Whyte's late field goal lifts Lions past Roughriders

Oct 3, 2009 - 6:01 AM VANCOUVER, British Columbia (CP) - Sean Whyte kicked a 33-yard field goal with five seconds left on the clock Friday night as the B.C. Lions beat the Saskatchewan Roughriders 19-16 to boost their hopes of hosting to a CFL playoff game.

The winning points came after receiver Geroy Simon made a shoestring catch at the B.C. 51-yard line to keep the game-winning drive alive.

Whyte's fourth field goal of the game made up for two misses in a first half dominated by the Lions.

B.C. improved to 6-7 and caught Edmonton for third place in the congested West Division after the Eskimos lost to Winnipeg earlier Friday.

Saskatchewan - which lost for the second time in three starts - slipped to 7-6. They remain tied for first with Calgary but the Stampeders can move ahead by winning Saturday in Hamilton.

B.C. backup quarterback Travis Lulay threw his first professional touchdown pass, a 38-yard completion to Paris Jackson for the Lions' only major score.

Lulay, in for starting quarterback Buck Pierce on a second-down short-yardage play, gave the Lions a 13-3 lead early in the second half.

However, Pierce threw for more than 300 yards with Jackson and Simon his favourite targets. Both had more than 100 receiving yards.

Andy Fantuz caught a 24-yard pass from Saskatchewan quarterback Darian Durant to draw the Riders to within two points at 16-14 late in the game.

Durant's scrambling kept Saskatchewan's two-point conversion attempt alive and he eventually found Gerran Walker in the end zone for a 16-16 tie.

Luca Congi kicked field goals of 49 and 47 yards and Whyte conceded a safety for Saskatchewan's other points.

The Lions piled up 272 yards of offence in the first half but could not finish drives and held only a 6-3 lead at the intermission.

Pierce completed 16-of-22 passes, including his first nine throws, but two marches stalled at the Saskatchewan one-yard line.

Tailback Martell Mallett was denied twice from the one and Lulay was also rejected by the Roughrider defence.

While Whyte connected for two field goals, he hit the right upright from 31 yards and was wide left from 45.

Saskatchewan's offence sputtered, converting only one of 10 second-down situations and sacks of Durant, who was intercepted three times ended three drives.

NOTES: Wally Buono was saluted before kickoff for his CFL-record 232nd coaching victory achieved Sept. 19 against Toronto . . . NFL journeyman Damane Duckett started at right tackle for the Lions, replacing Jason Jimenez, who's out with an ankle injury . . . Lineman Gene Makowski played his 246th game for Saskatchewan to tie Ron Lancaster for second-most career games as a Roughrider . . . Quarterback Casey Printers remained on the B.C. practice roster and pivot Jarious Jackson (shoulder) could return next week against Edmonton . . . Saskatchewan and B.C. split their previous two games . . . The teams conclude the season series Oct. 24 in Regina.