Dickenson comes off the bench to secure first in the West

The controversy will continue in BC over who should start as a quarterback for the Lions, but for one day everyone seems happy that it was Dave Dickenson that finished!

Dickenson was pressed into action with less than seven minutes to go in the game, when Casey Printers was injured. Taking a hit from Ed Phillion Printers left a game that he had a large measure of success in retrieving from a near disaster.

Montreal had taken charge early in the first quarter and seemed on their way to a convincing victory over the West’s first place team. Anthony Calvillo led the Als to a 20-0 lead at the end of the first fifteen minutes. Printers would come to life in the second quarter as he ran a touchdown in on his own and threw to Ryan Thellwell, a safety benefited the Lions and they roared back with 16 unanswered points in the second quarter.

Fumbles and errors filled the game as wind and rain made things interesting for both teams at Molson stadium. The two teams traded points in the third and fourth quarters, setting the stage for Dickenson to once again remind folks as to why David Braley, Bob Ackles and Wally Buono offered him a contract. Dickenson’s first set of downs in relief didn’t go very far as the Leos turned the ball back over to the Als. But his second shot a changing the outcome of the game proved to be successful. With time winding down Dickenson completed pass after pass, moving the Lions down the field authoritatively. The finishing touch was a beauty of a pass for fifteen yards to Chris Brazell for the winning margin.

The 32-29 win clinches first in the West for the Lions, giving owner David Braley a long hoped for playoff home date, an opportunity to open up that upper deck and perhaps return the Lions to the days of 60,000 at the Dome. The win also counted as the fifth straight victory by the Lions over the Als, a record that must be distressing for Don Mathews.

For Montreal it is yet another loss in October, a rather nasty habit the Als have picked up over the last couple of years. Despite the loss the Als are guaranteed first place in the East due to Toronto’s loss to Calgary yesterday. Yet Don Matthews won’t be celebrating, he has watched his previously strong defence give up too many points and allow too many teams to launch costly drives in the last three weeks. This weeks team meetings may not be an enjoyable experience for the Defence.

The Lions face Calgary next week at BC Place and then host Saskatchewan on the 30th to finish off the season. Neither game means much to the standings for BC, and will give Wally Buono a chance to rest some of his weary troops. It also creates an interesting question who to start at QB in Vancouver, not for any controversial aspect but more on a risk to injury possibility. Perhaps Spurgeon Wynn had best warm up his throwing arm, he may find himself handling the A squad in the next two weeks.