The Ticats were victorious in their 2008 debut, downing the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 12-10 at Ivor Wynne Stadium in a preseason game on Thursday night.
Casey Printers and the Ticats first string offence began the evening’s events. After an uneventful opening possession, the former CFL Most Outstanding Player led the Black and Gold into field goal range, where Nick Setta completed a 38-yard field goal to open the game’s scoring.
Setta, picking up where he left off from last season, would connect on a 49-yard field goal with 1:04 remaining in the first frame to give the Cats a 6-0 cushion at the end of one quarter.
Each squad’s defensive unit made some noise in the second. After Bombers starting quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie and running back Fred Reid marched Winnipeg down the field deep into Hamilton territory, eventually leading to a third and one situation at the Cats one-yard line. On the ensuing play, Ticats safety Ryan Glasper would cause Reid to fumble the ball, which eventually ended up in the arms of defensive back Jermaine Mays. Mays would scramble 25 yards to bring the ball well out of the Black and Gold’s red zone. With Richie Williams in at pivot, the Blue Bombers defence struck. Bombers DB Steven Holness picked off Williams’ second pass attempt. On the resulting possession
The Bombers would then add their first point of the game soon after when a Troy Westwood punt sailed 61 yards into the end zone for a single.
After 29 minutes and 19 seconds of touchdown-free football, Dinwiddie found receiver Aaron Fairooz for a three-yard major. At halftime, the visitors led 8-6.
With Williams still at the helm of the Cats offence, the Cats would have the first solid scoring opportunity of the third quarter. Unfortunately for the Black and Gold, Nick Setta’s 41-yard field goal attempt would connect with the upright, maintaining the Bombers two-point advantage.
Quarterback Bryan Randall entered the game for the Bombers and was able to lead his squad into scoring range. Bombers kicker Troy Westwood was unable to connect on a 42-yard field goal, adding a single to the visitor’s tally.
Timmy Chang took over as the Black and Gold’s pivot late in the third and seemed to spark the Ticats. The Hawaii product led a seven-play, 75-yard drive that culminated with a leaping five-yard touchdown run by RB Tre Smith. Smith also added 13 and 16-yard runs during the scoring drive.
A botched snap led to a missed convert, making the count 12-9 in favour of the home side with 14:42 left in the contest.
After the Bombers cut the deficit to two, thanks to a 62-yard Troy Westwood punt for a single, rookie pivot Quinton Porter entered the game for the Black and Gold. With the Ticats at Winnipeg’s 26 yard line, Bombers DB Jovon Johnson stepped in front of Porter’s first pass attempt for an interception with 1:42 to go.
With the game on the line, the Ticats defence forced Winnipeg to a third-and-four, and quarterback Cleveland McCoy’s dash for a first down was cut short by Ticats defensive lineman Byron Tinker.
Porter would scramble for a game-clinching first down on the Ticats next possession and would take a knee to end the game, giving the Ticats a 12-10 exhibition victory.
