Nathan Rourke shines as Lions beat Elks to cap Week 1 of CFL season

VANCOUVER — Nathan Rourke threw for 324 yards and 3 touchdowns, and the B.C. Lions opened their CFL season with a 31-14 win over the Edmonton Elks on Saturday. 

The Canadian quarterback went 27-for-36 on his passing makes an attempt, linking up with Stanley Berryhill III two times finally zone. Justin McInnis stuck his first TD of the yr and James Butler drove in some other primary. 

Veteran kicked Sean Whyte contributed a 22-yard box purpose for the Lions, who performed their first recreation below rookie head trainer Buck Pierce. 

Elks quarterback Tre Ford post 178 passing yards, connecting on 17 of his 27 makes an attempt and throwing one interception. He used to be sacked two times.

Cody Fajardo chalked up two short-yardage dashing majors for Edmonton, who even have a first-year head trainer in Mark Kilam.

Rapper Snoop Dogg carried out for the introduced crowd of 52,837 fanatics ahead of kickoff. 

The recreation were given off to a promising get started for the Lions with Rourke and his teammates continuously running the ball up the sector to provide B.C. a primary down at Edmonton’s two-yard line. 

Chase Brice got here in for brief yardage responsibility and seemed to stretch the ball into the top zone on 3rd down. A assessment by means of the command centre, despite the fact that, decided the QB went down ahead of getting the ball around the line. 

Ford struggled early, going 0-for-3 on his first makes an attempt of the sport ahead of connecting with Zach Mathias for a six-yard achieve on his fourth try of the night time. 

Edmonton were given at the board with simply over 3 mins left within the first quarter when Cody Grace despatched a 66-yard punt into the top zone for a rouge. 

B.C. once more got here inside inches of a landing early in the second one body when Rourke threaded a crisp go to Jevon Cottoy immediately below the uprights. The Canadian receiver fumbled the ball, then stared at his gloves in obvious disbelief. 

Whyte posted the house facet’s first issues of the night time, booting a 22-yard box purpose to provide the Lions a 3-1 lead. 

The Elks took keep watch over once more halfway via the second one quarter when Fajardo muscled his method via site visitors for a one-yard dashing primary. Vincent Blanchard ignored the convert and Edmonton went up 7-3. 

The rating stood on the finish of the primary part after the Elks kicker despatched a 49-yard box purpose try large within the ultimate seconds of the body. 

B.C. got here alive early in the second one part, stringing in combination a ownership that ended with Rourke escaping the pocket, taking a couple of steps and crusing a 34-yard go to Stanley Berryhill finally zone. 

Whyte made the convert and the Lions jumped out to a 10-7 benefit. 

Edmonton had a chance to stage the rating mins later when Blanchard coated up for a 45-yard box purpose, however the kick once more went large. 

Rourke proved at the subsequent ownership that he is a twin danger, dashing for 13 yards on one play and 22 on some other. 

He capped the power with a 37-yard lob to Berryhill below the uprights and some other convert from Whyte larger the Lions’ result in 17-7 halfway during the 3rd quarter. 

Ford answered with some rapid ft of his personal within the death seconds of the 3rd quarter. The 27-year-old Canadian deftly darted round midfield to steer clear of more than one sack makes an attempt and were given a 37-yard go off to Justin Rankin, who in a similar way snuck previous a number of B.C. defenders ahead of being felled on the three-yard line. 

Edmonton opened the fourth with Fajardo powering via site visitors for his 2d landing of the night time. Blanchard despatched the convert during the uprights to chop the Elks’ deficit to 3 issues. 

B.C. stored urgent and introduced a seven-play, 86-yard scoring power, capped by means of a 17-yard go from Rourke to McInnis finally zone. 

McInnis, who hails from Pierrefonds, Que., led the CFL in receiving yards ultimate season with 1,469. 

The Lions defence set to work subsequent with linebacker Ben Hladik choosing off Ford’s go and rushing 61 yards to place his workforce again in top scoring place. 

B.C. capitalized with Rourke handing off to working again Butler, who sprinted into the top zone for the house facet’s fourth landing of the night time. Another convert from Whyte put the Lions forward 31-14. 

A large 92-yard kickoff go back by means of Javon Leake appeared to chop Edmonton’s deficit halfway during the fourth, however Elks linebacker Josiah Schakel used to be referred to as for an unlawful block at the play.

Lions linebacker Jeremy Lewis (hamstring) and defensive lineman Deshawn Stevens (foot) didn’t go back for the second one part. … The recreation marked the primary time two Canadian quarterbacks have began and long past face to face in a CFL season opener.

Elks: Host the Montreal Alouettes on Thursday, June 19.

Lions: Visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday.