Trevor Harris and the Saskatchewan Roughriders kicked off their regular season with a 17-13 victory over the Edmonton Elks in a nail-biting back-and-forth game. Despite some imperfections, the veteran quarterback completed 20 of 33 passes for 179 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions in his first regular season game with the Riders. Harris connected with seven different receivers, including Shawn Bane Jr. with six catches and 36 yards and Derel Walker, who scored his first touchdown as a Rider with three catches for 28 yards.
In the fourth quarter, the Riders held onto a slim 4-point lead, but the Elks had first-and-goal on the two-yard line. However, Saskatchewan’s defense pulled through with three consecutive stops on sneak attempts by backup quarterback Kai Locksley, effectively ending any hopes of an Edmonton comeback. Taylor Cornelius completed 13 of 25 passes for 202 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions in the losing effort for Edmonton. Off-season reinforcement Eugene Lewis had a big game, finishing with 148 yards and a touchdown.
The game started with Cornelius attempting to connect with Lewis, but a big hit from safety Amari Henderson resulted in an incompletion. The Elks’ first drive ended in a punt, and Harris struggled to move the ball on his first drive as a Rider. Saskatchewan’s special teams pinned the Elks down on their own one-yard line, but Cornelius led a successful drive that ended in the game’s first field goal by Dean Faithfull.
Saskatchewan took the lead in the first quarter when Harris found Walker for a touchdown, but Edmonton answered with an impressive 102-yard touchdown by Lewis, who caught a pass from Cornelius deep down the left sideline. The teams entered halftime tied at 10.
In the second half, the Riders had a chance to take the lead with a field goal attempt by Brett Lauther, but he missed, giving Edmonton a 13-11 lead. The Elks extended their lead with another field goal by Faithfull, but Saskatchewan responded with five consecutive passes for 62 yards by Harris, and a horse-collar penalty gave the Riders a first-and-goal from the eight-yard line. Saskatchewan settled for a field goal to retake the lead. The Riders’ defense stopped several Edmonton drives, and a late interception by Rolan Milligan Jr. sealed the win for Saskatchewan.
Both teams face tough West Division matchups in Week 2, with the Riders hosting the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday and the Elks traveling to Vancouver to face the BC Lions on Saturday.
In conclusion, the Saskatchewan Roughriders kicked off their regular season with an impressive victory over the Edmonton Elks. Despite some imperfections, the Riders’ offense and defense pulled through with crucial plays to secure the win. The victory sets the tone for an exciting season for the Roughriders, who will continue to face tough competition in the West Division.
