Game Summary

It was guaranteed win night in Winnipeg as the Blue Bombers played host to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. After Winnipeg’s loss to Saskatchewan last week, Blue Bombers’ General Manager Ken Bishop promised the fans a win tonight or they would receive two tickets to Winnipeg’s final home game of the 1998 season. Winnipeg jumped to the early lead when K Troy Westwood nailed a 26-yard FG 2:52 into play of the opening quarter. Winnipeg’s 3-point lead held until 10:42 when QB Reggie Slack scrambled into the end zone from the 3-yard line. K Paul McCallum’s convert gave Saskatchewan a 4-point lead. Westwood struck a 33-yard FG in the final minute of the quarter, cutting Saskatchewan’s lead to 1 point. Saskatchewan scored first in the second period when Slack found wide-out Don Narcisse in the end zone for a 5-yard pass at 10:32. McCallum’s convert was good. Westwood chipped in a 34-yard FG at 13:44, but this was immediately followed by Slack’s second rushing TD of the match at 14:54. McCallum’s convert made the score 21-9 for Saskatchewan at the midway point of the game. In the third quarter, Westwood continued to chip away at Saskatchewan’s lead scoring a single off the opening kickoff. Narcisse scored his second TD of the game at 3:19 catching a 16-yard pass from Slack. McCallum’s convert was good making the score 28-10 going into the final stanza of play. At 2:33 Deland McCullough scored Winnipeg’s first major powering in from 1-yard out. A bad snap by the centre, however, prevented Winnipeg from scoring on the convert. Winnipeg continued to cut into Saskatchewan’s lead as McCullough scored another rushing TD at 5:38, this time on a 2-yard run. The ensuing snap was good and Westwood nailed the convert making the score 28-22 for the visitors. Narcisse attempted to stall Winnipeg’s comeback bid by catching his third TD pass of the night from 20 yards out at 7:44. McCallum’s convert established a 12-point Saskatchewan lead. Winnipeg continued to pull out all the stops offensively, however, as wide-out Kotto Cotton caught a 37-yard TD pass from QB Troy Kopp, who replaced starter TJ Rubley late in the game. The two-point convert attempt failed, but WR Dimitrious Stanley 1:05 later found the end zone for a 5-yard reception. Westwood’s convert was good to complete Winnipeg’s unlikely come-from-behind victory, making the final score 36-35 for the hometown heroes. The win gives Winnipeg their first victory of the season while Saskatchewan remains in a tie with BC for third in the West Division.