Dinos trample Bisons, host Hardy Cup next Saturday

The four-time defending conference champs stepped on the gas early and didn’t relent, taking a 42-0 lead into half time and cruising to their second big win over the Bisons in as many weeks after putting up a bizarre 78-54 score over the Bisons last week in the final game of the regular season.

“Initially, it was outstanding tonight,” said Dinos head coach Blake Nill, who will lead his charges into their 11^th home playoff game since 2008 next Saturday against Regina. “It’s a challenge to play a team back-to-back and three times in a year, and they showed us some new wrinkles. There was a lot of pressure on our guys, they had everything to lose – and once we got things slowed down we moved the ball very well.

“We need to learn the skill of playing with focus and intensity – it’s not the easiest situation to be in a game that’s determined probably by half time, but we need to play with that for 60 minutes.”

Special teams played a major role for the Dinos in the game. With the stated goal of neutralizing the Manitoba duo of returners Nic Demski and Anthony Coombs, Calgary kicked away from the pair all night and limited the Bisons to a total of just 52 yards on nine returns. On the other side of the ball, Calgary got a punt block from Adam Ballingall that led to a field goal, while Jake Harty had an outstanding night with 269 all-purpose yards.

The lion’s share of those came on one play late in the third quarter. After Kienan LaFrance had finally gotten the Bisons on the scoreboard with more than 10 minutes gone in the third, Harty received the ensuing kickoff on the goal line, found a seam, and returned it all the way to put the Dinos up 49-6. The 110-yard return was the longest in Canada West history, edging former Dino Anthony Parker’s 108-yard return in the 2009 Canada West semi-final game.

“It was an overall team effort,” said Harty. “I saw a great seam that the guys really opened up for me. I saw one block, was able to avoid one tackle and was able to spring it. All the credit to our special teams guy that allowed me to break that one.”

Harty added a 17-yard receiving touchdown from Eric Dzwilewski late in the first half. He was the Dinos’ leading receiver on the night with eight catches for 106 yards.

With the Dinos up big at the half, the Bisons were able to narrow the margin slightly in the second half thanks to a solid performance by LaFrance. He was responsible for all of Manitoba’s points on the night, scoring on a one-yard run followed by 20- and 38-yard receptions. The Bisons were unsuccessful on all three two-point convert attempts.

Mercer Timmis opened the scoring for the Dinos on a one-yard run six minutes into the contest. A 22-yard Johnny Mark field goal made it 10-0, and a two-yard Steven Lumbala touchdown late in the first quarter gave Calgary a 17-0 lead into the second. The second quarter had been the Dinos’ best all season – scoring 140 points in eight games during the second stanza – and that trend continued Saturday. A 26-yard field goal from Mark led to a 26-yard Chris Dobko catch from Andrew Buckley, a 45-yard interception return major by Cyril Iwanegbe, and Harty’s receiving TD as Calgary built up a big 42-0 lead at the half.

Denzel Morrison scored Calgary’s other major, a 22-yard run in the late stages of the fourth.

Calgary quarterback Eric Dzwilewski finished 24-for-40 for 311 yards and a touchdown on the night, while Andrew Buckley mopped up with five completions on eight attempts for 56 yards and a major. Lumbala carried the ball nine times for 69 yards and added 24 throught the air, while Richard Snyder picked up eight catches for 73 yards as well.

LaFrance’s 22-carry, 124-yard performance on the ground complemented his 58-yard receiving performance, with both catches going for touchdowns. Cam Clark went 12-34 for 183 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.

Both Coombs and Demski left the game injured. Coombs was tackled awkwardly in the first half on his lone rushing attempt of the night, a four-yard loss, while Demski went down after a return in the second half. Neither returned to the game for Manitoba.

Defensively, Mike Edem and Brian Hagen each picked up six tackles and a sack for the Dinos, while Eric Vincent had a busy night in the Manitoba defence with 11 tackles.

The Dinos now get set for the Rams, the only team to beat them in 2012, in next Saturday’s conference championship game, looking for their 14^th Hardy Cup title. The Canada West champion will travel to play the winner of next week’s Ontario final between McMaster and Guelph in the CIS Mitchell Bowl for a berth in the Vanier Cup.

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Quarter

CGY – Mercer Timmis 1-yard TD run (Johnny Mark convert), 5:59, 7-0 CGY
CGY – Johnny Mark 22-yard FG, 8:17, 10-0 CGY
CGY – Steven Lumbala 2-yard TD run (Johnny Mark convert), 14:06, 17-0 CGY

2nd Quarter

CGY – Johnny Mark 36-yard FG, 1:37, 20-0 CGY
CGY – Chris Dobko 26-yard TD catch from Andrew Buckley (Johnny Mark convert), 6:54, 27-0 CGY
CGY – Cyril Iwanegbe 45-yard interception return TD (Johnny Mark convert), 9:53, 34-0 CGY
CGY – Jake Harty 17-yard TD catch from Eric Dzwilewski (Johnny Mark convert), 14:13, 41-0 CGY
CGY – Johnny Mark 45-yard missed FG single, 15:00, 42-0 CGY

3rd Quarter

MAN – Kienan LaFrance 1-yard TD run (Kienan LaFrance run failed), 10:03, 42-6 CGY
CGY – Jake Harty 110-yard kickoff return touchdown (Johnny Mark convert), 10:21, 49-6 CGY

4th Quarter

MAN – Kienan LaFrance 20-yard TD catch from Cam Clark (Cam Clark pass failed), 2:24, 49-12 CGY
MAN – Kienan LaFrance 38-yard TD catch from Cam Clark (Cam Clark pass failed), 3:46, 49-18 CGY
CGY – Denzel Morrison 22-yard TD run (Johnny Mark convert), 12:39, 56-18 CGY
CGY – Johnny Mark 46-yard punt single, 14:43, 57-18 CGY

Photo Credit:  David Moll