Sask. Roughriders clinch Western Final spot

The Saskatchewan Roughriders beat the Calgary Stampeders 33-30 in overtime on Sunday at Mosaic Stadium.
The win earned the club a trip to Winnipeg to meet the regular-season champion Blue Bombers on Dec. 5.
“I don’t even care if I kicked the game-winning field goal. I just wanted to win this game so bad for the fans. This province deserves it so much,” Brett Lauther, Riders’ kicker said after the game.
It was his field goal from 34-yards out that clinched victory for the Riders.
Lauther kicked the field goal, the crowd went wild, but a flag laid on the 20-yard line.
“I did a double-take because I knew as soon as the ball was snapped and Kaare (Vedvik) put it down we had it, it was perfect,” said Lauther. “I was trying to stop my heart rate for a second in case I had to go back out there.”
The flag was on Calgary, the penalty was declined and the game was over.
“One hundred per cent I knew he was going to make it,” Ed Gainey, defensive star, said of his team’s kicker after the game.
By his admission, it was not Cody Fajardo’s best game -- he threw four interceptions.
“If you’d have told me I’d throw four picks and we’d win, I’d say you were psychotic,” Fajardo said after a game.
Fajardo said he was ready to throw away the statistics and focus on the win. The 29-year old starter went 22 for 33 for 189 yards with a single touchdown and four interceptions. Fajardo was also the team’s leading rusher, scampering downfield for 89 yards on ten carries.
“It was kind of a result of what they were giving us.” Fajardo said. “For me as a runner, it helps me get into the rhythm of the game, you feel the chains moving, and I think it’s something I’ve relied on most of my career.”
Head coach Craig Dickenson says while he and his quarterback know that he didn’t have his best game, he found a way to win.
“[Cody] threw some picks tonight. He knows that. He made some plays with his legs and when we needed him to make some throws, he made them. The guy’s a winner,” Craig Dickenson said of his quarterback’s performance.
Calgary’s Bo Levi Mitchell threw two interceptions, both to Ed Gainey, who credited the defensive game plan for his success.
“Defence wins championships at the end of the day,” Gainey said.
He went 26 for 36 for 285 yards with two picks. Stamps running back Ka’Deem Carey turned in another strong performance against the Roughriders, gaining 117 yards on 22 tries with a pair of touchdowns.
A penalty at the end of the first half meant the Riders kicked off from mid-field. Instead of kicking deep, head coach Craig Dickenson rolled the dice on an on-side kick. Brett Lauther sent the ball sailing high and it was A.C. Leonard who came down with it.
A major penalty was assessed to Stamps defensive end Shawn Lemon after he shoved Riders receiver Duke Williams in the face.
Following the on-side kick recovery, the Riders' offence made good on the effort. Cody Fajardo faked a pass and scampered downfield for a big gain. On the very next play, Fajardo found Kian Schaffer-Baker inside the pylon for a 25-yard touchdown and a 17-8 lead.
The Stampeders mounted a late-game rally including a pair of field goals from Rene Parades, who had two misses in the contest, including one in overtime that gave the Riders a window to win.
“The winner of this game gets to go play Goliath,” Dickenson said of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. “They’ve been the best team all year, we’re happy to be playing them, and we’re going to give them a good game.”
The West Final featuring the Riders and Bombers will take place next Sunday at 3 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Vatican shelves sexual assault probe into Cardinal Marc Ouellet
Pope Francis is declaring that there is not enough evidence to open a canonical investigation for sexual assault against Quebec Cardinal Marc Ouellet. The pontiff made the statement Thursday through the director of the Holy See press office.

BREAKING | Trump Organization CFO pleads guilty in tax evasion case
A top executive at former U.S. President Donald Trump's family business pleaded guilty Thursday to evading taxes in a deal with prosecutors that could potentially make him a star witness against the company at a trial this fall.
Advocates say use of NDAs should be banned in sexual misconduct settlements
In the wake of the Hockey Canada scandal, some advocates are calling for the use of non-disclosure agreements to be banned or restricted in settlement agreements in cases involving abuse.
Majority of people with Omicron don't know they have it: study
A new study has found that more than half of people infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 were unaware they had it. Undiagnosed infections could be the reason why the variant spread so rapidly, according to researchers.
Canada-wide shortage of liquid Children's Tylenol now also impacting chewables
A nationwide shortage of liquid Children’s Tylenol is also impacting generic chewables, with Quebec-based Laboratoire Riva reporting a shortage due to rising demand.
No drugs, just lots of dancing at 'wild' party: Finland PM Sanna Marin
Finland's prime minister says she did not take any drugs during a 'wild' party in a private home, adding she did nothing wrong when letting her hair down and partying with friends.
BREAKING | Ontario releases plan to stabilize health-care system amid bed and staffing shortages
The next phase of Ontario's 'Plan to Stay Open' involves transferring of seniors from hospital to alternative long-term care homes, the hiring of thousands of health-care workers and a pledge to reduce surgical backlog.
Ukraine's Zelenskyy hosts talks with UN chief, Turkey leader
Turkey's president and the UN chief met with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy on Thursday in a high-stakes bid to ratchet down a war raging for nearly six months, boost desperately needed grain exports and secure the safety of Europe's biggest nuclear power plant.
Keremeos Creek wildfire: B.C. officials lift all evacuation orders, some remain on alert
Local authorities in British Columbia's Okanagan region say all evacuation orders around the so-called Keremeos Creek wildfire near Penticton have been rescinded.