(Victoria) The BC Lions snapped their losing streak in impressive fashion Saturday, beating the Ottawa Redblacks 38-12 in the first Canadian Football League game to be played in Victoria.
Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke (6-6-0) completed 21 of 30 passes for 325 yards. Three of his passes went for touchdowns and he had one interception. Rourke also scored a major on the ground.
For the Redblacks (7-3-1), Dru Brown threw 33 passes and completed 21 for 206 yards and a touchdown. He was also tackled four times behind his line of scrimmage.
Kicker Sean Whyte added a 12-yard field goal and five conversions.
PHOTO DARRYL DYCK, THE CANADIAN PRESS
For the Red and Black (7-3-1), Dru Brown threw 33 passes and completed 21, for gains of 206 yards and a touchdown.
In the loss, Lewis Ward made two field goals, including one from the 53-yard line.
The Lions came into the game on a five-game losing streak, including a 34-27 loss to the Redblacks last week in Ottawa. The Redblacks were on a winning streak of six straight games without a loss (5-0-1).
In CFL history, no game had been played as far west as Saturday’s, which was dubbed “Touchdown Pacific.”
The game was played at Royal Athletic Park, home of the Victoria HarbourCats, a West Coast League baseball club, in front of 14,727 spectators.
The Lions were the dominant team from the start, helped by running back William Stanback and his 31-yard run on their first play of the game.
Rourke – who was born in Victoria – capped the Lions’ first offensive series some four minutes later with the game’s first touchdown, with Whyte adding the first of his five conversions.
PHOTO DARRYL DYCK, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Quarterback Nathan Rourke
Whyte’s 12-yard field goal followed by touchdowns from Alexander Hollins, Stanback and Ayden Eberhardt on a 33-yard play gave the Lions a 31-6 cushion after the first half.
Dominique Rhymes scored the Rouge et Noir’s only touchdown in the third quarter.
Justin McInnis scored the final major of the game early in the fourth quarter for the Lions.
The loss leaves the Rouge et Noir five points behind the Montreal Alouettes (10-1-0), who are inactive this week. Next Friday night, the Alouettes will host the Lions.