In the end, Bombers refused to lose in their house

By: Ashley Prest Posted: 1:00 AM CDT Friday, Jul. 29, 2011

IN the heat of the game, coach Richard Harris' philosophy for players was the same -- no one comes into their house and takes away a victory.

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IN the heat of the game, coach Richard Harris' philosophy for players was the same -- no one comes into their house and takes away a victory.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/07/2011 (5187 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

IN the heat of the game, coach Richard Harris’ philosophy for players was the same — no one comes into their house and takes away a victory.

On Thursday, it was the Bombers who took something — a heart-pounding, emotionally wrought 25-20 victory over the visiting B.C. Lions at Canad Inns Stadium, on a night dedicated to Harris, who died two days ago.

Alex Brink, the Bombers’ backup quarterback who was third on the depth chart a few weeks ago, fired what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown pass of 22 yards to Terrence Edwards with about four minutes left in the game.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Lions Solomon Elimimian collides with Bombers Buck Pierce in the second half. — MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Lions Solomon Elimimian collides with Bombers Buck Pierce in the second half.

“That (winning) is what we came here to do and I can remember so many stories of him coming in at halftime, kicking the trash cans and talking about how you don’t let nobody come in your house (and win) and nobody would come to his house (and win.)” Edwards said, with a smile. “You’ve got to go out fighting.”

The Bombers certainly did that as they were up 19-17 in the fourth quarter when starting quarterback Buck Pierce left the field (strained calf) and Brink came into the game. After the Lions took a 20-19 lead on a 46-yard field goal by kicker Paul McCallum, it was time for the Brink and Edwards show to change the game.

Brink finished with four completions on eight attempts for 52 yards with his longest to Edwards to start the touchdown drive. He also finished the game as Winnipeg’s second-leading rusher with four carries for 33 yards, all of which occurred in less than a quarter of play.

After the game, Brink said he thought of how much better this outing against B.C. went compared to last season’s. On Oct. 11, 2010, Brink got the start but was replaced by Stephen Jyles and then was booed off the field by fans.

“To get the win was the most important thing but to come in and play well meant a lot to me on a lot of levels,” he said. “Coach Harris, he and I had a pretty close relationship so that was huge. Playing B.C. again after what happened last year, there was a lot of redemption there for me.”

Some extra motivation, too.

“It was unbelievably emotional. Coach Harris touched every guy on this team in a unique way, I was one of those people and this just devastated us. For us to come out and do really all we could in his memory, it just means the world.”

Edwards ended up with just two catches for 47 yards but the fifth-year veteran said that was fine with him.

“As the oldest, the leader, the captain, I want to be put in the position to go out and score the game-winning touchdown for the team. I relish that pressure, that’s what I’m here for, to make plays that put my team in the position to win.”

EXTRA POINTS: Edwards left the game later in the fourth quarter with a calf injury. He didn’t think it was serious, though. Other Bombers banged up Thursday included DB Jovon Johnson and WR Cory Watson.

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca