Music: {allcanada} LONDON, BOWLING POWER ALS PAST BOMBERS IN PRE-SEASON

Thursday, June 16, 2011

{allcanada} LONDON, BOWLING POWER ALS PAST BOMBERS IN PRE-SEASON

MONTREAL -- Brandon London and Bo Bowling caught touchdown passes and Emmanuel Marc ran one in as the Grey Cup champion Montreal Alouettes downed the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 27-15 in a CFL pre-season game Thursday night.

Alex Henderson and Chris Garrett ran in TDs for the Bombers, who are looking to bounce back from a 4-14 record in 2010.

Alouettes kicking candidates Sean Whyte, who missed on his only field goal attempt from 38 yards, and Sandro DeAngelis each played half the game. DeAngelis was good on his two field goal tries.

Both teams rested several top veterans for their first exhibition game, including top quarterbacks Anthony Calvillo of Montreal and Buck Pierce of Winnipeg.

Adrian MacPherson started for Montreal and Ricky Santos and newcomer Josh Neiswander also saw action at quarterback, while Joey Elliot played the first half and Alex Brink played most of the second for Winnipeg, giving way to Justin Goltz with less than three minutes left in the game.

London had more than 120 receiving yards, while Henderson had some big plays on the ground for the Bombers.

MacPherson played one quarter. After a Perry Floyd fumble of a punt was recovered by Walter Spencer on the Bomber nine, he hit receiving prospect Bowling for a pass and run TD 14:01 into the game.

Santos took over and completed long balls to Preachae Rodriguez and Eric Deslauriers to the Winnipeg two, where Marc ran it in at 5:57.

Winnipeg struck back after punter Mike Renaud couldn't handle a low snap from Chris Cvetkovic and gave up the ball on downs. Two plays later, Leslie Majors picked off a Santos pass. Henderson set up his own three-yard TD 1:36 before the half with a 64-yard scamper.

Another interception by Deon Beasley allowed Winnipeg the tie it. A nine play drive aided by a pass interference call on Seth Williams saw Garrett run it in from the one 7:03 into the third.

Santos bounced right back as London got behind Johnny Sears for a 41-yard TD catch at 10:50.

Newcomer Josh Neiswander took over at quarterback for Montreal in the fourth quarter and moved the ball enough to set up a pair of DeAngelis field goals from 28 and 27 yards.

Brandon Whitaker, tabbed to replace Avon Cobourne at tailback, was minus-2 on three carries in a game in which the Alouettes gained little on the ground.

With tailback Fred Reid not playing, Garrett and Henderson both had their moments running the ball for Winnipeg. Fourth overall draft pick Jade Etienne had a catch for the Bombers.

The crowd was announced as a less-than capacity 21,223.

Notes: New Als president Ray Lalonde is making his mark. The names of the eight players whose numbers are retired are now honoured on a banner running the length of the south grandstand. They are Herb Trawick (56), Sam Etcheverry (92), Hal Patterson (75), George Dixon (28), Pierre Desjardins (63), Peter Dalla Riva (74) Junior Ah You (77) and Mike Pringle (27). . . Ah You was supposed to attend the game as honorary captain, but wasn't allowed onto his flight in Denver due to a typographical error on his passport.