Football – Brandon Sun

Sports Looking Back: Oct. 9, 2025

2 minute read Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025

IN LOCAL HISTORY

• 60 YEARS AGO — Twenty-two boys and girls from Souris and Elgin schools took part in the cross-country races at Elgin. Verla Strawn ran the girls’ two- mile course in 14:17 to lead Margaret Strath by 27 seconds. Tom Prath of Elgin finished the boys’ three-mile race with a time of 19:14.

• 50 YEARS AGO — Norm McManus of Kenton continued his fine season by topping the annual golfers tournament, held at the city-owned Brandon Golf and Country Club.

• 40 YEARS AGO — The Brandon Wheat Kings earned a 6-3 Western Hockey League victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. Mike Morin and Dean Sexsmith both scored twice for Brandon.

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Ailing Argonauts aim to upset robust Roughriders in Thanksgiving action

Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Ailing Argonauts aim to upset robust Roughriders in Thanksgiving action

Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025

Quarterback woes continue for the Toronto Argonauts.

Chad Kelly has spent the entire season on the injured list, recovering from the leg injury he suffered in last year's East Division final.

Now it looks as though Nick Arbuckle will be sidelined for the rest of the season after hurting his shoulder in Toronto's 47-29 loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday.

The loss snuffed out the Argos' faint hope of a playoff spot and extended the team's losing skid to three games.

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Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025

Saskatchewan Roughriders running back A.J. Ouellette (45) hurdles Ottawa Redblacks defensive back Deandre Lamont (33) as teammate defensive back King Ambers looks on during second half CFL action in Ottawa, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Elks sign star running back Justin Rankin to extension through 2027 season

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Elks sign star running back Justin Rankin to extension through 2027 season

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025

EDMONTON - The Edmonton Elks have signed star running back Justin Rankin through the 2027 CFL season, the team announced Tuesday.

The 28-year-old enters Week 19 of this season second in the league with 12 touchdowns (eight rushing, four receiving) and fourth in yards from scrimmage with 1,471 (838 rushing, 633 receiving).

Rankin became just the second Edmonton player to record over 200 yards rushing in a game when he ran for 204 yards on 16 carries in a 31-19 win over Calgary on Sept. 6

That performance included a 90-yard rushing touchdown, the longest in the CFL since 2000 and the longest from an Edmonton player since Jim Germany’s 94-yard run in 1977.

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Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025

Edmonton Elks' Justin Rankin (5) and Kurleigh Gittens Jr. (19) celebrate a touchdown against the Saskatchewan Roughriders during second-half CFL action in Edmonton, on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Surging Lions clinch playoff berth with 38-24 win over Stampeders

Jim Morris, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Surging Lions clinch playoff berth with 38-24 win over Stampeders

Jim Morris, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025

VANCOUVER - Things got way more exciting for the B.C. Lions on Saturday than Nathan Rourke wanted them to be.

The Lions looked to have the game well under control but then had to fend off a fourth-quarter rally to defeat the Calgary Stampeders 38-24 to clinch a CFL playoff berth.

The Lions took a 31-9 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Stampeders used two interceptions to cut the margin to seven points.

“You never want to give them the ball, no matter the position,” said Rourke, who finished the night completing 25 of 32 passes for 414 yards and four touchdowns, two of them to Keon Hatcher. “It made it a little bit too exciting there at the end.

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Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025

Calgary Stampeders quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., left, is hit by B.C. Lions' Bradlee Anae after releasing the ball during the first half of a CFL football game, in Vancouver, on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Ticats strengthen hold of first in East with 47-29 win, end Argos’ playoff hopes

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Ticats strengthen hold of first in East with 47-29 win, end Argos’ playoff hopes

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025

TORONTO - Bo Levi Mitchell and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats moved closer to cementing first in the East Division while ending the Toronto Argonauts' playoff hopes.

Mitchell threw for four TD passes as Hamilton defeated Toronto 47-29 on Saturday afternoon, eliminating the defending Grey Cup champions from playoff contention.

Mitchell finished 18-of-25 passing for 320 yards and an interception as the Ticats rebounded from a lopsided 40-3 road loss last week in Winnipeg.

"I don't think I'll ever get rid of how that felt last week. I don't like getting my butt whipped," Mitchell said. "I'd glad with the way we responded.

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Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025

Hamilton Tiger-Cats wide receiver Kenny Lawler (89) scores a touchdown against the Toronto Argonauts during first half CFL football action in Toronto, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jon Blacker

Roughriders snap losing streak, Redblacks’ playoff hopes with 20-13 victory

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Roughriders snap losing streak, Redblacks’ playoff hopes with 20-13 victory

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

OTTAWA - The Saskatchewan Roughriders held off the Ottawa Redblacks Friday night, grinding out a 20-13 win to snap their two-game losing skid and get back in the win column.

The loss officially eliminated the Redblacks (4-11) from CFL playoff contention with three weeks left in their schedule.

Neither team had its best performance, but the Roughriders found a way to win, something that has eluded the Redblacks for much of the season.

“It wasn’t pretty,” said Roughriders coach Corey Mace. “But we set a goal for the week, and however you cut it, we accomplished it. Feels good to be back in the win category.”

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Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

Ottawa Redblacks players bring down Saskatchewan Roughriders wide receiver Shawn Bane Jr. (15) as he returns a punt during first half CFL action in Ottawa on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Ticats head coach Milanovich still bothered by last week’s lopsided road loss

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Ticats head coach Milanovich still bothered by last week’s lopsided road loss

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

TORONTO - Time hasn't cured what ails Scott Milanovich.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats head coach/offensive co-ordinator hasn't got over his club's lopsided 40-3 road loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last Saturday. The contest began badly for the East Division leaders as Trey Vaval returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown.

"I'll let you know when I'm over it," Milanovich said. "There's no way to put your finger on exactly why you have a performance _ coaching performance, playing performance _ like that … we were whipped in all four phases, coaches included."

Hamilton (9-6) remains atop the East Division, two points ahead of idle Montreal (8-7). The Ticats will play their final regular-season road game Saturday afternoon at BMO Field with an opportunity to eliminate the Toronto Argonauts (5-10) from playoff contention.

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Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

Toronto Argonauts quarterback Nick Arbuckle (4) makes the throw as Edmonton Elks' Brandon Barlow (4) chases during first half CFL action in Edmonton, on Friday Aug. 15, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

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Argos leaning toward leaving Chad Kelly on injured list for entire season

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Argos leaning toward leaving Chad Kelly on injured list for entire season

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

TORONTO - The odds are good that Chad Kelly won't play a down this season for the Toronto Argonauts.

The CFL's outstanding player in 2023 has spent the entire season on the injured list recovering from the serious leg injury he suffered in last year's East Division final. Veteran Nick Arbuckle will start Saturday when Toronto (5-10) hosts the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (9-6) with its playoff hopes hanging by a thread.

Hamilton can eliminate the defending Grey Cup champions from playoff contention with a victory. The contest is Toronto's final this season at BMO Field, while the Ticats will play their last regular-season road game.

Toronto head coach Ryan Dinwiddie has kept the door open to Kelly's return all season. He did so again Friday, but added the club is leaning toward leaving the veteran quarterback on the six-game injured list for the remainder of the campaign.

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Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly (12) throws a pass during first quarter CFL Eastern Conference Final football action Saturday, November 9, 2024 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard out vs. Miami with calf injury, Rico Dowdle to start

Steve Reed, The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard out vs. Miami with calf injury, Rico Dowdle to start

Steve Reed, The Associated Press 2 minute read Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard will miss Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins because of a nagging calf injury, coach Dave Canales confirmed.

Rico Dowdle will start in Hubbard's place with Trevor Etienne and DeeJay Dallas serving as backups.

Hubbard, from Sherwood Park, Alta., played through the injury last week at New England but saw his regular heavy workload reduced. Canales said Hubbard didn’t come out the Week 4 game as well as he had the previous week and needed some rest to recover.

Canales called Hubbard day to day.

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Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard runs against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

Redblacks’ playoff hopes hanging by a thread as Roughriders come to TD Place

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Redblacks’ playoff hopes hanging by a thread as Roughriders come to TD Place

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025

OTTAWA - The Ottawa Redblacks, stuck at the bottom of the CFL standings, will face their toughest test this of the season Friday night when they host the league-leading Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Not only will the Redblacks be looking for an upset, they will be fighting to keep their season alive.

The chances of Ottawa (4-10) making the playoffs are slim, but a win against Saskatchewan (10-4) would at least give the Redblacks hope. A loss officially puts them out of contention.

"In life all you want is an opportunity," said head coach Bob Dyce. "And these guys have a fantastic opportunity, we all have a fantastic opportunity in front of us, and we plan on going out and seizing that."

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Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025

Ottawa Redblacks quarterback Dru Brown (3) runs with the ball during second half CFL action against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Ottawa, on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

Ticats running back Bell closing in on first pro 1,000-yard rushing campaign

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Ticats running back Bell closing in on first pro 1,000-yard rushing campaign

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025

HAMILTON - It's the Holy Grail for running backs, and a milestone Greg Bell is closing in on for the first time as a professional football player.

The six-foot, 200-pound Bell has run for 837 yards (5.7-yard average) this season, his first as a CFL starter. If Bell can average 55 yards rushing over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' final three regular-season contests, he'll crack the 1,000-yard plateau for the first time since 2021, his final collegiate season at San Diego State.

"It's very important," Bell said Thursday. "I've got to give all the credit to my offensive line, without them I wouldn't be close to getting that.

"It's very important for all of us in this room."

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Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025

Hamilton Tiger Cats running back Greg Bell (5) runs for a gain during first half CFL pre-season football game action against the Toronto Argonauts in Hamilton, Ont. on Saturday, May 24, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Peter Power

Sole possession of second in West Division up for grabs when Lions host Stampeders

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Sole possession of second in West Division up for grabs when Lions host Stampeders

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025

Nathan Rourke and the B.C. Lions appear to be making their late-season push.

B.C. (8-7) has won three straight and five-of-seven games overall to climb into a three-way tie for second in the West Division. The Lions can take sole possession of the No. 2 spot with a home win Saturday night over the Calgary Stampeders (8-6).

The Lions dispatched Calgary 52-23 at McMahon Stadium in their first meeting Sept. 19. Rourke was a one-man show, completing 20-of-24 passes for 331 yards and two TDs while running for three touchdowns as B.C. finished with 527 net offensive yards and no turnovers.

B.C.'s defence forced four turnovers (three interceptions, once on downs) with Mathieu Betts registering both of its sacks.

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Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025

B.C. Lions' Mathieu Betts, back centre, sacks Toronto Argonauts quarterback Nick Arbuckle (4) behind Anthony Vandal (58) during the first half of a CFL football game, in Vancouver, on Friday, September 26, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

JV Plainsmen keep playoff hopes alive

Massimo De Luca-Taronno 5 minute read Preview

JV Plainsmen keep playoff hopes alive

Massimo De Luca-Taronno 5 minute read Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025

Motivation isn’t very hard to come by when it’s a do-or-die game.

That mindset is exactly what the Crocus Plainsmen (3-2) carried into their matchup against the Sturgeon Heights Huskies (0-5), as their playoff hopes would have vanished right in front of their eyes with a loss. That possibility was quickly put to bed, though, as the Plainsmen practically ran the Huskies off the field with a dominant 40-6 win during Winnipeg High School Football League junior varsity action at Crocus on Wednesday.

“It’s a great team win for us,” said head coach Mason Kaluzniak post-game. “Anytime you get a win in this league, it’s a big deal, and I thought offensively we were good, defensively we were good, and our special teams were great. We just played really well in all three phases.”

The Plainsmen couldn’t have had a more picture-perfect start after running back Gage Emberly got things rolling with a 30-yard run into the house. Crocus followed that play up with a two-point conversion after quarterback Jake Cory handed it off to Emberly again to secure the extra points.

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Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025

Crocus Plainsmen Kayven Brown (16) gets taken down down by Sturgeon Heights’ Taylor Knox (53) during JV Winnipeg High School Football League action at Crocus on Wednesday. (Massimo De Luca-Taronno/The Brandon Sun)

Vikings hand Pirates first loss of JV season

Thomas Friesen 4 minute read Preview

Vikings hand Pirates first loss of JV season

Thomas Friesen 4 minute read Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025

A slow, gritty junior varsity football game turned into pure pandemonium for 10 minutes at Doug Steeves Field on Friday.

Even though it was scoreless through more than 30 minutes, the Vincent Massey Vikings kept pressing and it eventually paid off to the tune of three late touchdowns in a 20-14 victory over the Grant Park Pirates.

The Vikings improved to 4-1 in the Winnipeg High School Football League nine-man JV season, handing the league-leading Pirates (4-1) their first loss. “It felt amazing playing against one of the best teams in Canada, and we were tied with them during the first half,” said receiver Asher Glover.

For the entire first half and most of the third quarter, the teams refused to give each other a thing. The craziest play of the first 24 minutes was when Dylan Schermann punted a ball off the side of his foot but recovered it and ran for a first down.

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Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025

Lota Okaekwu rushed 15 times for 170 yards and a touchdown as the Vincent Massey Vikings beat the Grant Park Pirates 20-14 in Winnipeg High School Football League JV nine-man action at Doug Steeves Field on Tuesday. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)

Trojans trounce Vikings on gridiron

1 minute read Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025

Tobi Oluronsola rushed nine times for 91 yards as the Vincent Massey Vikings lost 48-7 to the Vincent Massey Trojans in Winnipeg High School Football League AAAA action on Saturday.

Charlie Gauthier had three carries for 26 yards and the Vikings’ lone touchdown while completing three passes for 20 yards and an interception. The Trojans improved to 5-0.

Wesley Burton recorded four tackles for the Vikings (2-3), who host the Oak Park Raiders (4-1) this Friday. The Crocus Plainsmen (1-4) visit the Dakota Lancers (4-1) on Friday.

» The Brandon Sun

Crocus blown out by Grant Park

Massimo De Luca-Taronno 5 minute read Preview

Crocus blown out by Grant Park

Massimo De Luca-Taronno 5 minute read Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

The Grant Park Pirates effort against the Crocus Plainsmen was nothing short of a beatdown, plain and simple.

The Pirates (3-2) scored at will against Crocus (1-4) en route to a 59-15 blowout in their Winnipeg High School Football League game at Crocus on Friday afternoon to extend the Plainsmens losing streak to four. It appeared Grant Park might run up the scoreboard early after the Pirates scored two touchdowns within the first two drives of the game thanks to quarterback Alex Balasko — who never showed any signs of slowing down — and the team’s stingy defence.

Balasko found wide receiver Ryder Hlady all alone for a 30-yard reception to take the Pirates deep into Crocus territory before running it in himself to draw first blood for his club. They pulled off an aggressive move to fake the kick and go for two points, which also paid off after finding a receiver by himself in the end zone to give Grant Park an 8-0 lead.

Crocus punt returner Eric Singfat had an impressive 70-yard run, moving all the way to the Pirates 20-yard line after breaking some tackles, but a flag on the play due to a holding penalty negated what would have been a huge point in the game for Crocus. The Plainsmen fumbled the ball the following play and gave up another touchdown after Grant Park recovered the ball for a 30-yard run to make it 15-0.

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Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

October 10, 2025

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