Blue Bombers triumph in preseason opener
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers won the first of their two preseason contests in a 15-9 decision over the prairie rival Saskatchewan Roughriders at Princess Auto Stadium.
Bombers kicker Sergio Castillo made good on every field goal attempt, connecting from 19, 50, 41, 18 and 21 yards.
Zach Collaros tossed for 93 passing while completing 10 of his 13 passes, with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions.
The Bombers and Roughriders will meet again on Friday, May 30, in Regina for the final tune-up before the regular season. Kick-off is 8 p.m. CT.
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Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Vanterpool ready for the big time
It didn't take long for Micah Vanterpool to fall in love with the CFL. 'It was the Banjo Bowl at home. It was the opening kickoff, and I heard the crowd for the first time, and I went 'Oh my goodness, this is lovely. The CFL is beautiful,'' said Vanterpool, a second-year Blue Bomber, after Friday's practice. The University of Hawaii product only saw action in two games as a rookie as he spent the majority of 2024 on the practice squad. This year, however, should be a different story as all signs point to Vanterpool starting at left guard in next Thursday's season opener against the visiting B.C. Lions. Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Micah Vanterpool is likely to start in the Bombers' season opener. The 26-year-old Vanterpool, who stands at 6-6 and weighs 315 pounds, has been working with the starters and turned a ton of heads in training camp. The Bombers had a hole to fill with last year's starter Liam Dobson inking a two-year deal with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. 'You can expect to see a big, physical guy moving around the field. Wherever the ball stops, that's where you're going to see No. 68,' said Vanterpool. 'If you see a receiver getting tackled all the way down the field, I'm gonna be the guy picking him up. I'll be making sure our quarterback is safe, and all our ball carriers are safe as well.' That's certainly music to the ears of running back Brady Oliveira — the CFL's reigning Most Outstanding Player. 'He's got a lot of energy, which is great. You need that, especially through the course of a game. It can be a grind, and you need guys that can boost your energy,' said Oliveira. 'Micah is great. He had an incredible camp. He's a big dude, which I prefer, obviously, running behind. He's physical and he fits the blueprint of this offence. The offensive line is the backbone of this team.' As a senior at Hawaii, he was one of only two offensive linemen in the nation who played 900 snaps or more and not get flagged for a penalty. 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He might be one of two second-year players on the O-line getting the start against B.C. as Kendall Randolph has been working at right tackle with veteran Eric Lofton missing most of camp with an injury. Randolph, who played both tight end, guard and tackle for the Alabama Crimson Tide, made five starts last year — three at right guard for Patrick Neufeld and two at left tackle filling in for Stanley Bryant. NIC ADAM / FREE PRESS files Kendall Randolph started five games for the Bombers in 2024. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'Last year, I was thrown into the fire a couple times, and I was able to compete at a high level. So, ultimately, I'm just trying to build on that,' said Randolph. The Bombers have traditionally rolled with three Canadians and two Americans on the O-line, but head coach Mike O'Shea said Friday he has no qualms about taking a different approach this season. Bryant, Neufeld, and centre Chris Kolankowski are all back from 2024. 'We've got a nice mix of veterans and young guys. They know the standard. That room is always tight and well run by (O-line coach) Marty (Costello),' said O'Shea. 'It's an awesome place to sit and listen to the game unfold. They talk about practice, plays and game planning, it's a good place to sit, I don't do it enough, but it's always so well run you just trust that the o-line is going to be that beacon for our team, really.' Taylor AllenReporter Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor. Every piece of reporting Taylor produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
National Post
2 days ago
- National Post
Less stress, more swagger: B.C. Lions' QB Nathan Rourke aiming to have fun this season
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CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
Ticats GM says he has been diagnosed with ‘a serious form of cancer'
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