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National Post
15 hours ago
- Sport
- National Post
Winnipeg Blue Bombers remain unbeaten with 36-23 win over Edmonton Elks
WINNIPEG — Zach Collaros picked the perfect time to take matters into his own hands. Or rather, make that feet. Article content With the Winnipeg Blue Bombers up by three points against the Edmonton Elks and less than six minutes left in Thursday's contest, the veteran quarterback escaped pressure and ran 13 yards into the end zone. Article content Article content The Blue Bombers went on to win 36-23. Article content 'I've done it many times, it's just been a long time,' the 36-year-old said. 'Yeah, I don't know if I made somebody miss or not, I kind of just got through the first layer of the defence.' Article content Even Elks quarterback Tre Ford was impressed by Collaros's touchdown. Article content 'He balled today, right?' Ford said. 'I think he threw for like 350 (yards) or something and he had that rushing touchdown. Article content 'He's getting a little bit older, but he can still move. A veteran quarterback, he did a great job tonight.' Article content Collaros also threw three touchdown passes, finishing 25 of 30 passing for 334 yards with no interceptions to help the Blue Bombers improve to 3-0. Article content He connected twice with Nic Demski, one touchdown for eight yards and another for 60. Keric Wheatfall hauled in a 52-yard TD pass. Article content Demski, who was a game-time decision with an injured ankle, extended his reception streak to 74 consecutive games. Article content He said he told the team's athletic therapist in the morning that he felt ready to go. He ended up with five catches for 97 yards after having one catch for one yard last game. Article content 'I thought Zach put me in great position to go out there and make plays,' Demski said, also crediting offensive co-ordinator Jason Hogan. Article content The Elks remained winless at 0-3. Winnipeg has won its last 13 meetings against Edmonton and is 16-2 against the club since 2017. Article content The 32,343 fans in the stands, the seventh consecutive sellout at Princess Auto Stadium, saw an exciting finish. Article content Winnipeg led 23-13 at halftime, but Ford came out firing in the third quarter, hitting Kaion Julien-Grant with a 68-yard touchdown pass at 2:01. Article content Edmonton kicker Vincent Blanchard followed that up with a 41-yard field goal to tie the game 23-23. Article content Winnipeg responded by marching down to Edmonton's 22-yard line, but only came away with a 30-yard Sergio Castillo field goal at 2:36 of the fourth.
Winnipeg Free Press
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
New and improved: Wheatfall wants the ball
After losing Kenny Lawler, Ontaria Wilson, and Drew Wolitarsky in the off-season, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers could certainly use a breakout star from the receiver room in 2025. If he can back up his word, that might just be second-year Bomber Keric Wheatfall. 'I feel like it's my turn to really go out there and perform,' said the 26-year-old Fresno State product after Wednesday's practice. Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Bombers receiver Keric Wheatfall can't wait to prove himself this season. 'I hear a lot of people say 'Oh, this is the new Kenny Lawler,' but this is the new Keric Wheatfall. You all are going to see something, and I can't wait to show you guys.' Wheatfall showed out in his CFL debut last season in Week 2 when he torched the Ottawa RedBlacks for 111 yards on three catches. He couldn't follow that up with a strong encore, though, as he suffered a hamstring injury that night that led to six weeks of rehab another two weeks on the practice roster before getting back in the starting lineup in Week 16. In seven games, he finished with 13 grabs for 273 yards and one touchdown. He also started the Western Final and Grey Cup. '(The injury) took a lot away from me, but I never let myself get down,' said Wheatfall, who played for the Philadelphia Stars of the USFL before arriving in Winnipeg. He doubled last year's end zone total in the team's preseason finale last week in Saskatchewan, a 27-20 win, when he hauled in two touchdowns — one from Zach Collaros and another from Chris Steveler — on five catches and 88 yards in one half of play. 'Wheat's a heck of a receiver. He played well for us last season, had a great training camp last season and this season as well,' said Collaros. 'He plays fast and does a great job at getting in and out of his cuts. As you guys can see, he's a guy that attacks the football in the air and he'll continue to get better.' According to Wheatfall, it's only a sign of things to come. 'It felt good to be out there and play free and show a little bit of a snippet of how the season is going to go for me,' said Wheatfall. 'I'm way crisper than I was last year… I just feel like this year I'm more free. Last year I was more robotish, still kind of learning the waggle and the CFL.' The Bombers are currently getting some work in on their Week 1 bye before opening their season at home on June 12 against the B.C. Lions. Air quality The Bombers practised on their outdoor practice field Wednesday, but almost had to make the move indoors to the WSF South building due to the poor air quality caused by the Manitoba wildfires. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Next door at Princess Auto Stadium, Valour FC's 11 a.m. kickoff against Vancouver FC was pushed back 30 minutes as the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI+) was hovering around 12. On Sunday, Valour had a match that was pushed back several hours for the same reason. It's a situation the Bombers may very well face this season if the issue persists. The CFL's policy is to stop a game and send teams into the locker room if the AQHI+ reaches 8 or above. 'We've come up with some pretty good protocols and we observe it well,' said Bombers long snapper Mike Benson, a CFLPA representative. 'I don't think we get distracted by it at all. We just know we have to get our work done no matter where we are. It's a relatively new protocol, it's only been around for a couple of years. We're always tinkering with it to find the best solution, the fastest results, so we're not debating on the phone up to a minute before the game. But unfortunately, just like any kind of weatherman, you can't predict what's going to go on. All we can do is adapt, persevere and be OK with it as a team.' 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.
