THE CANADIAN PRESS
VANCOUVER -- The two B.C. Lions quarterbacks battling for the No. 1 job seem to be still in a virtual dead heat.
Both Buck Pierce and Jarious Jackson threw touchdown passes to Geroy Simon and Paris Jackson Thursday as the B.C. Lions defeated the Calgary Stampeders 39-35 in the final CFL exhibition game for both clubs.
The victory by the 2007 West Division finalists evened both clubs' exhibition game records to 1-1.
B.C. defensive back Korey Banks turned the game around in the second quarter with an electrifying 84-yard interception return.
Pierce didn't hurt his chances in the first half after both quarterbacks had anemic performances last week in a loss to Saskatchewan.
Relying mainly on a short passing game, he completed 13 of 18 attempts for 184 yards for the two touchdowns and without any interceptions.
Jarious Jackson, who started most of the games for the Lions last season when the club was hit by injuries at quarterback, played the second half and was eight of 10 attempts for 126 yards.
He found Simon for a 29-yard one-handed grab in the end zone in the third quarter and connected with Paris Jackson for a 14-yard major in the fourth.
The Lions scored three touchdowns in less than seven minutes to lead 22-10 after a half played mostly by veterans on both teams.
Pierce connected with Paris Jackson for a 17-yard TD strike to rally the Lions from a 10-1 deficit. Jackson started the drive with a 22-yard catch.
Pierce, a fourth-year pro, then drilled another 22-yard completion to Simon in the end zone for the lead on the Lions' next possession.
The oft-injured Dave Dickenson, released by the Lions at the end of last season, came in with 5:02 remaining in the first half for the Stampeders but his third pass attempt was tipped by intended receiver Jeremaine Copeland.
Banks picked it off and rambled untouched into the end zone.
Calgary starting quarterback Henry Burris connected with running back Joffrey Reynolds for a 10-yard TD pass early in the second quarter.
Ben Sankey started the second half and connected with Copeland for a four-yard TD reception.
Barrick Nealy, the third Calgary pivot, engineered two late touchdowns. He scored scored the first on a one-yard plunge and hit Reggie Williams for the other with a 27-yard completion with no time remaining and ran for a two-point convert.
Lions kicker Paul McCallum had a field goal, four converts and a 62-yard single to open the scoring. Sean Whyte added the other B.C. convert.
Sandro DeAngelis had a pair of 12-yard field goals and two converts. .
NOTES -- The two clubs open the regular season against each other next week ... Calgary is 1-8-1 in its last 10 regular-season games against the Lions ... Dickenson returned to B.C. wearing No. 15, his old Stampeder number ... he wore No. 12 as a Lion ... B.C. offensive tackle Rob Murphy has yet to appear in camp because his wife is expecting triplets in Florida
