The Bombers quarterback threw for four touchdowns as the two-time defending Gray Cup champions scored on their first eight possessions in a crushing 54-20 victory over a Saskatchewan Roughriders team battling a nasty stomach virus. “I think it’s special,” Collaros said of the six touchdowns and two field goals scored during the possessions. “It was really effective. We were very good on first down and had a handful of second and second downs.” The Bombers (12-1) effectively wrapped up the CFL contest by scoring on nine of 10 drives in front of a sold-out crowd of 33,234 fans at IG Field for the 18th edition of the Banjo Bowl. Kolaros completed 21-of-25 pass attempts for 273 yards and no interceptions. He was replaced by Drew Brown with nine minutes left in the final quarter. After Winnipeg’s Mark Lieggio finally punted with three minutes left in the game, Brown threw his first CFL touchdown pass, an 11-yarder to Dalton Schoen with 42 seconds left in the game. Winnipeg wrapped up its three-game CFL season series with Saskatchewan (6-7) after beating the Riders 20-18 in last weekend’s Labor Day Classic. Game three is in Winnipeg on September 30. Roughriders quarterback Cody Fajardo said it was a tough outing before the team even took the field. “It started with walking into the locker room and it looked like a trio in there,” Fajardo said. “The amount of sick, vomiting men coming out of both ends was quite ridiculous. “I have a lot of heart for these kids. Our entire offensive line was sick and they left. We were giving them IVs just to get them on the field. We had nothing else to do.” Fajardo, who said he only felt weak and not throwing up, was 15-of-18 passing for 124 yards with no TDs and no picks. Jake Dolegala replaced him late in the fourth. Saskatchewan head coach Craig Dickenson estimated 15 players and seven or eight coaches were sick with some type of virus unrelated to COVID-19. He was one of them. Dickenson said he went to a Mexican restaurant in Winnipeg on Friday night and had a burrito. His stomach felt upset later from the night at the hotel. She threw up five times and knew it was more than just food poisoning. “It was ugly. I was probably as sick as I’ve ever been for about 12 hours,” he said. When he spoke to the team manager, he was told that many players were in the same boat. That meant the roster was juggling. Backup quarterback Mason Fine couldn’t dress, so third-stringer Dolegala was thrown out, Dickenson said. A few players dressed but did not play, including receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker. Forward Josiah St. John was unable to complete the game. “That team in there destroyed it,” Dickenson said. “We’re not happy with the score and we feel we’re a better team than that, but it was a depleted group in there. Those who played, half were sick. “You’re going to need your best team and your guys healthy to stay even with Winnipeg, let alone beat them in their place. But I’m proud of them. They ripped it off, they did the best they could in some real tough conditions.” Winnipeg led 6-0 after the first quarter, 27-10 at halftime and 37-20 after the third. Bombers wide receiver Nic Demski caught TD passes of 16 and 18 yards. Rasheed Bailey hauled in a 34-yard TD reception and Brendan O’Leary-Orange recorded his first CFL TD with a 10-yard catch. Backup Bombers quarterback Dakota Prukop ran for two TDs from three and one yards out. Lieggio kicked field goals of 45 and 23 yards and made six of his seven conversion attempts. Saskatchewan receiver Mario Alford recorded a 92-yard punt return for a TD and Fajardo rushed for a one-yard TD. Kicker Brett Lauther connected on field goals of 53 and 34 yards and two conversions. Demski said he didn’t know any of the Roughriders were sick. “I talked to some guys after the game that I knew and they told me,” he said. “Hopefully everyone will get better and kudos to them for coming out and playing a tough game.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published on September 10, 2022
