Another slow start costs Bombers in Labour Day defeat
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/09/2023 (776 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
REGINA – Play with fire long enough and eventually you’re going to get burned.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers learned that lesson the hard way against the Saskatchewan Roughriders in a nail-biting and entertaining 32-30 overtime loss in the annual Labour Day Classic game Sunday night.
The Bombers, who dropped to 9-3 and still hold first place in the West Division, have struggled to get their engines going in recent weeks. But unlike the previous four games when the Bombers summoned some late-game heroics to make up for a slow start and carve out a victory, they pulled up just short against their most heated rivals.

Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Antonio Pipkin (6) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Winnipeg Blue Bombers during overtime of CFL Labour Day Classic football action in Regina, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023. (Heywood Yu / The Canadian Press)
“I don’t know,” Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said when asked about the recent pattern of sluggish starts. “You probably only worry about them when you lose, right?”
The Roughriders, who improved to 6-5, were able to weather a fourth-quarter comeback by the Blue and Gold to force extra time.
On their first possession in OT, the ‘Riders, led by second-year quarterback Jake Dolegala who was making just his third career start, moved the ball down to the one-yard line – setting up a quarterback-sneak touchdown by Antonio Pipkin. Dolegala then connected with Shawn Bane Jr. on what proved to be a game-sealing two-point convert.
The Bombers, who won the coin toss and elected to have the second possession in extra time, were in prime position to force another OT. Zach Collaros found Kenny Lawler in the end zone for a 35-yard score on the very first play, but his throw to Drew Wolitarsky on the ensuing two-point convert was deflected by Roughriders defensive back Jaxon Ford.
“Turn the ball over early, give them three points and we lose …,” said a seething Collaros after the game. “We need to be better.”
Indeed, the Roughriders wasted little time to make their mark in this one, opting for some early trickery with a successful onside kick on the game’s opening play. That’s about as exciting as things would get through the first quarter, with Saskatchewan leading 3-0 thanks to a 42-yard field goal from Brett Lauther on an offensive series later in the frame.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers running back Brady Oliveira (20) runs the football against Saskatchewan Roughriders during the first half of CFL Labour Day Classic football action in Regina, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023. (Heywood Yu / The Canadian Press)
In the days leading up the annual clash, the Bombers talked about the need to match the intensity of their opponent, understanding the Riders would be ramped up playing in front of a sold-out crowd of 33,350. Instead, Winnipeg continued its trend of sleepy starts, with Sunday’s effort arguably its worst over the last five games.
Collaros went without a completion on four passes in the first quarter, unless an the interception by Nick Marshall counts. It led to the Lauther three-pointer. In fact, the Bombers finished with just 27 net offensive yards in the first 15 minutes, with all that production coming from running back Brady Oliveira. Winnipeg ended the night with 372 offensive yards, just 10 short of Saskatchewan.
“It’s not good enough. We didn’t execute,” added Collaros. “What, did we complete three passes in the first half? It was terrible.”
The Roughriders weren’t much better in the opening quarter, posting a dismal 46 yards of offence and three first downs – the same amount of first downs put up by the Bombers.
The second quarter would bring a bit more energy, and a lot more completed passes from both offences.
Dolegala, who was thrust into the spotlight three weeks ago with Trevor Harris and Mason Fine both out with injuries, provided the first punch, hitting Tevin Jones with a 64-yard reception. The play came on second-and-14 from Saskatchewan’s four-yard line, and it was aided by a misplay from Bombers DB Demerio Houston, who made an early jump on the ball in an attempt to get an interception.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros (8) throws against Saskatchewan Roughriders during the first half of CFL Labour Day Classic football action in Regina, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023. (Heywood Yu / The Canadian Press)
Winston Rose made a similar mistake a play later, also jumping early on a throw that was completed to Mitchell Picton for a 17-yard gain to make it first-and-goal from Winnipeg’s five. Three plays later, Pipkin punched in his first of two TDs on the night to put the Riders up 10-0.
Collaros and the offence found some life on the ensuing series, cutting Saskatchewan’s lead to 10-7 with a six-play, 100-yard TD drive. Collaros connected on passes to Dalton Schoen and Nic Demski for 20 and 46 yards, respectively, before finding Wolitarsky with a 34-yard toss to the right side of the end zone.
A 27-yard field goal by Lauther gave the Riders a 13-7 lead at halftime.
“They made more plays, start to finish, and that’s about as basic as it gets,” said Demski, who had a game-high 118 yards on five catches. “We knew what we were coming into, we knew what Saskatchewan’s defence is like – they’re a physical group that plays tough – and they showed that today.”
After opening the second half with a two-and-out from each side, Lauther made it 16-7 for the Riders with a 29-yard field goal. The Bombers made it a two-point game, 16-14, a short time later when Oliveira punched in a three-yard major – his first of two scores on the night.

Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver Shawn Bane Jr. (15) runs the football as Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive back Deatrick Nichols (1) runs during the second half of CFL Labour Day Classic football action in Regina, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023. (Heywood Yu / The Canadian Press)
It would be a battle of the kickers for the remainder of the third, with Lauther making good on a 53-yard field goal and Winnipeg’s Sergio Castillo also connecting on a 14-yarder, leaving the Riders up 19-17 heading into what turned out to be a wild and controversial fourth quarter.
Trailing 20-17 after giving up a rouge, the Bombers moved the ball to the Roughriders’ seven-yard line. Oliveira then rushed for two yards, setting up a second-and-goal from the five, but Collaros’ pass to Wolitarsky went incomplete, leaving the Bombers to settle for a short field goal.
But Roughriders defensive lineman Pete Robertson inexplicably head-butted Collaros to draw an unnecessary roughness penalty, setting Winnipeg up with a new set of downs on the Riders’ two-yard line. One play later, Oliveira rushed into the end zone to give the Bombers their first lead of the game, 24-20.
That’s when things got a bit interesting, as the Bombers once again surrendered a single point on a rouge, preferring to take the ball at the 40-yard line rather than the 30. It proved costly, too, with Saskatchewan moving the ball down field, unable to score a touchdown but tying the game 24-24 on another Lauther perfect boot to send it to OT.
“We got to look at ourselves in the mirror and find out how we can be better, because that team is not better than us,” Oliveira said. “We all got to be better. We got to come back next week and, from start to finish, just play a better game.”
The clubs meet again in the annual Banjo Bowl at IG Field on Saturday afternoon. It’s the third and final tilt between the two prairie rivals, with the season-series up for grabs after the Bombers won 47-25 back in Week 2.

Saskatchewan Roughriders running back Jamal Morrow (25) is tackled by Winnipeg Blue Bombers linebacker Kyrie Wilson (19) during overtime of CFL Labour Day Classic football action in Regina, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023. (Heywood Yu / The Canadian Press)
Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @jeffkhamilton

Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer
Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University’s journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff.
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