Alouettes Win Their First Preseason Game
May 26, 2024 - Canadian Football League (CFL)
Montreal Alouettes News Release
Montreal - The Montreal Alouettes collected a home victory on Saturday night as theydefeated the Toronto Argonauts, 30-13, in their first of two preseason games in 2024.
Right where they left off
The Alouettes scored on their first offensive drive. Tyson Philpot, who scored the winning touchdown in the last Grey Cup, caught a pass from Cody Fajardo for a 23-yard gain. Moments later, Fajardo found Kaion Julien-Grant for a 48-yard touchdown, quickly making it 7-0. David Côté showcased his powerful leg on the second offensive sequence with a 50-yard field goal.
By the end of the first quarter, the Alouettes had two field goals, and quarterback Davis Alexander rushed for a touchdown from the one-yard line. In the fourth quarter, Jose Barbon sealed the game with a four-yard touchdown from a pass by Caleb Evans.
Some new faces stand out
Rameau Chiaokhiao-Bowman caught all six passes thrown his direction for 54 yards, including a 20-yard reception. Charleston Rambo caught four passes on eight targets for a total of 71 yards. Lastly, Jose Barbon caught both passes thrown to him, scoring his first touchdown on that pass from Evans.
On the defensive side, the team's first-round draft pick, Geoffrey Cantin-Arku, had an impressive debut with four defensive tackles and one on special teams. Cantin-Arku also forced a fumble which was recovered by his teammate, Arthur Hamlin.
Game Notes:
Montreal Alouettes starting quarterback Cody Fajardo had a solid outing, completing seven of eight passes for 107 yards and a touchdown.
Rookie linebacker Nigel Warrior sustained a lower-body injury in the first half and did not return.
Quarterback Caleb Evans saw the most action, throwing 15 passes, completing 10 for 94 yards. He also rushed three times for 32 yards.
They Said it...
"We're going to have some tough decisions to make, since at the end of the day, we'll have to have a roster of 45 players and 10 players on the practice squad. The players control what they can control, and they'll have to prove themselves to represent this Montreal Alouettes team." - Head coach, Jason Maas
"I felt comfortable on defense, but there was an adjustment on special teams due to the wider field dimensions. Overall, I liked my performance in that aspect."
- Arthur Hamlin, safety
"This kind of game confirms that we learned in training camp. To apply everything we practiced over the last few weeks to a game situation is important. During training camp, new players coming from the United States can learn the speed and execution required necessary to win."
- Alexandre Gagné, fullback
"Wearing the Alouettes jersey means a lot to me. I'm really glad to have finished with this kind of performance; it was special, even if it was a preseason match, the crowd was incredible. In the first half, I wasn't myself, I had to find my rhythm again, but I did well afterwards, and I'm looking forward to the next game to progress even more."
- Geoffrey Cantin-Arku, linebacker
The Alouettes will play their second and final preseason game on Friday, May 31, in Ottawa against the REDBLACKS at 7 p.m. ET.
Canadian Football League Stories from May 26, 2024
- Alouettes Win Their First Preseason Game - Montreal Alouettes
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