Roughriders bounce back with 41-20 victory over Alouettes


The Riders rolled to a 41-20 victory over the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday.

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It was a happy Canada Day weekend for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

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The Riders exploded for 30 second-half points en route to a 41-20 victory over the visiting Montreal Alouettes on Saturday. The Riders’ record improved to 3-1. The Alouettes fell to 1-3.

The result made up for the Riders’ 37-13 loss to the Alouettes on June 23. The Riders headed into that game on just five days rest after beating the Edmonton Elks 26-16 on June 18. The Green and White had only one official day of practice before heading to Montreal.

Both teams had nine days off before Saturday’s rematch at Mosaic Stadium.

The Riders, who had six sacks and returned one of their two interceptions for a touchdown, treated the spectators to a defensive gem. Anthony Lanier II had three sacks, Pete Robertson had two and A.C. Leonard had one.

Riders running back Jamal Morrow had 16 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown. Kian Schaffer-Baker led all receivers with seven receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown.

Riders quarterback Cody Fajardo completed 18 of 29 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns.

The Riders bounced back from a 13-11 first-half deficit with a 21-point third-quarter burst that gave them a 32-13 lead. Saskatchewan added nine more points in the fourth quarter.

The Alouettes opened a 10-7 first-quarter lead thanks in large part to an 84-yard kickoff return by Chandler Worthy. It was the second consecutive game that Worthy had returned a kickoff for a touchdown against the Riders. He returned the opening kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown in Montreal’s 37-13 win over the visiting Riders on June 23.

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Worthy’s latest touchdown return came 15 seconds after Saskatchewan’s Mitchell Picton caught an eight-yard touchdown pass from Fajardo. Brett Lauther converted the touchdown and the Riders held a short-lived 7-3 lead.

Montreal’s David Cote opened the scoring on an 18-yard field goal at 9:29 of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Lauther was wide left on a 48-yard field-goal attempt. The Riders settled for a single and trailed the Alouettes 10-8 at 2:33 of the second quarter.

Cote connected on a 38-yard field goal, staking the Alouettes to 13-8 lead at 10:21 of the second quarter.

Lauther then tied a career-long with a 57-yard field goal at 13:50 of the second quarter. The Riders went into the halftime break trailing 13-11.

Scoring third-quarter touchdowns for the Riders were Morrow (12-yard run), Fajardo (one-yard sneak) and Kian Schaffer-Baker (44-yard reception).

Morrow also scored on a two-point convert. Lauther converted the Schaffer-Baker touchdown as the Riders led 32-13 at the end of the third quarter.

Montreal’s Walter Fletcher scored on a three-yard run. The Alouettes trailed 32-20 after Cote’s convert.

Kaare Vedvik booted a 47-yard single to increase the Riders’ lead to 33-20 at 9:00 of the fourth quarter.

Cornerback Nick Marshall iced the Riders’ win when he returned an interception 90 yards for a touchdown at 10:56 of the fourth quarter. Morrow scored on the two-point convert, staking the Riders to a 41-20 lead.

The Riders’ next game is Friday when the Ottawa Redblacks are at Mosaic Stadium.

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