OTTAWA – The Alouettes appeared at times to be playing rugby or even Australian football, but thanks to a convincing 32-15 win over the Red and Black, they managed to qualify for the Canadian Football League playoffs on Saturday in Ottawa.
The Montreal club’s defensive brigade stopped the Ottawa attack for long periods, while the Alouettes’ special teams also did a good job. Tyrice Beverette and Reggie Stubblefield each had an outstanding game, as did Quebec’s Marc-Antoine Dequoy, who, to add to the spectacle, returned an interception 108 yards in the third quarter.
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Before half-time, Jeshrun Antwi scored a brilliant free kick in an unusual move that allowed the Alouettes to keep the ball. For his part, punt kicker Joseph Zema created a strange twist by managing to remove the oval object from the opposing returner with his foot.
Stanback touchdown
The Alouettes got on the scoreboard thanks to a touchdown by William Stanback on a 25-yard run in the first quarter. Stubblefield then fended off a Rouge et Noir threat with an interception from the end zone.
Even though the ball seemed to be rolling for them, the Alouettes initially struggled to gain a comfortable lead. Until quarterback Cody Fajardo completed a 19-yard pass and Tyson Philpot scored for a touchdown with 44 seconds left in the first half. This major dealt the Rouge et Noir a hard blow, although not as strong as “Flash” Dequoy’s touchdown.