Game 6 at BC (8/7/09):

The Riders traveled to Vancouver for a get-together with the struggling 1-4 Lions. This would be their first game without veteran DL Scott Schultz, who abruptly retired during thr week to pursue business opportunities, BC had the ball first and moved the ball into Saskatchewan territory behind Buck Pierce at quarterback. A pass interference call against Eddie Davis brought the ball to the 1. Jarious Jackson came in with the goal line package and threw over the middle and the pass was picked by Tai Stewart in the end zone. From the 25, the Riders went two and out on their opening drive. BC took over at midfield. Once again, the Lions moved the ball into the Riders’ end with no difficulty at all. But, BC’s B fumbled at the 30 and I recovered, but the Riders went two and out again. On BC’s third possession, Pierce was intercepted by Shawn.. On the first place of the drive Durant hit Bagg on a 47-yard touchdown and the Riders went up 7-0. The Lions were able to move the ball into the Riders before the drive stalled. Cory banks intercepted Durant’s pass and returned the ball to the Riders’ 6. On the second play of the drive Mallett carried it in from the 3, and the score was tied at 7.

Moving into the second quarter, the Riders started their next drive at their 34, but went two and out. BC was forced to punt on their next possession, and the Riders took over at their 16. An unnecessary roughness call moved the chains, and a couple of completions moved the ball to BC’s 33. On the next play, Durant found Rod Bagg again down the right sidelines and the Riders were ahead 14-7. On BC’s ensuing possession, they moved the ball to midfield before the drive stalled. The punt trapped the Riders at their two, and elected to concede a safety rather than punt away, to make it 14-9. The Lions’ Grice-Mullen returned the ensuing kickoff to midfield. The Lions moved the ball into the Riders’ side of the field, and Whyte kicked a 44-yard field goal to make it 14-12. After moving the ball to midfield on their next possession, the Riders punted out. The Riders held, but when Whyte punted, Walker fumbled at the 14, the Lions’ Wilson recovered that ball (that appeared to have been kicked) and carried it into the end zone to make it 19-14 BC just as time expired in the half.

The Riders went two and out on their opening drive of the second half. Midway through the quarter, the Lions moved the ball from midfield to Saskatchewan’s 11, before they had to settle for a chip shot field goal from Whyte to make it 22-14. Durant (who had moved the ball from midfield) was then intercepted by Glatt at BC’s 21. Buck Pierce then hit four straight completions totaling 42 yards bring the ball to the Riders’ 32 to end the quarter.

Two plays into the fourth quarter, Whyte hit a 33-yard field goal to make it 25-14 BC. At that point, Durant was benched in favor of Steven Jyles, who ran the ball 21 yards to midfield, but the drive stalled. The Riders had a chance when BC went for it on a 3rd-and-1 from their 26, and Jarious Jackson was stopped cold. All Jyles did was to move the ball in reverse, thanks to a series of penalties, and BC took over on downs at their 17. With a minute remaining, Jyles connected with Quinn on a 35-yard pass play to BC’s 1. Chris Szarka took it in on the next play, but the point after was blocked, and it was 25-20. The Riders then attempted an on-sides kick that failed with 0:44 left on the clock. On BC’s first play from the Riders 43, Buck Pierce ran a keeper play and Stevie Baggs was hit with two major fouls (piling on/unnecessary roughness) that moved the ball to the 13. Mallett carried it in from there to make it a 33-20 final…

This had to be the most disappointing game of the year. BC moved the ball with impunity through the porous defense…Vanstone absolutely blasted the team’s performance in Sunday’s Leader-Post.