Two fourth-quarter touchdown passes from Mason Fine to Mitch Picton lifted the Saskatchewan Roughriders to Saturday’s 30-27 CFL pre-season victory over the B.C. Lions at Mosaic Stadium.
The Roughriders overcame a 27-17 deficit when Picton scored back-to-back TDs, from three and 12 yards away.
The latter completion, with 2:44 left in the game, proved to be the winner.
The Lions opened the scoring at 2:15 of the second quarter when Stefan Flintoft kicked a 25-yard field goal.
Saskatchewan answered the field goal with an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive — the punctuation mark being a one-yard run by quarterback Jake Dolegala at 4:35 of the second quarter.
Saskatchewan increased its lead to 9-3 when David Solie kicked a 30-yard field goal at 9:51 of the second quarter.
The Lions responded with an eight-play, 69-yard touchdown drive. It concluded when Dane Evans found 6-foot-8 Jevoni Robinson from three yards out with 53 seconds left before halftime. Flintoft’s convert snapped a 9-9 tie.
B.C. went ahead 13-9 when Flintoft kicked a 27-yard field goal at 2:58 of the third quarter.
The Lions increased their lead to 20-9 when Flintoft converted a one-yard TD sneak by Evans.
Saskatchewan narrowed the gap to 20-17 late in the third quarter. Following a 22-yard touchdown pass from Shea Patterson to Keith Corbin III, Javian Hawkins made the catch for a two-point convert.
The seven-play, 50-yard scoring drive was set up by a Deontai Williams interception.
An 11-yard interception-return touchdown by University of Regina Rams product Ryder Varga was converted by Flintoft, who gave the Lions a 27-17 lead just 54 seconds into the fourth quarter.
Varga intercepted Fine’s first pass of the game.
Fine responded in fine style by leading the Roughriders on a seven-play, 75-yard scoring match. The capper was the three-yard TD pass to Picton at 4:57 of the fourth quarter.
Fine to Picton, Part 2, put Saskatchewan ahead to stay.
The Lions’ final possession concluded with a turnover on downs.
The Roughriders are to complete their pre-season schedule June 2 against the host Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Saskatchewan’s regular-season opener is June 11 in Edmonton against the Elks. Five days later, the Blue Bombers visit Mosaic Stadium for the home opener.
