Allen’s Canadian Debut Is Successful

EDMONTON, Alberta —  Rookie quarterback Damon Allen of Cal State Fullerton made his professional debut a successful one Saturday, throwing two touchdown passes to lead the Edmonton Eskimos to a 39-1 Canadian Football League triumph over the Montreal Concordes.

The victory was the Eskimos’ sixth straight, improved their record to 9-4 and left them two points back of the second-place B.C. Lions in the West.

Allen, starting in place of injured Matt Dunigan, directed a diversified attack that kept the Montreal defense off balance most of the afternoon.

Edmonton scored 17 first-half points, but managed only one touchdown, a 61-yard run by Milson Jones. But in the third quarter, Allen, put together three scoring drives. Those ended with touchdown passes of 7 yards to Steve Howlett and 20 yards to Brian Fryer, and Allen’s 1-yard keeper.

Allen left early in the fourth quarter after completing 18 of 26 passes for 256 yards.