Game Summary

The BC Lions, fresh off their win over the division leading Edmonton Eskimos last week visited Winnipeg stadium to tangle with the Blue Bombers in game that welcomed the CFL’s 1,000,000th fan to the ballpark this season. The Bombers opened the scoring when K Troy Westwood’s 43‐yard FG attempt sailed wide and the BC receiver conceded a single point 3:09 into play. Westwood, however, was successful on his second FG attempt of the night from 20 yards out giving Winnipeg a 4‐point lead at 11:43 of the opening quarter. Four plays later, Winnipeg also conceded a single off BC K Lui Passaglia’s 71-yard punt making the score 4-1 for the home team entering the second quarter. On the first play of the second stanza, Westwood nailed a 46-yard FG giving Winnipeg a 6-point cushion. Westwood then added his third FG of the game, a 25-yard attempt, midway through the second quarter widening the Winnipeg lead to 10-1. It was The Lions, however, that scored the first major of the match when G Cory Mantyka recovered Lion FB Sean Millington’s fumble in the Winnipeg end zone at 11:49. Passaglia’s convert was good and the Bombers’ lead was cut to 2. Westwood closed out the first half scoring striking a FG from 14 yards out sending Winnipeg to the dressing room with a 13-8 halftime lead. Westwood picked up where he left off in the first half proving to be Winnipeg’s most potent weapon on this night as he nailed his fifth FG of the game, a 44-yarder just 2:23 into play. Passaglia countered however, with a FG of his own from 10 yards out cutting the Bomber lead to 5 points. Westwood’s kicking prowess continued as he connected for his sixth FG of the evening, a 15-yarder at 10:11 increasing Winnipeg’s lead to 19-11. The Bombers then added their first TD of the match at 13:20 of the third period when QB Chris Vargas connected with wide-out Milt Stegall for a 70-yard major. The only scoring in the final stanza play came off the foot of wily veteran Lui Passaglia, who hit a 28-yard FG at 2:33 cutting the Winnipeg lead to 12 points. This would round off the evening’s scoring as the final from Winnipeg Stadium read, Winnipeg 26 and BC 14. The win marked the Bombers’ first home victory of the ’97 season.