WINNIPEG \u2014 The Banjo Bowl is suddenly missing a string.<\/p>\n
A streak of five consecutive losses by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Labour Day Rematch was snapped on Saturday afternoon when the host Winnipeg Blue Bombers fell 21-13<\/a>.<\/p>\n It was the first of three victories the Roughriders hope to celebrate in Winnipeg this year.<\/p>\n Saskatchewan, which on Saturday secured the season series against Winnipeg, is to return to the Manitoba capital for an Oct. 17 collision of arch-rivals.<\/p>\n Ideally, the Roughriders will represent the CFL\u2019s West Division \u2014 which they lead with a league-best 10-2 record \u2014\u00a0in the 112th Grey Cup Game, to be played on Nov. 16 at Princess Auto Stadium.<\/p>\n But first things first.<\/p>\n The Green and White took another progressive step on Saturday by winning in Winnipeg for the first time since Sept. 8, 2018.<\/p>\n \u201cIt feels like it has been a while \u2014 too long,\u201d said Brett Lauther, who debuted as the Roughriders\u2019 full-time placekicker seven calendar years ago.<\/p>\n \u201cIt still counts as just one win, but sometimes they feel a little bigger with the Labour Day Classic and the Banjo Bowl, so it\u2019s nice to sweep those two.<\/p>\n \u201cI know we still have to come back here one more time but, right now, the boys are going to enjoy it for 24 hours and then get back to work.\u201d<\/p>\n Lauther has played a prominent role in the Roughriders\u2019 last two victories in Winnipeg.<\/p>\n In 2018, he was 6-for-6 on field-goal attempts to help Saskatchewan prevail 32-27. The Blue Bombers led by one point before the guests registered two field goals in the final three minutes.<\/p>\n Lauther also provided the winning points on Saturday, when he went 5-for-5 on field goals.<\/p>\n Saskatchewan trailed 13-3 in the second quarter before erupting for four interceptions \u2014\u00a0let\u2019s just call it Banjo pickin\u2019! \u2014\u00a0and 18 unanswered points.<\/p>\n He put the Roughriders ahead for the duration by kicking a 41-yarder at 1:36 of the fourth quarter. He subsequently split the uprights from distances of 33 (at 8:42) and 35 (14:50).<\/p>\n The only blemish was a missed convert following A.J. Ouellette\u2019s five-yard TD run.<\/p>\n \u201cIt wasn\u2019t perfect by any means,\u201d Lauther said. \u201cI missed a crucial extra point, still, but a win\u2019s a win.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s about the team winning, and nothing about me.\u201d<\/p>\n Yet, Lauther has been the focus of many fans and media commentators during a season in which his numbers are atypical.<\/p>\n The most accurate placekicker in franchise history \u2014 someone who has made 82.1 per cent of his field-goal attempts in green and white \u2014\u00a0elevated his 2025 accuracy rate to 70.0 by going 5-for-5 on Saturday.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, it has been a really challenging season, but I\u2019m just trying to go 1-for-1 (each time) and keep that focus,\u201d he said. \u201cThe past is behind me and all I can try to control is the future.<\/p>\n \u201cThe guys in the room have been great. Everyone on this team has been great and I\u2019m just trying to do it for them.\u201d<\/p>\n That was his sole focus as Roughriders celebrated a 10-2 record for only the third time in franchise history.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t try to take away as much as maybe outsider people think for how I personally play,\u201d Lauther said. \u201cI\u2019m always trying to do my best and want to play better, no matter the circumstances.<\/p>\n \u201cBut, at the end of the day, football is about winning games. I\u2019m never trying to win any individual award. I\u2019m just trying to win the Grey Cup. I haven\u2019t done that yet and this is just another step on the ladder.\u201d<\/p>\n It was left to others, then, to highlight Lauther\u2019s contributions on Saturday.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were happy to have him today,\u201d Head Coach Corey Mace said<\/a>. \u201cI know he missed the extra point and he\u2019s going to be hard on himself about that and, rightfully, we want him to make those.<\/p>\n \u201cBut he was clutch when we needed him. I\u2019m just proud of how he has been pushing through the adversity.\u201d<\/p>\n Trevor Harris echoed Mace\u2019s sentiments.<\/p>\n