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Features November 1, 2025

Stamps Eliminated In Heartbreaker

In a back and forth affair between two of the West Division’s finest, the BC Lions took down the Stampeders 33-30 to move onto the Western Final to face the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The thriller of a game will be the last of the 2025 season for the Calgary Stampeders.

STAT PACK 

Vernon Adams Jr. 22–-for–33,  334 yards, two touchdowns

Jalen Philpot –  seven receptions, 120 yards, one touchdown

Dedrick Mills –  14 carries, 111 yards, three receptions, 25 yards

Clark Barnes – four receptions,  73 yards, one touchdown

The BC Lions offence got started quickly on the Calgary 42-yard line thanks to a 55-yard return from Seven McGee to kickoff the Western Division Semi-Final. The Leo’s would bring out kicker Sean Whyte to complete a 40-yard field goal to put BC up 3-0 just a couple minutes into the game.

Later in the first quarter, the Stamps defence was a catalyst for the offence after a sack from Miles Brown with five minutes remaining in the first quarter ignited the Red and White. Vernon Adams Jr. and the his weapons couldn’t muster a touchdown on the following drive, but opted for a Rene Paredes 50-yard field goal to even the game at 3-3.

Three minutes into the second quarter, Stamps punter Mark Vassett lined a boot down to the BC 1-yard line and out of bounds for a rouge to give the Red and White the lead at 4-3. On the following defensive drive, DL Jaylon Hutchings sacked Lions pivot Nathan Rourke and the Stamps followed that up with another sack catalyzed from D-lineman Justin Sambu.

That wasn’t enough to stop the Lions attack as Rourke found the CFL’s regular-season leader in receiving yards, Keon Hatcher for a 16-yard gain to put the Leo’s on the Calgary 2-yard line. The ten-play drive was finished off with a Jeremiah Masoli 1-yard rushing touchdown to give BC a 10-4 lead.

The Stamps offence responded with a drive of their own but were stopped at the BC 28-yard line. Paredes kicked a 35-yard field goal for his second of the game to inch the Stamps closer at 10-7 with a couple minutes remaining at half.

BC clapped back with a drive down to the Calgary 31-yard line, but Whyte closed it out with a 39-yard field goal to extend the lead to 13-7 going into halftime.

In the third quarter the Lions offence was clicking, Rourke rushed for 44-yards to the Stamps 18-yard line. A couple plays later the pivot would rush for a 7-yard touchdown to grow the lead to 20-7 Lions.

The Red and White responded immediately with a five-play 73-yard drive to spark some life. Adams connected on a deep pass to receiver Jalen Philpot for a 30-yard touchdown to cut the lead down to 20-14.

Later in the third, BC wasn’t going anywhere, on the following kickoff Lions returner Robert Carter ran one back for a 95-yard touchdown to bring the Lions lead up to 27-14.

Just like a boxing match, the Stamps responded with a blow of their own. Running back Dedrick Mills started it off with a 43-yard run to put Calgary on the Lions 6-yard line.  The Red and White would cap off an eight-play 70-yard drive when Adams Jr. softly dropped a 2-yard pass into the hands of receiver Clark Barnes for a touchdown to snip the Lions lead down to 27-21.

It came down to the fourth quarter and the Calgary offence started it off with a bang. Adams found Barnes down the middle of the field for a huge 40-yard gain to put the Stamps in BC territory. A few plays later, pivot Quincy Vaughn would come in to clean up a 1-yard rushing touchdown to even up the game at 27-27 after a missed PAT attempt to take the lead.

It came down to crunch time in the fourth quarter and the Lions made a crucial fumble recovery on a kickoff that took the Leos to the Stamps 32-yard line with under two minutes remaining in the quarter. BC brought out Whyte to convert on a 39-yard field goal attempt, and he did just that to extend the lead to 30-27 with a minute left in the game.

With 39 seconds remaining in the game Adams connected on a massive play with Philpot for a 42-yard completion. The big play put the Red and White in field goal territory and Paredes nailed a 38-yard attempt to tie it up at 30-30.

The Lions had 23 seconds remaining on the clock and made the most of it. A Rourke 28-yard completion to Justin McInnis put the Leos in Calgary territory. That was all they needed to bring out Whyte to close the game with a 43-yard field goal to down the Stamps 33-30.