{"id":703640,"date":"2026-05-30T11:41:21","date_gmt":"2026-05-30T11:41:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/703640\/"},"modified":"2026-05-30T11:41:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-30T11:41:21","slug":"game-recap-preseason-2-b-c-30-wpg-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/703640\/","title":{"rendered":"Game Recap | Preseason #2 B.C. 30 Wpg 19"},"content":{"rendered":"

The dress rehearsals are now done \u2014 and with it the official close of training camp \u2014 and when the curtain comes up again for our next look at the Winnipeg Blue Bombers it will very much be for real.<\/p>\n

No more second chances without consequences and no more understudies taking centre stage while the stars step away from the spotlight.<\/p>\n

The Blue Bombers wrapped up their 2026 preseason with a 30-19 loss to the B.C. Lions in front of 26,269 on a steamy Friday night at Princess Auto Stadium in a game missing a ton of regulars from both squads but not lacking for its own eyebrow-raising moments.<\/p>\n

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That was by design, certainly, for a Blue Bombers coaching and management staff still needing to evaluate players both on the bubble or competing for starting gigs. Thus, the decision to NOT dress the likes of \u2014 inhale here \u2014 quarterback Zach Collaros, running back Brady Oliveira, receivers Nic Demski, Pokey Wilson, Tim White and Tommy Nield, offensive linemen Stanley Bryant, Jarell Broxton, Pat Neufeld and Tui Eli, defensive linemen Willie Jefferson, Jake Ceresna and Cam Lawson, linebackers Tony Jones and Kyrie Wilson and defensive backs Evan Holm, Deatrick Nichols, Redha Kramdi and Jonathan Moxey.<\/p>\n

The natural next question here \u2014 after taking a moment to exhale \u2014 is just who the heck did dress against the Lions and who stood out?<\/p>\n

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We\u2019ll get to that in a bit, but first this to the point summation from head coach Mike O\u2019Shea:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got a lot of good film to watch and probably some tough decisions to make.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, in that sense, it\u2019s mission accomplished.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou just try leave everything you have out there,\u201d said receiver Christian Fredericksen, who led the club with six receptions for 79 yards. \u201cThere\u2019s no promises of any more practices or any more games.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoing to day to day, I didn\u2019t want to have any regrets on how everything was handled. You have regrets with outcomes; I just didn\u2019t want to have any regrets with the process and with that I\u2019ll be able to keep my head up and be OK with it all.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do think I gave them a little more to think about after the first preseason game. I hope so, at least.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Blue Bombers now have six days to prepare for next Friday\u2019s season opener in Calgary against the Stampeders. That will begin in earnest with practice on Monday, but the next step leading up to that will be the roster shaping.<\/p>\n

Final cutdown is 10 p.m. Saturday with the 45-man roster not officially official until the first depth chart comes out which, in the Blue Bombers case, will be next Thursday. Teams will also declare their 12-man practice roster.<\/p>\n

Some notes and quotes from the Blue Bombers final preseason game from our view in the press box\u2026<\/p>\n

THE ARMS IN THE BULLPEN<\/p>\n

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With Collaros not dressing the Blue Bombers opted to start rookie Canadian Taylor Elgersma and, in arguably the most important development of the night from a Winnipeg perspective, he took a step forward from his debut performance last week in Saskatoon.<\/p>\n

He looked comfortable in the pocket, delivered strikes and finished the night by completing 11-of-20 passes for 127 yards \u2014 those numbers would have been better if not for an almost-catch by Dorian Singer on a deep ball \u2014 while rushing for a TD in three quarters of work.<\/p>\n

One of his highlight throws was a connection with Singer for a picturesque throw to the sideline for 15 yards on the opening drive that set up his own score.<\/p>\n

TE is slingin\u2019 it on the opening drive pic.twitter.com\/KXrkCDMneD<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) May 30, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI felt comfortable, I was seeing it well,\u201d Elgersma said. \u201cObviously there were a couple that were close \u2014 we were almost hitting on big plays and almost extending drives further and putting points on the board. I did a better job of eliminating turnover-worth plays and trying to get the ball in our guys\u2019 hands. They did a great job around me today \u2014 the O-line did a great job with the pocket, receivers did a great job taking underneath throws and converting them for first downs. Those are all things that last week we learned lessons on and I learned lessons on and we\u2019ll try to be better next week.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elgersma, who was frustrated after his work in Saskatoon in the first preseason game, used the last few days to reset and reload.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s always how football always is, but especially at the quarterback position,\u201d he said. \u201cYou have to be hard on yourself. You have to be your toughest critic if you want to get better, but you also have to be able to flush it and come to work the next day and compete. We did a good job of that all week at practice. That was the mindset all this week, too \u2014 it\u2019s about getting better and there were definitely plays right now that I\u2019m thinking I want back. You\u2019re going to think about them, come tomorrow to work and get better.<\/p>\n

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Bryce Perkins entered the game in the fourth quarter and had his moments, too, especially when his protection up front left him vulnerable and he was able to use his escapability to extend drives.<\/p>\n

Perkins finished 6-of-9 for 48 yards while rushing for seven times for a team best 36 yards and a late score. That drive \u2014 Winnipeg\u2019s last of the night \u2014 saw him lead the team on an 11-play journey that was capped by his own touchdown.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was good to get out there for the last game and then it will be about watching film and growing from it,\u201d Perkins said. \u201cIt was good to get that last drive touchdown.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026 There are definitely some nuances (to the Canadian game) and these last two weeks has been good in understanding and seeing it and Tommy (Condell, offensive coordinator) does a great job on the headset, too. I\u2019m 29, so I\u2019ve been playing this game down south for a long time. A lot of those things are natural so you\u2019re kind of feeling like a blank slate when it comes to a game like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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We\u2019re going to be generous with the descriptor \u2018key moment\u2019 here because, well, it\u2019s preseason and none of this will be of any consequence then the real games begin next week.<\/p>\n

So, let\u2019s call this instead a \u2018cool moment\u2019 and it came in the first quarter when veteran kicker Sergio Castillo bombed a 61-yard field goal that bounced off the crossbar and through.<\/p>\n

Death. Taxes. Sergio drilling 60-yarders. #ForTheW<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/nF22eOtX73<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) May 30, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

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And, while we\u2019re at it, finding a key stat in a game where the result makes about as much sense as \u2014 to borrow an old phrase from the Maritimes \u2014 burning down a house to get the flies out of the kitchen.<\/p>\n

But we will proceed with this: Winnipeg finished the preseason 0-2 and that means absolutely, positively nothing when the ball is put on the tee for real next Friday.<\/p>\n

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The Blue Bombers open the 2026 season on the road next Friday, June 5th, in Calgary against the Stampeders with an 8 p.m. CDT start time.<\/p>\n