Jeremiah Masoli has the game’s lone touchdown as the BC Lions lead the Calgary Stampeders 13-7 at the end of the first half of their Western Semi-Final showdown.

It’s been a defensive battle between the Western rivals at BC Place, as neither side exceeded 150 yards of offence in the first 30 minutes of action.

Star Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke is 9-for-12 for 126 yards for the Lions, and he also leads the team in rushing with just 17 yards on four carries.

Vernon Adams Jr. has completed 11-of-17 passes for 140 yards, and Dedrick Mills – the league’s leading rusher during the regular season – carried six times for 31 yards in the first half.

The Lions added a field goal late in the first half after a long drive, and the Stampeders drove late looking for an answer but a late completion led to time running out in field goal range, as the Stampeders exited the first half still trailing by six.

Calgary answered after the game’s first touchdown with a drive of their own that resulted in a second field goal for Paredes, cutting the deficit to 10-7.

The Lions were the first side to reach pay dirt, as Masoli capped off a long drive midway through the second quarter with a QB keeper on third down. That play capped off a 10-play drive that covered 70 yards that was helped by a pair of penalties called against the Stampeders.

The first quarter started slowly for both sides offensively. The Lions opened an early 3-0 lead on a long field goal from Sean Whyte after Seven McGee returned the opening kick off 55 yards, and the game didn’t see its second score until just over one minute remaining in the first quarter.

Adams was sacked on a second-down play that forced a 50-yard field goal from Stampeders kicker Paredes – and Adams appeared to limp off the field after the hit. Paredes’ field goal evened the score at 3-3.

An extra source of drama in the matchup is drawn from the decision of the Lions to move on from now-Stampeders QB Adams Jr., who was traded by the Lions last off-season and gets a chance at redemption with his new squad.

The Stampeders and Lions are clashing for a chance to travel to Mosaic Stadium for the Western Final next week against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.