The Hamilton Tiger-Cats won a crucial East division matchup on Thursday by dominating the Toronto Argonauts 45-21 at Ivor Wynne Stadium. Richie Williams threw for 293 yards and three touchdowns, Terry Caulley ran for 127 yards and a touchdown while adding a receiving touchdown and Markeith Knowlton scored on a 45-yard interception return to lead the Black and Gold.
The offence fired on all cylinders as three receivers finished with at least 69 yards (Bauman 69, Mitchell 81 and Walker 86) and the team finished with 508 total net yards.
The defence was stellar as well with Darrell Adams and Cornelius Anthony recording sacks while Chris Thompson and Knowlton recorded interceptions.
Quarterback Richie Williams and the Tiger-Cats began the game by traveling 48 yards down the field, where Nick Setta would finish the opening drive with a 23-yard field goal.
The Cats defensive unit also got off to a strong start, as Darrell Adams and Cornelius Anthony brought down Argonauts QB Kerry Joseph on consecutive plays to snuff out the visitor’s first possession.
The rest of the quarter was littered with two-and-outs and unsuccessful possessions, resulting in a 3-0 Hamilton lead at the end of the first quarter – the first time all season the Cats had held a lead after 15 minutes.
The Argonauts evened the score early in the second quarter thanks to a 18-yard Mike Vanderjagt field goal and took their first lead of the contest a little over five minutes later when running back Jamal Robertson plunged one-yard into the end zone to cap a 11-play, 4:55 drive.
Down 10-3 with 9:08 remaining, the Ticats ‘O’ followed the Argos touchdown drive with one of their own. Williams marched the Black and Gold 66 yards down the field with the assistance of a 42-yard Jo Jo Walker reception. The Ticats first touchdown pass of the season – a four-yard toss to backup fullback Robert Pavlovic – would tie the score to the elation of 19,423 fans in attendance.
Almost four minutes later , the Ticats re-took the lead. Terry Caulley, assuming the starting running back duties in Jesse Lumsden’s absence, would run right and right room to scamper 20 yards for a touchdown. Setta tacked on another point with an 85-yard kickoff immediately following to put the Cats ahead 18-10 with just 1:08 left in the half.
However, Joseph’s offence would reply before the end of the half. Joseph systematically dissected the Black and Gold’s defence on a nine-play drive which ended with a Dominique Dorsey touchdown of the evening from three yards out. The Argos would follow that major with a two-point conversion to knot the score at 18 at half.
At half, Richie Williams had completed nine-of-13 pass attempts for 130 yards and a touchdown while adding 23 yards on the ground.
With a vital win within their reach, the Ticats must have listened to whatever head coach Charlie Taaffe had to say at halftime as the Black and Gold responded with arguable their best quarter of football this season.
The Cats opened the second half with a quick drive that resulted in Williams finding Caulley in the end zone with a three yard pass to give the home side a seven point advantage.
After a missed Setta field goal, Hamilton’s defence added to their tally after linebacker Markeith Knowlton intercepted Joseph and returned the ball 45 yards for a touchdown, making the count 33-18 in the Cats favour. On the ensuing kickoff, the Cats special teams chipped in with a big play of their own. Sasha Glavic would separate Argos returner Jamal Robertson from the ball, allowing Sean Manning to recover the fumble and give the Ticats possession.
The defence would step up once again before the third quarter expired, as Chris Thompson would pick off Joseph again while the ‘D’ forced the Boatmen to surrender a safety with 1:42 to go. At the end of the third frame, the Ticats led 35-18.
Following a 31-yard Vanderjagt field goal, the Black and Gold’s offence continued their roll as Williams hit Chris Bauman, who juked his way away from a defender before he turned and ran an uncontested 40 yards for a 63-yard touchdown pass – Williams’ third of the contest.
Nick Setta’s second field goal of the evening would account for the rest of the game’s scoring and the Ticats left the field with a well-deserved and very important 45-21 victory over their interprovincial rivals.
