KELOWNA — It was going to be a day of firsts no matter the outcome between the Calgary Stampeders and BC Lions as two winless teams met up in Kelowna for the city’s first-ever CFL game. The Stampeders came out of the Saturday afternoon matchup at the Apple Bowl with a 41-33 victory.
A 17-point second quarter gave the Stamps a push before halftime and they wouldn’t let the Leos claw their way back in the second half, only getting as close as seven points after the break.
Vernon Adams Jr. threw a touchdown pass in each of the first three quarters and had 229 yards through the air to earn win his 50th win in the CFL. The Calgary pivot has yet to be intercepted in 2026.
A couple of highlight-reel plays from Nathan Rourke and Keon Hatcher Sr. helped BC to their next score as the home team offence opened up. Jermaine Jackson stayed on his feet for a 16-yard touchdown reception to push BC into a 14-10 lead.
It took until after the three-minute warning for the Stampeders to get a first down in the second quarter but the visitors put together an impressive possession with little time remaining in the first half. A six-yard Jalen Philpot touchdown finished off that scoring drive. After forcing a fumble out of Silas Bolden on the ensuing kickoff, Calgary quickly got right back into the end zone with seconds on the clock, making it 24-14 at the break.
After a Sean Whyte field goal cut into Calgary’s lead, the Stamps closed out the third with a touchdown to extend their advantage to 14. Tevin Jones evaded a double team down the left sideline to fall into the end zone untouched on a 56-yard play.
Calgary’s Folarin Orimolade marked his return to the field with a sack on Rourke, one of his team’s four sacks on the afternoon.
Horvath got into the end zone for the second time in the fourth quarter while Hergy Mayala caught a touchdown pass with less than a minute remaining but by then the damage had been done.
With BC in a pass-heavy game script for most of the second half Nathan Rourke racked up 462 passing yards. Hatcher Sr. and Jackson had 162 and 149 receiving yards respectively.
RELATED
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SCORING PLAYS
- Vernon Adams Jr. 20-yard touchdown pass to Dedrick Mills (9:39, Q1) | CGY 7, BC 0
- Nathan Rourke 14-yard touchdown pass to Zander Horvath (14:19, Q2) | CGY 7, BC 7
- Jude McAtamney 57-yard field goal (12:10, Q2) | CGY 10, BC 7
- Nathan Rourke 16-yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Jackson (4:06, Q2) | BC 14, CGY 10
- Vernon Adams Jr. six-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Philpot (1:14, Q2) | CGY 17, BC 14
- Quincy Vaughn one-yard touchdown run (00:08, Q2) | CGY 24, BC 14
- Sean Whyte 36-yard field goal (9:04, Q3) | CGY 24, BC 17
- Vernon Adams Jr. 56-yard touchdown pass to Tevin Jones (1:14, Q3) | CGY 31, BC 17
- Tyreik McAllister 90-yard touchdown return (11:07, Q4) | CGY 38, BC 17
- Zander Horvath one-yard touchdown run (2:49, Q4) | CGY 38, BC 25
- Jude McAtamney 30-yard field goal (1:38, Q4) | CGY 41, BC 25
- Nathan Rourke 18-yard touchdown pass to Hergy Mayala (00:29, Q4) | CGY 41, 33
NEXT UP
The Stampeders will head home to face the Toronto Argonauts in the 2026 Stampede Bowl on Thursday, July 2. Calgary won both of their games against the Boatmen in 2025.
The Apple Bowl will host the BC Lions once more in Week 5 as the BC Lions welcome the Edmonton Elks into Kelowna on Saturday, July 4. The Leos swept the season series against the Elks last season.
