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EDMONTON, Alberta (Ticker) -- The Montreal Alouettes used a handful of big plays on offense, defense and special teams to win their first Grey Cup in 25 years, 25-16 over the Edmonton Eskimos. Anthony Calvillo threw two long touchdown passes, Timothy Strickland broke up a potential tying two-point conversion toss in the final minute and Jeremaine Copeland returned the ensuing onside kickoff 47 yards for his second score of the game for the Alouettes. Moments later, Montreal celebrated the fifth CFL championship in franchise history and the first since 1977. In the interim, the team was renamed the Concordes and folded twice before it was reborn in 1996. The Alouettes never trailed, taking an 8-0 lead in the second quarter on the longest pass play in Grey Cup history, a 99-yard connection from Calvillo to Pat Woodcock. Calvillo also hooked up with Copeland on a 47-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that stretched Montreal's advantage to 18-10. Edmonton got within 18-16 with 19 seconds remaining on a 17-yard TD pass from Ricky Ray to Edward Hervey. But Strickland reached in front of Terry Vaughn and broke up the conversion, which could have forced the first overtime in the Grey Cup since 1961. The Eskimos lined up for an onside kick, but the ball popped in the air and was grabbed by Copeland, who raced untouched down the right sideline to set off the celebration. Calvillo won Most Valuable Player honors after completing 11-of-31 passes for 259 yards and two TDs. "It was a team effort," Calvillo said. "The defense played awesome. We struggled in the second half, but it was a team win." Calvillo's strike to Woodcock broke the Grey Cup record of 90 yards set by Montreal's Sam Etcheverry in 1954 and matched by Hamilton's Bernie Faloney in 1961. It also highlighted a first half dominated by the Alouettes' defense. Edmonton managed just 88 total yards and trailed at halftime, 11-0, as Terry Baker had a single and a 42-yard field goal in the final game of his 16-year career. After a halftime performance by country music superstar Shania Twain brought to life the standing room-only crowd at Commonwealth Stadium, the Eskimos followed suit. They finally got on the board three minutes into the third quarter on a 17-yard pass from Ray to Rick Walters. A 12-yard field goal by Sean Fleming sliced the margin to 11-10 heading to the final period. One play after ending a streak of 11 incompletions, Calvillo scrambled and found Copeland open over the middle. The Tennessee product got two key blocks from slotback Ben Cahoon, broke a tackle and covered 47 yards to restore Montreal's eight-point cushion. "I feel great," Copeland said. "You can't feel much better. Grey Cup champs, that's what we've been waiting for. We came to get this ring and we did it." The Eskimos were seeking a 12th Grey Cup and their first since 1993. |
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