The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

KARL McCartney and the Calgary Stampeders will head into the Canadian Football League playoffs as the top overall seed and will host a playoff game.

With a week 17 win over the rival Saskatchewan Roughriders, 29-25, the Stampeders clinched first place in the West Division with a 14-3 record and received a bye for the first round.

They are slated to close out the season tomorrow night against the BC Lions who are currently third in the West standings.

The divisional final is scheduled to be hosted November 17 at McMahon Stadium in Calgary.

The Stampeders will meet the winner of the semifinals, which is slated to take place on November 10 when the Roughriders face the Lions.

With a win in the season finale, Calgary can equal its franchise record of 15 wins, which they have not achieved in eight seasons. They are also currently in the midst of a five-game winning streak.

Tomorrow’s meeting will be the fourth game of the year between the Stampeders and the Lions, with Calgary holding a 2-1 edge.

Calgary won 44-32 in the first meeting when McCartney recorded four special teams tackles.

In the second matchup, the Lions won 26-22, and McCartney suffered a broken bone in his arm which kept him sidelined for seven games.

Despite the time missed due to injury, the veteran fourth year linebacker has played in 10 games and has 11 defensive tackles, including a tackle for loss, a sack, a fumble recovery, 15 special-teams tackles and one knockdown.

McCartney experienced a deep playoff run two years ago when the Stampeders fell short in the 2011 Grey Cup with a 35-22 loss to the Toronoto Argonauts.

“In my first year we had the best team ever in at least a decade and we had four guys go off to the NFL and one became a pro bowler and the other one is doing great things,” he said.

“In the beginning of the year, we were rebuilding us, so I didn’t expect to go this far so we just had a lot of heart and character. For a team that close even though we don’t have the athletes, it makes a big difference.

“It’s not the best athletes that win games but it’s the best team that wins games. It was just a great experience.

“If we won it would have been even better. But we think we have a good chance to do so this year,” he said.

It is the 17th time in Stampeders’ history that they have claimed the West division and the second time for McCartney. They also claimed the division title in his 2010 rookie season.