SASKATOON – Rookie running back Javin Boynton scored his second touchdown of the game in double-overtime to give the Saskatchewan Huskies a 44-40 walk-off win over the Calgary Dinos football team Friday night from Griffiths Stadium.
The Dinos erased a pair of second-half deficits to force OT, but had to settle for field goals on both their possessions in the extra time, setting up Boynton's winning run.
Both teams move to 1-2 following Friday's result.
It was a big night for quarterback
Dom Britton, who led the Dinos offence on the best performance of the young season. Britton finished the night going 17-of-32 for a career-high 284 yards and one score, while also adding a touchdown on the ground.
Ben Britton was the primary target on the night on the receiving end, hauling in eight catches for a career-best 171 yards.
Calgary also had a big night running the ball, as
Matthieu Clarke churned out 147 yards on 16 carries.
Down a pair of starters, the Dinos defence limited Saskatchewan's aerial attack to mostly dink-and-dunk type passes, holding Anton Amundrud without a passing touchdown for the first time this season.
The story of the night, however, was the Huskies' rushing performance. Spearheaded by Regina native Ryker Frank, Saskatchewan ran the ball 47 times for 280 yards and all five of their touchdowns on the night. Frank racked up a career-high 223 of those yards on 34 carries and three scores.
Reigning Canada West Defensive Player of the Week
Nate Beauchemin hauled in his third interception in the last two weeks and the seventh of his career – of which, five have come against the Huskies.
The Dinos were first on the board with a big play from the special team's unit. Rookie linebacker
Connor Jones blocked Saskatchewan's first punt of the night, immediately scooping up the ball and sprinting 25 yards for the score.
Vince Triumbari connected the extra point and drilled the ensuing kickoff through the endzone to quickly make it 8-0, Calgary.
But the Huskies showed they would have plenty of fight in them in this one, driving the ball 75 yards in nine plays on their next possession to make it an 8-7 game.
After Saskatchewan took a 10-8 lead in the second, the quick-strike Dinos offence answered right back as D. Britton connected on a deep shot to
Isaiah Woodley for a 60-yard score. Triumbari once again kicked in the convert followed by another rouge to make it 16-10 with 5:32 to play in the second quarter.
But the Huskies grinded out another long drive on the ground to go with a last-second field goal to carry a 20-16 lead at the break.
After falling down 27-16 late in the third, it was Clarke's turn for the highlight reel. The third-year running back from Brantford, Ont. took a handoff up the middle and ran 75 yards before being forced out of bounds at the four yard line. D. Britton got around the corner on the next play and connected with Woodley on the two-point conversion to cut the gap to just 27-24.
Triumbari tied things up with 13:01 left in the fourth, only to see the Huskies retake the lead at 34-27 with 6:09 to play.
Two big catches by B. Britton quickly got the Dinos in the redzone where
Tyson Rowe carried the ball across the goal line for his second career TD, once again tying things up to set up overtime.
Both teams had to settle for field goals on the opening possessions, as did the Dinos on their second drive, setting up Boynton's winning run.
With their success on the ground, the Huskies won the time-of-possession battle in this one, controlling the ball for 37:38 compared to Calgary's 22:12.
Friday's contest marked the first overtime game for the Dinos since a 41-35 win at UBC back in 2016.
The Dinos return home next weekend, taking on league-leading Manitoba on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 2 p.m. from McMahon Stadium.
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