Last-play field goal lifts Stampeders past Riders; Harris carted off with injury

The Saskatchewan Roughriders might have lost a lot more than just Saturday’s CFL game against the Calgary Stampeders.

Riders quarterback Trevor Harris had to leave the field on the back of a cart after appearing to suffer a knee injury in the fourth quarter of the contest. Saskatchewan eventually lost 33-31 on a last-play field goal by Calgary’s Rene Paredes.

After the game, Riders head coach Craig Dickenson said he didn’t have an update on the health of his starting pivot.

“I stopped in there — he is in with the doctors — (but) certainly it did not look good on the field. I know he is in a lot of pain and hopefully it’s not as bad as it looked,” Dickenson said. “He’s a big player for us. We don’t want to lose him.

“We will keep our fingers crossed and hope it’s not a season-ending injury.”

Harris was forced from the pocket and took off running to try and pick up a first down with the Riders trailing 20-17. As he was getting tackled, his leg got rolled on as he twisted to the ground. He immediately grabbed his knee in pain and was carted off.

Harris had 115 yards passing prior to the injury.

Quarterback Mason Fine, who came into the game to replace the injured Harris, admitted it’s tough to go in after a teammate gets injured.

“He’s helped me out a lot. That’s how you have to look at it – not really lose that compassion but say, ‘Hey, I’m going to do this for you. I’m going to play well for you,’ ” Fine said. “Also (my goal is) don’t let my teammates down and that’s the biggest thing.

“You’re still compassionate but you have to look at it to where you can’t let anyone down and you just have to do your job. It wasn’t like (I’d) forget about Trevor. It was remember Trevor and go out and ball for him.”

Fine came into the game and threw two touchdowns — including a 69-yard Hail Mary to Tevin Jones on a third-and-23 with 36 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Saskatchewan Roughriders running back Jamal Morrow runs the ball against the Calgary Stampeders on July 15, 2023. (Saskatchewan Roughriders)

“I was shocked at first. I’ve never been a part of something like that,” Fine said. “At first I was shocked and went down to celebrate with my team. I quickly brought it down and I knew there were a lot of seconds left on the clock.

“But I always say it goes both ways – on offence or defence – as long as there is time and downs on the clock, you have a chance.”

Calgary made good on its chance, with Paredes booting a 50-yard field goal as time expired in front of an announced attendance of 28,842 at Mosaic Stadium.

So instead of elation in the Rider locker room, it was a somber mood.

“I’m not feeling too good,” Jones said. “(We) just have to focus on next week and fix all the mistakes that we had.

“At the time (of the Hail Mary), I thought we won. I should have looked at the clock and went down at the one-(yard line) or something like that so we could get a bit more time (off the clock).”

Even Mario Alford, who had two punt returns for touchdowns and became the team’s all-time leader in return scores, wasn’t able to celebrate the accomplishments.

“The ultimate goal is the win. I do what I do, but at the end of the day, we want to win,” Alford said. “I’m still down because we lost even though I did score two touchdowns.”

Stamps quarterback Jake Maier threw two touchdowns in the game. Stamps running back Dedrick Mills had the Stamps’ other major score.

Paredes was good on all four of his field-goal attempts and all three convert kicks.

Saskatchewan kicker Brett Lauther made one of his two field-goal attempts and made all four of his convert attempts.

With the status of their starting quarterback in doubt, the Riders (3-2) have a tall challenge awaiting them next Saturday in B.C. against the Lions (4-1).