CALGARY – Player evaluation was top priority on Saturday for Edmonton Elks coach Mark Kilam, whose team kicked off its 2025 preseason schedule with a 31-4 loss to the host Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium.
The Elks fielded a rookie-heavy lineup for their 2025 debut, giving aspiring players the opportunity make an impression as they look to earn a spot on the Green and Gold’s roster.
After falling behind 21-1 before the game was 30 minutes old, the Elks did some things their new head coach liked towards the end of the contest in Calgary.
“There was a little bit of life late in that game, there will definitely be some positives to be build on, but lots of teach tape from that one,” Kilam said during a post-game interview on 880 CHED, radio flagship of the Elks.
New Elks quarterbacks William McElvain completed seven of 13 passes for 58 yards and Cole Snyder threw for 76 yards on 5-for-8 passing. In his first game wearing Green and Gold, two-time Grey Cup champion pivot Cody Fajardo completed seven of eight passes for 57 yards.
“I think for a lot of our younger guys, they were still just trying to figure out what CFL football looks like, and it’s a big learning curve, but that’s what preseason is about, it’s about learning, it’s about getting better, and we’ll be a much better team moving forward because of it,” Fajardo told 880 CHED.
Kearis Jackson was the leading EE receiver, hauling in four passes for 60 yards, including a 32-yard reception that was the Elks’ longest offensive play of the game. JJ Laap and Zach Mathis also had four receptions each for Edmonton.
Vincent Blanchard hit a 40-yard field goal and Cody Grace punted a 66-yard single to account for Edmonton’s points.
Edmonton defensive back Demetries Ford had a standout performance, with an interception, a sack, and four total tackles. Second-year Elk Joel Dublanko also recorded an interception, picking off Calgary’s P.J. Walker on the final play of the first half.
“Our coaches really preach QB vision, and (Walker) was looking towards the boundary, so I just dropped that way, and he gave me an opportunity to get (an interception), and luckily I took advantage of it,” Dublanko said.
While Edmonton was playing for the first time since last October, this was the second preseason game for the Stampeders, who defeated the B.C. Lions 26-16 in Vancouver last week. With one game already under their belts, the Stamps gave significant playing time to their veterans.
Stamps quarterback Logan Bonner rushed for a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter, as the home team jumped out in front 15-1 after 15 minutes. Rene Parades tacked on two field goals in the second quarter, extending Calgary’s lead to 21-1 at half.
Blanchard and Parades traded field goals in the third quarter. Daylen Baldwin hauled in a 13-yard touchdown pass from Walker in the fourth quarter to put an exclamation point on the victory for the Stamps.
Calgary finished the game with 348 yards of net offence, while Edmonton totalled 226 yards. The Stamps had 22 first downs, compared to 13 for the Elks.
Saturday marked the CFL head coaching debut for Kilam, but while his role is new, the surroundings were very familiar: Before being hired as Elks head coach last December, the Lethbridge product spent nearly two decades with the Stampeders organization, beginning as a strength and condition coach in 2005, before becoming special teams coordinator in 2010 and later adding the role of assistant head coach in 2019. He was part of three Grey Cup-winning teams during his Calgary tenure.
“It felt weird when I first walked out, but then my focus was on what it’s supposed to be,” said Kilam, who received a tribute on the scoreboard by the Stamps.
“It was a nice touch by the Stampeders organization throwing that thing up on the Jumbotron there, so credit to them for that.”
Edmonton returns home to close out the preseason on Friday, May 30, when the Elks host the Lions on Play Alberta Field at Commonwealth Stadium. Tickets are available now.