskatchewan's halftime lead to 17-10. It followed Saskatchewan's goal-line stand with 56 seconds left as Kevin Brown was stopped at the Riders' one-yard line to end a 17-play, 97-yard drive that took 7:25.
