Stampeders kicker René Paredes rising to the occasion in big moments to start season

He was good from 38 yards out with less than a minute remaining in a 30-27 win over the Montreal Alouettes in the Stampeders’ home-opener, in which Calgary trailed by 10 at the half.

The spotlight shines brightly on football’s kickers when a win or loss rides on their legs. Paredes says he doesn’t dwell on what’s at stake in those situations.

“I don’t think about it all,” Paredes said. “My technique and trying to stay focused and calm, that’s all I pretty much think about.

“I never know when I’m going to go on the field, so I’ve got to stay ready. If it comes down to the end, I’ve got to be ready for that.”

Calgary (2-0) is at home to the Edmonton Elks (0-2) on Saturday at McMahon Stadium.

Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell was listed by the club as a game-time decision. The veteran pivot took limited reps in Thursday’s practice because of soreness in his right foot.

Nick Arbuckle of the Elks, Mitchell’s former backup, gets his first start against the club that gave him his start in the CFL. Arbuckle went 4-3 for the Stampeders in 2019 while Mitchell was injured.

Paredes, a five-time CFL all-star, led the league in field goals made (44) in 2021.

A success rate of 91.7 per cent garnered him his third West Division nomination for the CFL’s most outstanding special teams player. Paredes won the award in 2013.

He was atypically inconsistent in the division semifinal, however.

In what Paredes call the worst game of his career, he went 5-for-8 on field goals. He missed a 35-yard attempt, as well as a 44-yarder in overtime that left the door open for a Saskatchewan Roughriders win and a berth in the division final.

“He missed more field goals in that game than he missed the entire season, so it was absurd in that manner,” said Stampeder special teams coach Mark Kilam.

“It was a credit to the type of champion, and type of player, that he is, his career could not end that way. He’s too good of a player for that game to define him and he’s proved that again this year.”

Paredes re-signed with the Stampeders in January

“Coming back, you have that extra motivation no matter what,” the kicker said. “If was eight-for-eight in that game, I would have trained the same way in the off-season. I try to be consistent as much as I can.”

How much Paredes’ workload might increase with this year’s rule change of opponents taking possession at their own 40-yard line instead of the 35 after field goals and singles remains to be seen. He made a career-high 64 attempts in 2016.

“Depends on how defences are playing,” Paredes said. “I think it should give me a couple more attempts, but hopefully the offence takes advantage of it and scores more touchdowns.”

He ranks second all-time in Stampeder points scored (1,726) behind Mark McLoughlin (2,957), who was Calgary’s kicker from 1988 to 2003.

Paredes reached another milestone in 2021, becoming the 10th player in CFL history to kick 400 career field goals.

Signed in 2011 after the Winnipeg Blue Bombers released the Concordia University product from training camp, Paredes has played every Stampeder game but one back in his rookie season.

Durability has made him a mainstay in game lineups.

“I try not to overdo it in practice. I’ve been working with Kilam for 11 years now. He knows what I need to do and what I don’t need to do,” Paredes said. “I try to keep it light as much as I can and at the same time, working hard on my craft.

“I’ve played many games hurt. There’s many games I shouldn’t have played and I had to tough it out.”

Kicker Paul McCallum, who was named to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame this week, retired at 46 after 24 CFL seasons. Paredes doesn’t know how long his CFL career will last.

“One year at a time,” he said. “I don’t think I’ll play to my forties, but we’ll see. Right now, I’m just worried about the next kick.”

Notes: Calgary’s leading rusher Ka’Deem Carey is in the game lineup after sitting out most of the win over Hamilton with a first-quarter ankle injury . . . Stampeder cornerback Tre Roberson is out (shoulder) . . . Elks all-star receiver Derel Walker returns to the lineup after missing last week’s loss to Saskatchewan with a hand injury . . . University of Calgary alumnus Jalen Philpot was activated from the Stampeders injured list (hamstring) for the receiver’s CFL debut. Twin brother Tyson has compiled 101 return yards in three games for the Montreal Alouettes.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2022.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Stampeders kicker René Paredes rising to the occasion in big moments to start season

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