REGINA — When you have the kind of game the Saskatchewan Roughriders had against the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday, you hope you get through it healthy and don’t have injuries that compound a loss — especially none to any of your key players.
Unfortunately for the Green and White, the team might not have had much luck in that department after a 24-10 loss to the Stamps at Mosaic Stadium. Standout returner Mario Alford appeared to go down with a lower body injury in the first half and didn’t return to the game, possibly leaving his status up in the air in the immediate aftermath of the contest.
“I saw him in the locker room. He said he was all right, but I'm projecting, I haven't talked to anybody,” Mace told the Rider Broadcast Network post-game. “I ain't no doctor, but usually when a guy says something like that, you don't think it's long-term. We'll see. Initially, I thought it was a cramp, there were a couple guys cramping out there.”
The most visible cramping victim in the game was receiver Joe Robustelli, who briefly went down in the second half with what looked like a right leg injury, but the training staff immediately went to work stretching out his calf on the field and he was able to return to the game. Alford’s situation appears to be more serious than that, as he went to the Riders medical tent in the first half and didn’t return to the field after the halftime break.
“I haven't gone and talked to [athletic therapist] Greg [Mayer] yet to see exactly how in depth it is, but speaking with Rio, it sounded like he was going to be okay,” Mace said. “Hopefully, it's not too long-term.”
Up until he left the game, Alford had two punt returns for 25 yards total and one kick-off return for 31 yards. Dohnte Meyers took over in his stead and finished with four punt returns for 37 yards and three kickoff returns for 62 yards.
Alford has been on fire as a returner all season and came into the contest as the Canadian Football League’s combined yards leader, with 241 in punt returns (fourth in the league) and 433 in kick returns (second in the league) for 734 total.
The good news is that even with the postponed game on Friday, Alford and the Roughriders have a full week off before the team travels to B.C. to face the Lions. That contest is set for Saturday, July 19 at 5 p.m. B.C. Place.
Be sure to catch the pre-game show with Teagan Witko, Justin Dunk, and Wes Cates at 2 p.m. Dave Thomas and Luc Mullinder have the game call at 5 p.m. You can hear all the coverage on the 620 CKRM Co-operators Rider Broadcast Network.