THE SIDELINES : Lions Defeat Eskimos, 24-23

Former West Virginia quarterback Major Harris completed one of four pass attempts for seven yards and was sacked twice in eight third-quarter plays as the British Columbia Lions defeated the Edmonton Eskimos 24-23 in their exhibition opener in the Canadian Football League on Thursday night.

Doug Flutie, who signed with the Lions on Monday, and former New York Jets defensive lineman Mark Gastineau did not play.

Former Long Beach State quarterback Joe Paopao, who retired after the 1988 season and is attempting a comeback with the Lions, started the game and returned in the fourth quarter to direct a game-winning 48-yard drive. Paopao, who was an assistant coach with the Lions last season and is two days short of his 35th birthday, completed 17 of 25 pass attempts for 187 yards.