Lions slow up Stampeders in season opener

B.C. 25 CALGARY 15

CALGARY — Dominique Rhymes caught two touchdown passes and totalled 100 receiving yards for the B.C. Lions in a 25-15 win over the host Calgary Stampeders in Thursday’s CFL season-opener.

Rhymes picked up where he left off in 2022 when his 1,401 yards ranked second among CFL receivers behind Winnipeg’s Dalton Schoen and earned Rhymes a league all-star designation.

Lions quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. was efficient early throwing for 176 yards in a pair of first-half touchdown drives.

The quarterback capped them with throws to Rhymes and also scored a rushing touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

Lions kicker Sean Whyte’s 44-yard field goal with 25 seconds remaining put the game out of reach for the Stampeders.

Tre Odoms-Dukes caught a fourthquarter touchdown pass from Jake Maier for Calgary’s lone touchdown in front of an announced crowd of 17,942 at McMahon Stadium.

Calgary’s Rene Paredes kicked three field goals on five attempts.

Adams completed 27 of 35 passes for 270 yards and two touchdown throws in the game. He was intercepted by Mike Rose.

The Lions acquired Adams, a 2019 CFL all-star, from the Montreal Alouettes midway through last season when Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke was injured.

With Rourke now property of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, the Lions looked to the 30-year-old Adams to lead their offence.

Maier struggled in Thursday’s first half in completing just seven of 15 passes for 56 yards.

The 26-year-old was under pressure several times and sacked late in the second quarter by Mathieu Betts.

Maier finished 18-for-34 in pass attempts for 149 yards and a touchdown pass. He was intercepted once.