TORONTO (CP) – Dominique Dorsey set a career high with 303 all-purpose yards on Retro Night i n Toronto. The Argos Toronto wore powder blue jerseys with dark blue numbers, white pants with blue stripes along the side along with white sox. The traditional blue helmets were replaced by clear white ones that had neither the Argos’ insignia nor numbers on them.
Winnipeg had dark blue jerseys with gold numbers and white pants with gold stripes down the side. The players wore blue socks and dark blue helmets.
Neither team had the players’ last names on the back of the jerseys.
The Argos cheerleaders also got into the spirit, wearing ankle-length long pink dresses and bobby socks. And replays shown on the Jumbotron were in black and white.
Milt Stegall caught two touchdown passes and became the most prolific receiver in CFL history in leading the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to a 39-9 win over Toronto in Don Matthews’ first game on the Argonauts’ sidelines in 10 years.
Matthews ended a two-year retirement to rejoin the Argos for the third time Tuesday, replacing first-year head coach Rich Stubler. Upon being hired Matthews, the winningest coach in CFL history with 231 regular-season wins, said all Argos players were starting out with a clean slate and that he wouldn’t hesitate to make difficult roster decisions to make the club better.
He’s got plenty to ponder, thanks in part to Stegall.
With both teams wearing 1950s-style jerseys as part of the CFL’s Retro Week promotion, the 38-year-old Stegall looked like a man in his 20s in anchoring Winnipeg’s 24-point second-quarter outburst. Stegall’s 16-yard touchdown grab tied Allen Pitts’ CFL record of 14,891 receiving yards. Then the 14-year veteran shattered the mark with a sparkling 92-yard touchdown grab to put Winnipeg ahead 28-3.
Stegall scored on the only two catches he had in the game for 108 yards. That boosts his career yards mark to 14,982.
Stegall’s historic accomplishment was displayed on the Jumbotron and he received an enthusiastic ovation from the Rogers Centre gathering of 28,453.
Bombers quarterback Kevin Glenn cemented the victory with a 45-yard TD strike to Romby Bryant just 14 seconds into the fourth to put Winnipeg ahead 38-9. Glenn was 16-of-26 passing for 319 yards with four TDs and two interceptions.
Winnipeg (3-8) moved to within four points of second-place Toronto (4-7) in the East Division standings. The Argos lead the season series 2-1 with the final game scheduled for Oct. 10 at Canad Inns Stadium.
Matthews was making his first appearance as Toronto’s coach since the Argos’ ’98 East Division loss to Montreal. He retired as the Als head coach in October 2006 due to anxiety issues.
Terrence Edwards and Kai Ellis had Winnipeg’s other touchdowns. Serna booted five converts, a field goal and single.
Mike Vanderjagt’s three field goals accounted for Toronto’s scoring.
Turnovers helped stake Winnipeg to a commanding 31-6 half-time lead. The Bombers’ defence recorded three interceptions that set up two touchdowns.
A Kelly Malveaux interception set up Stegall’s record-tying TD grab while Ellis returned a Joseph pick 97 yards for a TD at 1:02 of the second. Bombers linebacker Zeke Moreno — acquired last week from Hamilton — hit Joseph just as he was passing, forcing the ball into the air.