For the second week in a row, the Ottawa REDBLACKS came agonizingly close to victory.
Caleb Evans accounted for three touchdowns, with Darvin Adams catching another, but Ottawa ultimately fell 40-33 to the Montreal Alouettes.
It was another quick start for the REDBLACKS, with linebacker Shaheed Salmon forcing a fumble on the opening kickoff, that was recovered by punter Richie Leone.
Montreal’s first possession was capped off by a Patrick Levels sack of quarterback Trevor Harris, and after Ottawa took over, they found the first points of the game. After productive runs by William Powell, and Evans, the REDBLACKS quarterback found Jaelon Acklin 23 yards down the field to flip the field. Soon after, Evans connected with Adams for a 15-yard touchdown. ` Ward converted on the PAT, and Ottawa took an early 7-0 lead.
A rouge by Ward made it an 8-0 game, entering the game’s second frame.
In the early goings of the second quarter, Evans combined with Nate Behar and Adams to drive down the field. Powell drew a pass interference call that set the REDBLACKS up at the Alouettes eight-yard line, and a Ward field goal made it 11-0 in favour of Ottawa.
On the next possession, though, Harris hit Hergy Mayala with a 69-yard pass to the REDBLACKS one-yard line, and Dominique Davis snuck the ball across the goal line for the score on the subsequent play. The Als made good on the two-point conversion attempt, and brought the score to 11-8.
Not long before the half, Harris linked up with Mayala again, this time for a touchdown. The extra point was good, giving the visitors a 15-8 lead.
David Cote knocked through a Montreal field goal before time expired, but Ward responded for the REDBLACKS — after a gorgeous trick play pass to Nick Arbuckle connected with Acklin down the field — and the teams entered the half with the score 18-14 in favour of the Als.
Ward hit another field goal on the third quarter’s opening drive, but Harris drove Montreal into Ottawa territory again on the ensuing sequence. The drive was capped off with a touchdown sneak by Davis, and the Als took a 25-17 lead.
With things looking bleak, the REDBLACKS got a major response from one of their originals. Als punt returner Chandler Worthy muffed a deep boot from Leone, and Antoine Pruneau ran him down in the endzone. The play was reviewed and eventually ruled a safety, giving the ball back to Ottawa, now only trailing 25-19.
Now with a surge in momentum, the REDBLACKS switched to a hurry-up offence. Evans gashed the Als defence for a big run before an Adams catch downfield set them up in the redzone. Powell ran the ball to the one-yard line, where Evans snuck home his fourth rushing touchdown of the season. Ward was perfect on the PAT, and Ottawa regained the lead, 26-25.
With Montreal pressing, in search of a response, Vernon Adams entered the game at quarterback. Immediately, though, Davon Coleman stripped the ball on Adams’ run attempt, and the REDBLACKS offence took over.
Davis snuck in another touchdown in the fourth quarter, after an interception that was reviewed for being an incomplete pass, but ultimately went in Montreal’s favour. A two-point conversion to Jake Wieneke made it 33-26 Als. Another to Eugene Lewis made it 40-26.
The REDBLACKS drove down the field after the three-minute warning, and Evans dove across the goal-line for the score, cutting the lead to 40-33.
In the dying moments, the REDBLACKS used a massive defensive stop to get the ball back, and twice appeared to be in scoring range after major fouls to Montreal, but both were reversed by the CFL Command Centre, and the REDBLACKS dropped a 40-33 loss as time expired.
GAME NOTES:
• Caleb Evans ended the night with 297 passing yards.
• Jaelon Acklin led the REDBLACKS with 133 receiving yards, with Darvin Adams in second with 118 yards and a touchdown.
• Randall Evans and Avery Williams led the team with five tackles.
• William Powell paced the REDBLACKS with 79 rushing yards.
UP NEXT: The REDBLACKS enjoy a long weekend, before heading to visit the Toronto Argonauts on Sunday, July 31, at 5:00 pm Et.
