Edmonton Elks wake up for fourth quarter to beat Stampeders in Labour Day Classic

Photo: Blair Takahashi/COACHTAK/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

Another Labour Day game is in the books, and although it was far from a “classic,” an eventful fourth quarter comeback allowed the Edmonton Elks to win 38-28 over the Calgary Stampeders.

Below are my thoughts on the game.

Slow start, big finish

I admit there are times that I probably overreact to slow starts.

Coming off the bye week, I expected the Elks to look refreshed, energized, and running on all cylinders. What we got was a discombobulated offence, some critical drops, and significantly more punting than anyone wants to see. Jake Julien’s a great player, but opening a game with five punts is ugly.

The Elks didn’t record a first down, other than by penalty, until over 24 minutes of gameplay had passed. Moments later, Cody Fajardo was intercepted deep in Edmonton territory and the Stampeders capitalized with a touchdown.

Edmonton decided to take the wind in the fourth quarter and kick it off to start the second half. Three minutes later, the hole got deeper at 25-7. I was ready to pack up to go home and write this article, but then something finally clicked for the Green and Gold.

I’m still not sure what head coach Mark Kilam says over the orange slices at halftime, but his team does not panic and finds ways to go back to work. The defence had done a lot to keep the score within striking distance even though they had spent the majority of the game on the field.

With three minutes left in the third quarter, Cody Fajardo found Austin Mack, as he so often has, for the major score and that seemed to spark the squad. The next four drives resulted in two touchdowns and a field goal for the full comeback.

The defence shut the door, allowing only a field goal in the final quarter, and forced a turnover on downs to snuff out Calgary’s last gasp. Much like the game two weeks ago, Edmonton just waited patiently, then found their stride when they needed it.

Just as their coach preaches, they “found a way.”

Quite the debut

Javon Leake hit the six-game injured list this week, which brought rookie running back ShunDerrick Powell on to the active roster.

In training camp, the diminutive ball-carrier — he’s five-foot-seven, according to the roster — showed some great burst from the backfield. I had heard throughout the week that the Elks were getting him accustomed to the return game. I had only remembered seeing him in the backfield previously, but using his speed on returns made sense.

The Central Arkansas product had a tough start, dropping three kicks that came his way. All but one he was able to pick up and get some positive yardage, with the last attempt going out of bounds. Kilam found Powell after that error, and put his arm around him for a coaching moment.

The 24-year-old later rotated in at running back in the third quarter and it paid off, as the Hokie, Ariz. native rushed seven times for 38 yards and a touchdown. He also registered a 35-yard return when the Elks needed it in the fourth quarter. Kilam was the first to greet him after the big return to close his coaching loop.

Powell pushed through the offensive line and found space when there was little to have. His ability to return kicks and perform as a rotational back should be impactful while Leake is recovering.

Lots of wings

I still need to figure out what’s up with the “flapping wings” celebration the defence does when it makes a big play means, but there was lots of flapping in this game.

Edmonton finished the game with eight pass knockdowns. Kordell Jackson and rookie Terez Reid led the way with two each.

Nick Anderson led all defensive players with 12 total tackles, including a sack, and aded one of the aforementioned knockdowns. Noah Taylor continues to lead the team after adding his sixth sack of the year.

Joel Dublanko was just shy of getting a safety on his sack as he made contact with Vernon Adams Jr. at the one-yard line and drove him back into the end zone. Malik Carney rounded out the sack party to keep on pace with Taylor.

Calgary did get some points on the board, 14 of which came off turnovers with decent field position, but the defence overall was spectacular.

The final two Stampeders possessions really stood out. J.C. Sherritt’s crew made sure they held the lead when they got it, forcing a punt with 2:30 on the clock and a turnover on downs at the Calgary three-yard line to seal it.

The building blocks from last year are paying huge dividends in 2026 and creating a lot of flapping defenders.

Off the injured list

Two big free-agent signings were back in green on gold for the Labour Day Classic.

Offensive lineman Coulter Woodmansey got hurt in Week 1 against Ottawa. I admit that when he got carted off the field, I thought we would not see him again until 2027. The Toronto native was brought in to bring some nasty to the line, and had existing chemistry with former Tiger-Cats teammates like Jordan Murray, Brendan Bordner, and David Beard.

The right guard spot had been filled with Cameron Carter, Chris Pashula, and most recently Brett Boyko.

Woodmansey’s return was supposed to bring a boost to the run game and add some frustration to the opposing defensive line. It took a while in this game to see them come together again but the right side of the line dominated late.

There was no pressure allowed from that side, and when Justin Rankin got a big run, it was off the blocking of Woodmansey and Murray — along with some broken tackles in space. His offsetting objectionable conduct penalty with Savio Frazier indicated the edge he brings was also back.

Joe Robustelli made his Elks debut after an injury in training camp had kept him out for months. I was at practice on Saturday and was sure he would be impactful.

The connection with Fajardo looked great and his ability to catch in tight spaces was obvious. In his third CFL season, the six-foot-three, 220-pound target was able to haul in three passes for 53 total yards.

One of his catches, a 21-yarder, set up the first of the three fourth-quarter touchdowns. I thought Robustelli was going in for the score and got stopped just short on the three. In the coming weeks, as he gets back into game shape and plays more with Fajardo, Robustelli should generate more big plays.

Fajardo finds ways

Cody Fajardo has now played in all three of the Labour Day Classic games.

This one was far from his best of the bunch, but the veteran found the combination of his legs and arm needed to get the job done.

It’s not every game that Fajardo runs for 76 yards and averages 10 yards per carry. The California native needed that this week because his accuracy was not what we have come to expect, as he finished the game with a 54.8 percent completion rate. This is unlike Fajardo, but it seemed as though he was throwing high to his targets.

To be fair, the offensive line was not in their groove early, either, and Fajardo found himself on the run a lot. Clarence Hicks had a field day with Brenden Bordner early-on and got home for a sack, forcing a fumble at the same time.

The pressure up-front seemed to create some opportunities for the University of Nevada product to use his legs.

In the second quarter, a 12-yard rush kept the drive alive for Edmonton’s first touchdown. In the third quarter, it was a 19-yard run that turned into six points two plays later.

The timing was perfect and the team rose to the level of their leader. It wasn’t all pretty, as I’m sure Fajardo would be the first to admit, but it was there when it counted, and that’s why Kilam wanted him running this offence.

Oh, there’s Rankin

Teams seem to have figured out the code for Justin Rankin. Whether that’s a line thing, play preparation, or a slight tell on when the run is coming is unclear, but he’s not been able to break free much in the past few weeks.

Up until four minutes left in the game, the star back had minus-two yards rushing and seven yards receiving on five catches. This is not the Rankin we saw in the first third of the year.

As it turns out, a couple of big plays from Powell, and a spark from the team to come back, was all that the Frisco, Texas native needed.

A 35-yard return from Powell set up the Green and Gold on Calgary’s 50-yard line. The combination of Woodmansey and Murray was in full effect, so the call was to go their way.

As the third-year back often does, he found space and broke by Jaydon Grant and R.J. Moten. The next wave of Stampeders came and he juked Damon Webb and spun off Kelechi Anyalebechi to break free for the 50-yard touchdown. It was the nail in the coffin for which Rankin’s so often the hammer.

His parents were in the stands to see it, too.

Bring on the last final third of the season for the dynamic back.

The return classic

After improving to 9-3, the Elks will not have a losing record for the first time in eight years. Only one more win will guarantee them a return to the playoffs.

It has been 11 years since there was a playoff game in the Concrete Castle of the North. The game on Saturday has taken on so much beyond the rivalry that is the Battle of Alberta.

The house should be packed and the noise level high for a team that seems to have finally turned that corner.