The Mark’s Labour Day Weekend kicked off Friday night with an Eastern Division matchup between the Montreal Alouettes and the Ottawa Redblacks at Ottawa’s TD Place. Heading into this game, both teams were riding a two-game losing streak.
There was plenty of scoring in this game as the Montreal Alouettes thumped the Ottawa Redblacks 51-29 in front of 15,000 fans.
On the Alouettes opening position, the offense marched towards the Redblacks’ 20-yard line before settling for a 27-yard field goal from kicker David Cote to put the Alouettes up 3-0 with 10:48 left in the first quarter.
On the Redblacks second series of the game, quarterback Matt Nichols’s pass was intercepted by Greg Reed. Then the Alouettes quarterback Vernon Adams threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Eugene Lewis for a 10-0 lead with 1:44 left in the first quarter. Before the first quarter ended, Redblacks kicker Lewis Ward made a 31-yard field goal to put points on the board. They now only trailed the Alouettes 10-3.
In the second quarter, Alouettes kicker David Cote made his second field goal of the game for 37-yards, extending the Alouettes lead 13-3 with 12:35 left. On the Redblacks first possession of the second quarter, they made a quarterback change putting in Dominique Davis for Matt Nickols. However, Davis’s first series went nowhere.
On the Alouettes next series, the offense started from their own 24-yard line. On the fifth play of the series, Vernon Adams pass to Eugene Lewis was incomplete. However, a pass interference call against Redblacks defensive back Marcus Lewis moved the ball to the Redblacks’ 12-yard line. Then, Vernon Adams threw his second touchdown pass to wide receiver Jake Wieneke for nine yards extending the lead 20-3 with 7:36 left in the second quarter.
The Redblacks needed a response and did just that after a nine-play drive to set them up on the Alouettes’ five-yard line. Quarterback Dominique Davis completed a five-yard pass to Daniel Petermann that cut the Alouettes lead 20-10 with 2:21 left in the second quarter.
Just when the game seemed to be turning in the Redblacks favor, the Alouettes quickly shut that momentum down. After Vernon Adams completed a 27-yard pass to Eugene Lewis, followed by a 14-yard run by William Stanback. Vernon Adams finished the drive with a 39-yard touchdown pass to Eugene Lewis with 1:46 left for a 27-10 lead in the second quarter. Then, just as time expired, Redblacks kicker Lewis Ward made a 40-yard field making it 27-10 in favor of the Alouettes at halftime.
For most of the third quarter, the Alouettes moved the ball while the Redblacks’ offense stalled. The Alouettes had a chance to add a field goal, but kicker David Cote missed a 41-yarder. The only points scored in the third quarter were the Alouettes.
Quarterback Vernon Adams threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Jake Wieneke for the second time, and the Alouettes led 34-13. The Redblacks had the ball heading into the fourth quarter.
Unfortunately for the Redblacks, their drive ended abruptly when Dominique Davis was picked off by Alouettes defensive back Patrick Levels and returned it for a 72-yard touchdown for a 41-13 lead with 13:23 left in the fourth quarter.
On the Alouettes second possession in the fourth quarter, Matthews Shiltz was the new Alouettes quarterback on their own eight-yard line. However, on his first snap of the game, he was sacked in the endzone by Redblacks defensive lineman Praise Martin-Oguike for a safety. The score was now 41-15 Alouettes with 10:16 left in the game.
The Redblacks got the ball back and drove down to the Alouettes’ one-yard line, setting up a quarterback sneak by Dominique Davis for the touchdown trailing 41-21. With 3:36 left in the fourth quarter on the Redblacks’ one-yard line, defensive lineman Almondo Sewell lined up as a running back and scored a touchdown for a 48-21 lead.
On the next Redblacks series, Dominique Davis marched the team down to Alouettes’ nine-yard before throwing a nine-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Petermann for the second time. The Redblacks converted a two-point conversion trailing 48-29 with 2:06 left in the game.
The last points of the game came with 39-seconds left on a 16-yard field goal by David Cote. The Alouettes defeated the Redblacks 51-29.
Alouettes quarterback Vernon Adams finished the game with 18/23 for 288-yards and four touchdowns. Running back William Stanback led the team with 15 carries for 112-yards. Wide receivers Eugene Lewis and Jake Wieneke each caught two touchdowns, and both went over a hundred yards in receiving. The defense finished the night with two sacks and three interceptions.
Redblacks quarterback Dominique Davis finished the night 23/33 for 291-yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and a rushing touchdown. Wide receiver Daniel Petermann led the team in receiving with seven receptions for 77-yards and two touchdowns. The defense recorded two sacks, both by Praise Martin-Oguike.
Next week, the Redblacks take on the BC Lions on Saturday, September 11th, at 10 pm on ESPN+, and the Montreal Alouettes have a bye.
