Pigrome impresses as Blue Bombers edge Elks 25-23 in CFL pre-season clash
EDMONTON -- Tyrrell Pigrome's first taste of CFL action was pretty sweet.
The rookie quarterback recorded a pair of touchdown runs, including a late game-winning 46-yard sprint into the end zone, as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers survived a comeback bid to open up CFL pre-season play with a 25-23 victory over the Edmonton Elks on Saturday afternoon.
Pigrome, a native of Birmingham, Ala., who went to Towson, made a good case for himself in his debut as he tries to earn the third-string QB role in a perceived battle with Josh Jones.
"He can really move, he's very athletic," said Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea. "When he decides to take off, he is going to be tough to handle."
Pigrome was happy to make an early impact.
"I'm blessed to be here, blessed for the opportunity," he said. "For those things to happen to me in my first game, it is a blessing. This is just the beginning, though. I still have to make the team and I still have to keep working and pushing and trying to better myself."
Edmonton dropped to 0-2 in exhibition action.
"We took a little bit to get going, but once we got going everybody was moving in sync, we were moving together and I thought the offence was moving the ball pretty well," said Elks backup QB Tre Ford, who scored one of Edmonton's touchdowns.
The Elks scored on their opening drive, getting a 35-yard field goal from Dean Faithfull.
Winnipeg was quick to respond, as veteran quarterback Zach Collaros found Kenny Lawler on a 67-yard touchdown pass.
Edmonton got a single back on a missed 44-yard Faithfull attempt.
The Blue Bombers started the second quarter with a one-yard TD plunge from Pigrome.
Faithfull completed a long drive engineered by backup QB Ford with a 31-yard field goal before the Winnipeg kicker nailed a 34-yarder to put the Bombers up 17-7 at the midway mark.
Ford continued to look good behind centre for Edmonton as he started the third quarter with another strong drive, capped off by a seven-yard rush and big dive into the end zone to bring the Elks to within three.
Edmonton would then draw even at the start of the final frame on a 19-yard Faithfull field goal.
Pigrome displayed some fleet feet of his own four minutes into the fourth, putting his team back in front with a 46-yard touchdown run.
The Bombers got a bonus point on a punt single.
Edmonton came storming back with 1:54 to play as third-string QB Kai Locksley found CJ Sims on a 44-yard passing play, setting up another toss for a TD to Raphael Leonard. However, the two-point convert attempt to tie the contest was incomplete.
A 52-yard field goal attempt by Faithfull with time expired to win it was blocked.
"We have to find ways to not shoot ourselves in the foot earlier in the game and we would probably be in a lot different situation," said Elks head coach Chris Jones. "But we did scratch and claw and give ourselves a chance to win the game late and unfortunately we came up a little short."
UP NEXT
The Bombers close out their pre-season schedule at home to the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday in advance of also opening the season at home on June 9 against Hamilton. The Elks are off until June 11, when they play host to Saskatchewan in their season lid-lifter.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
ArriveCan contractor to be admonished by MPs in extraordinarily rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.