Bombers looking to end season on a high note with match against Calgary

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This article was published 30/10/2014 (3455 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CALGARY—The game is meaningless in the CFL standings, but both the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Calgary Stampeders insisted here Friday that doesn’t mean there isn’t still something on the line when the two teams face each other at McMahon Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Bombers slotback Clarence Denmark says his team desperately wants to end their season on a high note after a brutal couple months in which they’ve lost eight straight games coming into what will be their final game of 2014.

“We haven’t won in a long time and we just want to win and get that feeling back and end the year on a positive note,” Denmark said Friday afternoon at McMahon Stadium, shortly after his team’s arrival here.

For the Stampeders – who clinched first place in the West Division with a win over Winnipeg two weeks ago at Investors Group Field – Saturday’s game is all about keeping fresh and building towards the playoffs.

Stamps GM and head coach John Hufnagel will send out his first units – at least to start the game – including both starting QB Bo Levi Mitchell and 2013 CFL MVP tailback Jon Cornish.

Hufnagel said what happens after that personnel-wise will be dictated by the score in a game in which the Stamps are favored by 10 points.

“We’re dressing 44,” said Hufnagel, “and all 44 will play.”

The Bombers will also start their No. 1 QB, Drew Willy, but will also use Saturday’s game as an opportunity to take a look at some new players, including defensive tackle Deantre Harlan, wide receiver Jerrell Jackson and, on special teams at least, running back Cameron Marshall.

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Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea insisted his team has one priority here on Saturday. “There’s still a lot to play for,” said O’Shea. “It’s about getting some pride back and it’s about building something and doing something we can carry though the off-season and that we can use when we start training camp next year.

“We need to win this game. We need to win this game for a lot of reasons.

O’Shea said it remains to be seen how long Willy will play on Saturday. “Drew’s starting and we will go just with the flow of the game. There’s not a set play count for Drew. We’re going to try to win this game,” said O’Shea. “That decision to switch Drew out later could happen, or maybe not. We’ll have to just play it by ear and see how this goes.”

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @PaulWiecek

Paul Wiecek
Reporter (retired)

Paul Wiecek was born and raised in Winnipeg’s North End and delivered the Free Press -- 53 papers, Machray Avenue, between Main and Salter Streets -- long before he was first hired as a Free Press reporter in 1989.

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