Music: {allcanada} ROUGHRIDERS END FIVE-GAME SKID WITH ROUT OF BLUE BOMBERS

Sunday, September 2, 2012

{allcanada} ROUGHRIDERS END FIVE-GAME SKID WITH ROUT OF BLUE BOMBERS

REGINA -- The Saskatchewan Roughriders snapped a five-game losing streak Sunday with a convincing 52-0 victory over the struggling Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the annual Labour Day Classic at Mosaic Stadium.

The Riders improved to 4-5, while the Bombers dropped to 2-7 in Tim Burke's debut as a CFL head coach. Burke replaced the fired Paul LaPolice last weekend.

Darian Durant threw touchdown passes of 25 and 21 yards to Weston Dressler. He left the game early in the third quarter with what appeared to be a lower-body injury and was replaced by backup quarterback Drew Willy, who fired a 43-yard touchdown pass to Terence Jeffers-Harris. Willy also scored a touchdown himself on a one-yard plunge late in the game.

Tyron Brackenridge blocked a punt by Winnipeg's Mike Renaud and returned it 15 yards for a Saskatchewan touchdown. Brackenridge also intercepted a Joey Elliott pass and carried it back 39 yards to set up a field goal.

Sandro DeAngelis converted all four Roughriders majors and kicked field goals of 50, 29, 46, 30 and 26 yards. Chris Milo added punt singles of 39 and 68 yards.

The Riders led 10-0 after the first quarter, 28-0 at the half and 42-0 after three quarters.

The game was played before a sellout crowd of 33,427.

Last year Saskatchewan defeated Winnipeg 21-7 in the Labour Day Classic. The Riders have now prevailed in eight straight. The last time the Bombers won it was in 2004.

The two teams meet again in Winnipeg next Sunday in the Banjo Bowl.