ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
TORONTO – With the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in town for the first time since the Eastern Final, the Argos closed out the pre-season at historic Varsity Stadium facing their Southern Ontario rival.
Toronto received the opening kick-off with Curtis Steele back to return for the Argos.
On the Argos first play from scrimmage, a reception by John Chiles picked up a first down, but Ricky Ray and company could not extend the drive further and Swayze Waters punted away for the first time this pre-season.
Former Argonaut Zach Collaros would take the field for the Ticats and lead his first official drive against his former team. Completing over the middle multiple times, combined with some strong running from RB C.J. Gable, the Ticats found themselves in Argos territory.
Another former Argonaut then took the field, as K/P Justin Medlock and the Ticats special teams unit put the first points on the board connecting on a field goal. Ticats 3, Argos 0.
Opting to just take the ball with no kick-off, draft pick RB Anthony Coombs got the Varsity Stadium crowd on their feet for the first time by taking a short pass and using the open field to get into Hamilton territory.
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Argos 41, Ticats 23 |
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The Boatmen eventually punched in the drive as Ray found SB Chad Owens over the middle for the easy reception past the goal line and their first lead of the ball game. 7-3 Argos.
DL Thaddeus Gibson made his presence felt on the next Ticats drive as he hammered through the offensive line and laid a backfield hit on Collaros. Collaros fumbled, but the Ticats recovered and were forced to punt.
Ray’s day was over as back-up Trevor Harris took over under centre for the Boatmen. Ray finished 7-for-9 for 90-yards and a touchdown.
Following another Argos punt, the Ticats kick returner misread the ball and had it bounce off his hands and into the end zone. S Jermaine Gabriel tracked the ball while running downfield and pounced on the loose pigskin in the endzone, resulting in an Argos touchdown and 14-3 lead.
The Ticats then put together a drive and found themselves in the redzone with three chances at pay dirt. On third down Collaros rolled out to his right but had nobody to throw to and was sacked by DL Greg Romeus. Kent Austin settled for the field goal cutting the Argos lead to 14-6.
Harris settled in on his second drive, finding WR John Chiles for multiple first down pick-ups. After a roughing the passer penalty extended the Argos drive, Jason Barnes hauled in his first touchdown of the pre-season on a play action roll-out by Harris. Argos 21, Ticats 6.
On the next Ticats possession, LB Nick Williams got the entire defence fired up as he laid a huge hit on WR Andy Fantuz. Williams was met with enthusiasm from the Argos bench and even a chest bump from Linebackers Coach Casey Creehan.
A Ticats interception ended the Argos next drive, but once again DL Thaddeus Gibson tore into the Hamilton backfield for the sack on Collaros.
Before the half could end, Hamilton tacked on a touchdown as Collaros found Luke Tasker for the major, sending both teams to the locker rooms with the Argos leading 21-13.
Coming out in the second half, QB Mitchell Gale took over under centre for the Boatmen and immediately found WR Darvin Adams down the sideline for a big gain.
The Gale-Adams hook-up continued as the two connected for the Argos next touchdown as Adams hauled in a fade to the back corner of the endzone. Argos 28, Ticats 13.
On the next Ticats drive, Romeus found his way into the backfield again, registering his second sack of the game.
With Gale still at quarterback, the Argos orchestrated a drive that started all the way at their own 10 yard line. RB Jeremiah Johnson eventually capped the drive on a run where he made multiple Ticats defenders miss showing excellent speed and quickness.
The Ticats tacked on another field goal and the Argos added another sack as this time it was DL Ivan Brown who found his way into the Black and Yellow backfield.
QB Casey Pachall checked into the game for the Argos, but his night did not start out how he had hoped. On his second drop back LB Abraham Kromah picked off the Argos pivot and returned it to the house for a pick-6. Ticats cut the Argos lead to 35-23.
Shaking off the interception, Pachall let loose on the Argos next possession and aired out a bomb down the sideline to WR Terrell Sinkfield. Sinkfield, who finished the night with 5 receptions for 100 yards,, would leap and extend for a highlight reel grab and put the Argos in the red zone.
The Argos came away with a field goal on the drive as K/P Josh Jasper nailed the 16-yard attempt.
Sinkfield then made an impression on special teams, returning a kick for 50+yards. The Argos stalled on offence though, and Jasper was called on again, this time nailing the 40-yard FG.
That is how the game would end as the Argos finshed the 2014 pre-season 2-0 with a dominating 41-23 victory over the Ticats.