Saskatchewan Roughriders' Samuel Emilus, left, is knocked down by B.C. Lions' Darnell Sankey in Vancouver earlier this season.ETHAN CAIRNS/The Canadian Press
Darnell Sankey has felt the rush of hoisting the Grey Cup above his head.
Many of his B.C. Lions teammates have not — and they’re itching to change that.
“I think that makes this team even more deadly,” said Sankey, who won a CFL championship with the Montreal Alouettes in 2024.
B.C.’s road to the title matchup begins Saturday when the Lions (10-8) host the defending Grey Cup champion Saskatchewan Roughriders (10-8) in the West Division semifinal.
The winner of Saturday’s game will advance to face the Edmonton Elks (13-5) in the West Division final on Nov. 7 at Commonwealth Stadium. The Grey Cup will be held in Calgary on Nov. 15.
“No disrespect to Saskatchewan, but I just feel like a hungry dog is always going to find a way to eat,” Sankey said on Friday. “The guys that we have here, I feel like I don’t have to preach much to (them) about being hungry. I think that it’s proven. I think that our season and kind of how it started and how it’s been going, I think that it shows.”
The Lions stumbled out of the gate, going 1-5 before rebounding with nine wins in 10 games.
B.C. was second in both overall net yards (416.7 per game) and rushing yards (118.7), and finished third in passing yards (314.9) as Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke threw for 4,614 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Rourke is “a hell of a player,” said Riders head coach Corey Mace.
“I’m sure he’s going to make some plays out there [on Saturday]. It’s just we’ve got to make sure that we limit the really big ones and make sure that defensively we end up making one more play than their defence does,” he said.
“So we’re expecting a heck of a game defensively versus their offence. They’ve proven it all year, man. They’re explosive. They’re an excellent bunch. But I know our guys are ready to rise to the occasion.”
The Lions and Riders come into the contest with identical records in regular-season play.
B.C. earned hosting rights by taking the season series 2-1 with a 31-24 home victory over Saskatchewan on Sept. 25.
“Saskatchewan is a team of playmakers,” Sankey said. ”I respect them. I’m not going to sit here and act like they’re not a great team. But I just feel like we’re better.”
The Riders have bounced the Lions from the playoffs two years in a row, including with a 24-21 victory in the West final last season.
Rourke doesn’t believe he and his teammates were good enough in certain plays in that contest.
“We know that in playoffs it comes down to the final plays and it comes down to the last couple of drives, and they just made more plays than us. So we understand the significance of it,” he said. “Hopefully we can make those plays this time around. And I think whoever ends up making the most plays at the end of the day, probably comes away with the win.”
Getting the win will require the Lions to limit Riders quarterback Trevor Harris, who logged a CFL-leading 5,370 passing yards in regular-season play.
The 40-year-old American seems to get better every season, said B.C. head coach Buck Pierce.
“I think as a quarterback that’s seen every defence, played in every big game, what is really impressive is his relationship with his receivers, continuing just to be on the same page with those guys,” said Pierce, himself a former CFL quarterback. “He’ll almost blindly at times know where guys are going to be. That’s how he gets the ball out so fast.
“It’s impressive because I know how hard that is. And he invests a lot of time getting to know his receivers. He’s a competitor, he’s tough. It’s impressive what he’s done. He’s one of those guys that when you watch, you’re in awe.”
Saskatchewan’s season this year has had its ups and downs, but Harris said he’s always had a deep-rooted conviction in his team.
“I’m just not ready for the season to be over,” he said. ”And it’s gone so fast. I think probably everyone can attest that. It probably feels like just yesterday we all just kind of reported to camp, and here we are … it’s playoff time.
“And I want to go play another week. So let’s do it.”