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Montreal wins second straight Grey Cup

Nov 29, 2010 - 5:29 AM Edmonton, AB (Sports Network) - Billy Parker's interception with 55 seconds left thwarted a late Saskatchewan comeback and helped seal Montreal's 21-18 victory in the 98th Grey Cup at Commonwealth Stadium.

Damon Duval missed a field goal to give the Roughriders possession at their own 16 with 1:37 left, down by three.

Saskatchewan quarterback Darian Durant made an impressive first-down run a few plays to get near the 40, but it was negated when one of his wide receivers ran ahead of the play before the snap. On 1st-and-15, Durant impressively avoided a sack and tried to throw the ball out of bounds.

The ball didn't get enough air, and Parker's pick near the sideline sealed the outcome.

Anthony Calvillo threw for 340 yards for the Alouettes, who won their second straight Grey Cup after beating Saskatchewan last year on a final-second field goal.

Jamel Richardson was the game's MVP, catching eight passes for 110 yards, while S.J. Green had nine receptions for 102 yards in the win.

Avon Cobourne, last year's Grey Cup MVP, ran for 67 yards and two scores for Montreal.

"We're resilient. We're a hard-working team," Cobourne said. "Sometimes we do it with flash. Sometimes we do it grinding it out, like this one. Whatever it takes to win."

Durant was 18-of-31 for 214 yards with one touchdown and one interception for the Roughriders, who last won a title in 2007 and would have won last year if not for a penalty in the closing moments.

"It's a very difficult loss," said Saskatchewan linebacker Barrin Simpson. "These guys in the locker room put everything on the line. We gave 100 percent, and it didn't come out our way. It's tough. It's tough losing this game."

Montreal became the first team to win back-to-back Canadian Football League titles since Toronto in 1996-97.

The Als took an early lead on Cobourne's three-yard run, and a single by Duval a short time later gave Montreal an 8-0 lead.

Wes Cates, who ran for 80 yards, got Saskatchewan on the board on the last play from scrimmage of the first quarter with a one-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to one.

The Roughriders moved in front for the first time on Warren Kean's 27-yard field goal with just over 11 minutes until halftime, and Eddie Johnson's single in the final minute of the first half made it 11-8.

The lone score of the third quarter was a 22-yard field goal by Duval to send the game into the fourth tied, 11-11.

Duval opened the fourth quarter with a 42-yard field goal to put Montreal back ahead by three, and the Roughriders gained only one first down on their next drive before punting the ball away.

The Alouettes responded with a seven-play, 81-yard drive that ended with a two-yard scoring run by Cobourne. The touchdown was set up by Calvillo's 37- yard toss to Richardson on 2nd-and-7 from the 39.

Duval's 27-yard punt with four minutes left gave Saskatchewan good field position at the opposing 32, and Andy Fantuz's 31-yard reception on the following play to set up Durant's one-yard touchdown pass to Marc Parenteau with three minutes to go.

The score made it 21-18, and Duval's 40-yard field goal miss on the following possession set up the exciting finish.

Game Notes

The last four meetings between the teams, regular season and postseason, have been decided by a total of 11 points...Montreal captured its seventh Grey Cup title...The interception in the final minute was the game's lone turnover...The Als gained 435 yards on offense, compared to 298 for the Roughriders...The last team to win three straight titles was the Edmonton Eskimos, who captured five straight from 1978-82.