Game Summary

Winnipeg’s home opener saw the Blue Bombers pull off a last minute win over the B.C. Lions. B.C. scored first when Andre Strode intercepted a pass from Kent Austin on the Winnipeg 35-yard line and ran it in for a touchdown. Lui Passaglia kicked the convert. Winnipeg put a single on the board early in the second when Bob Cameron sent a punt 73 yards into the B.C. end zone to Clarence Verdin who conceded the point. B.C. extended their lead in the second as Passaglia kicked three field goals before the end of the half. The kicks came from 32, 27, and 34 yards out. Winnipeg came out strongly after the half-time break. Austin hit Dean Lytle with a 12 yard touchdown pass on the Bombers first possession. Troy Westwood’s convert attempt was good. B.C. scored next as Passaglia hit his fourth field goal of the game. This attempt came from 37 yards out and put the Lions in the lead by 11. Winnipeg managed to get 3 points closer the B.C. midway through the third quarter. Westwood kicked a 21 yard field goal. Both teams were scoreless until the 10:24 mark of the fourth quarter. Michael Richardson took advantage of a pass interference call on the previous play carrying the ball in from the 1-yard line for the major. Trailing by 2, Cal Murphy kept his offence in to try the 2 point convert. Austin and Gerald Wilcox connected to tie the game with less than 5 minutes to play. With Chris Vargas in the game at QB, the Lions moved the ball into Passaglia’s field goal range. Passaglia came through again hitting a 12 yard field goal to take the lead. Not to be out done, Winnipeg drove the ball back up field leaving Westwood a 47 yard FG attempt to tie the game. With only 0:27 on the clock, Westwood’s attempt split the uprights. B.C. took possession on their 35-yard line and got stalled by a strong Winnipeg defence. A sack by Angelo Snipes and an incomplete pass by Ware left Passaglia to punt. His attempt was blocked by K.D. Williams and recovered by Leonard Jean-Pierre. The Bombers had a chance to win the game with only 0:04 on the clock. Westwood’s 41 yard attempt again split the uprights sending the 25,000 fans at Winnipeg Stadium into a frenzy.