Argoanuts.ca staff
TORONTO – The Argonauts and Tiger-Cats squared off in their final meeting of the 2015 regular season Friday, the second of two consecutive meetings between the rivals. After dropping the Labour Day Classic on Monday to the Tiger-Cats, Toronto was out for revenge, looking for a win that would bring them back to even standing with their East Division foes.
After winning the coin toss, the Tiger-Cats chose to receive the opening kickoff, though their possession of the ball wouldn’t last long. After a few completed passes from QB Zach Collaros, a deep ball to WR Tiquan Underwood was under thrown, and Argos DB Akwasi Owusu-Ansah was there to reel in the interception – his second of the season.
Unfortunately for the Argos, their ensuing drive finished with the same result, as a pass from Trevor Harris intended for Chad Owens was snatched by Ticats LB Erik Harris. Taking over inside the red zone, Collaros made no mistake, needing just one play to find WR Matt Coates for a 12-yard touchdown.
Toronto received the ball back after the score and opened up the drive with a pair of touches for second-year SB Anthony Coombs, who gained eighteen total yards to kick off Toronto’s possession. Harris continued to utilize his array of backs, handing off to RB Brandon Whitaker and completing a pass to FB Brandon Gillanders to keep the drive moving.
After a near-miss on a gadget play which saw SB Chad Owens attempt a deep pass to Harris, the Argos faced a third-and-short at the Ticats’ three yard line. Rather than take the points, head coach Scott Milanovich gambled, and Whitaker took a handoff to the left corner of the end zone, tying the game at seven points apiece.
Owusu-Ansah came close to nabbing his second interception of the game on the next Tiger-Cats drive, but his pass knockdown ended the series anyways, forcing a Hamilton punt.
The first quarter ended with the teams tied 7-7, as the Argos appeared to shake off some of the rust that has plagued them early in games in 2015.
Toronto took possession shortly into the second quarter after forcing another Hamilton punt, but they could only manage to move backwards. After a blocking penalty on the punt return, Harris was sacked on second down, and with the ball at their own one-yard line, K/P Swayze Waters conceded the safety and the lead.
Hamilton would strike again shortly after, energized by a 43-yard punt return from Brandon Banks. Aided by a couple of Argos’ penalties, Collaros led the Tiger-Cats on a touchdown drive finished by a short strike to WR Luke Tasker.
Toronto’s defence continued to force turnovers on Hamilton’s next drive, as DE Tristan Okpalaugo stripped Collaros of the ball on a sack. Unfortunately for Toronto, a defensive penalty was called on the play, nullifying the turnover.
Despite handing Collaros the ball in dangerous territory, the Argos’ defence held strong, forcing a field goal from K/P Justin Medlock. Toronto couldn’t get the ball moving on their final drive of the second quarter, and headed to halftime trailing 19-7.
Argos DE Ricky Foley led all defensive players with four tackles in the first half, while Harris completed six of 12 passes for 67 yards and an interception.
Toronto kicked off the second half with a bang, as RB Chad Kackert took the kickoff 32 yards near midfield. After successfully converting on a third-and-medium, Harris found WR Tori Gurley on a 42-yard strike for the touchdown. Due to an injury to Waters, the Argos opted to go for two following the major, but failed to convert, making the score 19-13.
Collaros was able to move the ball on the ensuing Ticats drive, but again Hamilton settled for a field goal, as Toronto’s defence strengthened in the second half once again.
The Argos took over with time waning down in the third quarter and Harris went to work. Helped out by a defensive pass interference penalty, Harris did plenty of work with his feet on the drive, racking up 16 rushing yards before finding Coombs in the back of the end zone for his first career CFL touchdown.
WR Dave Stala, filling in for Waters, nailed the one-point convert like a pro, bringing Toronto within two points. The third quarter ended with the Tiger-Cats holding onto a narrow 22-20 lead, with Toronto carrying much of the momentum.
Collaros and the Tiger-Cats did their best to grab some of the momentum on their next drive, with five consecutive positive-yardage plays to bring Hamilton to the Argos one yard line. Hamilton’s short-yardage QB, Jeff Mathews, finished the job Collaros started on a one-yard plunge to put Hamilton back up by nine.
After a two-and-out on Toronto’s next drive, Dave Stala’s punt was blocked, handing Hamilton possession inside the 25-yard line. Despite conceding possession so close to their own zone, a big hit from DB Matt Black and a QB sack from LB Greg Jones forced another field goal from Medlock.
Anthony Coombs continued his strong play when the Argos took possession, making a defender miss on his way to a 12 yard gain. It appeared that the Argos would have to go for it on third and long, but head coach Scott Milanovich challenged some rough coverage by the Ticats defence, resulting in a defensie pass interference call which put Toronto on the one-yard line.
Brandon Whitaker put his head down on the next play, scoring his second rushing touchdown of the game and bringing the Argos within a score. Stala kicked home his second extra point of the night, bringing the score to 32-27 with under five minutes to play.
Poised to put the game out of reach the Tiger-Cats picked ttheir way down the field to in to Argonauts territory as the whistle blew for the three minute warning. Slowly using up the game clock, Collaros would find a slanting Luke Tasker to set up first and goal from on the Toronto six-yard line.
Going to the ground on the next play, the Ticats putthe ball into RB Ray Holley’s hands for a loss of two. On the following play, Argonauts defensive back Travis Hawkins came up strong in converage with a deflection to for Hamilton to settle for a field. Medlock would hit from 17 to extend the lead to eight.
Milanovich elected to have Harris and his men scrimmage from their own 35-yard line with less than 90 seconds remaining in regulation. Harris rallied the troops into a hurry up offence while methodically cutting his way through the Ticats defence. After converting a pass to Chad Kackert over the middle to extend the drive with only seconds remaining, Harris took a shot to find Gurley in the end zone only to be nullified by an Emanuel Davis interception as the clock expired.
The Tiger-Cats took the season series, sweeping the Argonauts 3-0 for the first time since 2010. With the loss on Friday night, Toronto drops to 6-5 as they head into their second and final bye week.
The Argonauts return to action on Saturday, September 25 when they visit for the Ottawa REDBLACKS in the nations Capital.
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