HAMILTON (CP) — Toronto starting quarterback Kerry Joseph threw one touchdown pass and ran for another as the Argonauts defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 27-17 at Ivor Wynne Stadium in CFL pre-season action Tuesday night.
This was the final pre-season meeting for Toronto and Hamilton before the final cuts are made this week. Both teams will debut their official 2009 on-field product in the season-opener back here at Ivor Wynne Stadium on July 1.
Joseph also recorded a costly fumble that was returned for a 93-yard Hamilton touchdown during his two-plus quarters of work. Back-up Cody Pickett added a touchdown pass.
Hamilton quarterback Quinton Porter started the game and had zero touchdown passes with one interception in his half of work. Veteran Kevin Glenn, locked in a battle for the Ticat starting job, recorded zero interceptions and zero touchdowns before being replaced by Adam Trafalis late in the fourth.
Arland Bruce III and Bryan Crawford also scored TDs for Toronto. Otis Floyd and Terry Caulley scored for Hamilton.
Toronto kicker Justin Medlock was good on his lone field-goal attempt, a 41-yarder. Eddie Johnson came in as kicker and went one-for-two. His 38-yard attempt was blocked and he was good on a 42-yarder. Hamilton receiver Dave Stala took a turn as kicker and went one-for-one from 17 yards.
Joseph hit Bruce with a 25-yard touchdown pass to cap a 57-yard, four-play drive on Toronto’s first possession of the game. An interception later in the quarter by Argo defensive back Jason Shivers set up a six-yard touchdown run by Joseph for a 14-0 lead.
On the most bizarre play of the game, Toronto looked about to score on its 11th play of a 95-yard drive with time run out in the first quarter. But Joseph tripped backwards around the 17-yard line and fumbled the ball upwards and into the arms of Hamilton linebacker Floyd who then scampered 93 yards for the score. Instead of being down by three touchdowns, the Ticats pulled to 14-7 to end a penalty-filled (10) first quarter.
Toronto took a 17-14 lead into halftime. Medlock’s field goal made it 17-7. But Hamilton QB Porter engineered an 84-yard drive on 12 plays, ending with a four-yard scoring run by Caulley.
Glenn started the second half for Hamilton, driving the team 55 yards to set up Stala’s 17-yarder to tie the game at 17 apiece.
Pickett came in for Joseph midway through the third and immediately drove the team 33 yards on four plays, hitting Crawford with a five-yard TD pass for a 24-17 lead. Johnson’s 42-yard field goal made it 27-14 late in the fourth.