Horvath carries Lions to 35-19 win over Bombers

Kaidon Salter, the rookie quarterback for the B.C. Lions, led his team to a 35-19 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in their Thursday matchup at Princess Auto Stadium. In his first ever Canadian Football League (CFL) start, Salter managed 96 passing yards and one touchdown while rushing for 160 yards on 10 attempts. His performance set a new franchise record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game, surpassing the previous mark of 116 yards set by Jimmy Walden in 1960. Salter admitted he hadn’t anticipated needing to rely heavily on his legs during the game. “It wasn’t something that I was coming out here looking forward to do it,” he said. “But it’s a big blessing to just to be able to come out here and compete, show the CFL that mobile quarterbacks can play in this league and it’s not all about just having to go out there and chuck the ball around.” Despite the unexpected emphasis on his running ability, Salter maintained that throwing the ball remains his primary goal. “You want to be able to throw the ball, but when you have the legs, that’s a big advantage playing in this league with a whole lot of field to use.” The Lions' success was also driven by running back Zander Horvath, who scored three touchdowns on 17 carries for 191 yards. This achievement marked a personal milestone for the Indiana native, who previously stated that scoring three touchdowns in a game was something he hadn’t done since college football. Horvath's standout performances came late in the game, including a 58-yard and a 35-yard touchdown run in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter. His efforts contributed significantly to the team’s total of 377 rushing yards, setting another franchise record. Winnipeg head coach Mike O’Shea acknowledged the challenges faced by his team due to multiple errors in run defense. “Any time those massive runs take place, you’ve got more than one error,” he explained. “It’s not a one-on-one miss. It’s usually a combination of two, probably three errors or a missed tackle and a couple of errors. Those big runs, especially near the end, we’re just not where we’re supposed to be. A combination of guys being tired near the end and also trying too hard, which is a bad combination.” The game saw the Lions take control early, leading 7-6 at halftime before the Bombers took a 16-10 lead heading into the fourth quarter. However, the momentum shifted in favor of the Lions, culminating in their decisive victory. Quarterback Dru Brown, who started for the Bombers, was 18-of-21 passing for 180 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. He exited the game with 9:22 remaining in the fourth quarter after sustaining a hit following a run. He was replaced by Taylor Elgersma, who continued the team’s offensive efforts. The outcome reflected a balanced effort from both teams, with key contributions from players such as Tim White, who caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Brown, and kicker Sergio Castillo, who successfully converted four field goals. Meanwhile, running back Brady Oliveira, who rushed 19 times for 107 yards, expressed a desire for improvement, acknowledging missed opportunities and the need for better execution. “I look at myself right away. I think I’ve got to be better,” Oliveira said. “I thought there was definitely some missed opportunities out there. I felt like we could’ve scored two on the run and it starts with me. I’ve got to keep my feet up. I think I let the guys down up front. They played one heck of a game.”