CALGARY — Reggie Begelton didn’t must look far for motivation on Labour Day at McMahon Stadium.

After catching a pair of landing passes from Jake Maier to steer his Calgary Stampeders to a 26-18 victory over the Edmonton Elks, Begelton praised the 30,479 followers within the stands for his or her help.

“Whenever you get the group in it, it makes it that a lot sweeter,” mentioned Begelton, who caught 5 passes for 57 yards. “The juices get going. You don’t have to seek out it. It’s there already.”

Maier referred to Begelton as a “big-time participant” who has labored laborious this season and the Calgary quarterback was glad to see the proficient receiver succeed on such a giant stage because the Labour Day Traditional.

“He hasn’t all the time had all the things go his method this 12 months,” mentioned Maier, who accomplished 18 of 26 passes for 238 yards. “He hasn’t all the time had the ball come his course. In one in all our greatest video games of the 12 months on Labour Day, he reveals up and scores two touchdowns.

“He’s only a actual even-keeled man, actually unselfish. When you will have these kinds of guys, these are the issues that may occur for them. He’s an amazing chief for us and it was superior to see.”

Calgary coach Dave Dickenson mentioned he had a sense that Begelton would give you a giant sport in opposition to the Elks.

“I’m not stunned,” Dickenson mentioned. “I simply thought he’s been doing all of the little issues, all of the laborious work. I do suppose he’s one in all our greatest staff. I feel he’s a really unselfish individual.”

Ka’Deem Carey had a dashing landing for the Stampeders (7-4), who avenged a 32-20 loss to the Elks a 12 months in the past throughout the annual Labour Day Traditional contest.

Rene Paredes had a area objective and a single for the Stamps, who received their four-hundredth house sport in franchise historical past.

Quarterback Taylor Cornelius threw landing passes to Dillon Mitchell and Jalin Marshall for the Elks (3-9), who’ve misplaced two straight video games and 5 of their previous six.

“It’s simply one other right-there second,” mentioned Cornelius, who accomplished 22 of 33 passes for 257 yards. “It felt like we have been hanging with them the entire sport.

“Then (in) the third quarter we stalled out, had numerous two-and-outs and couldn’t keep on the sphere lengthy sufficient, left our defence on the market and that’s when the sport actually appeared to shift into their momentum slightly bit.”

Sergio Castillo kicked a area objective for Edmonton, whereas Jon Ryan booted a single.

On Edmonton’s first drive, Cornelius fumbled a snap at midfield and Stamps defensive lineman Derek Wiggan alertly recovered the ball to provide Calgary good area place.

4 performs later, Carey ran for a three-yard landing to cap off a fast 51-yard drive.

The Elks responded late within the first quarter when Cornelius tossed a 48-yard landing strike to Mitchell to cap off a six-play, 90-yard drive.

Neither staff may get something going offensively within the second quarter as Ryan accounted for the one level with a 51-yard single to provide the Elks an 8-7 lead heading into the halftime break.

Each groups had possibilities to attain factors off turnovers however neither may capitalize.

Early within the second quarter, Shawn Lemon stripped the ball out of the arms of Cornelius earlier than Cameron Choose knocked it out of bounds to provide the Stamps nice area place at Edmonton’s 43-yard line. Three performs later, Maier was sacked by Jake Ceresna and the Stamps have been pressured to punt.

On Calgary’s subsequent possession, Mark McLaurin picked off an errant go by Maier, however all of the Elks may muster on their drive was the one by Ryan.

Maier tossed an eight-yard TD go to Begelton at 6:29 of the third quarter to provide Calgary the lead. After Malik Henry caught a go from Maier ultimately zone for a two-point convert, the Stamps went up 15-8.

After Edmonton’s third straight two-and-out to begin the second half, the Elks’ woes continued when Romeo McKnight blocked Ryan’s punt and Isaac Adeyemi-Bergland picked up the unfastened ball on the 12-yard line.

Two performs later, Begelton made a diving catch within the again nook of the tip zone to haul in a 12-yard TD go from Maier.

“Ah man, the joy, the push that simply went by my physique, all glory to God on that one,” mentioned Begelton with regard to his highlight-reel play. “I simply felt actually blessed on that one.”

On the following kickoff, the ball hit returner Peyton Logan within the face masks and bounced proper to Edmonton’s Jeremie Dominique, who was introduced down on Calgary’s 35-yard line.

5 performs later, the Elks needed to accept a 15-yard area objective by Castillo.

After Paredes kicked a 25-yard area objective to provide Calgary a 25-11 lead, Cornelius led the Elks on a 10-play, 70-yard drive that he completed by throwing a five-yard TD go to Marshall behind the tip zone.

Paredes then missed a 40-yard area objective huge to the left, however the ball went by the tip zone for a 53-yard single for the ultimate level of the sport.

“It’s what Labour Day is, you play somebody and then you definately flip round and play them 5 days later,” mentioned Elks coach Chris Jones, whose staff will host the Stamps in a rematch at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton on Saturday. “It’s an excellent factor to get this style out of our mouth.

“We will take excellent care of our gamers this week. I don’t suppose we’ve bought anyone nicked up, thank goodness.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Sept. 5, 2022.